|
Ray
Rayner, Star Of "Ray Rayner and his Friends," on WGN-TV In The 1960s And
‘70s, Dies
January 21, 2004
Ray Rayner, the actor who played Oliver O. Oliver on
"Bozo's Circus" for a decade and who hosted his own kids' show 'Ray
Rayner and His Friends" for 19 years on WGN-TV, passed away on January
21 following complications from pneumonia. He was 84 years old.
Mr. Rayner retired from WGN-TV in December 1980. Fans can visit
wgntv.com to share their favorite Ray Rayner memories. The message board
will be up until next Friday, January 30, 2004.
"Ray was a good guy. That's the one thing that everybody remembers about
him. When he was on the air - that's the impression you got. He was a
very friendly, warm person. That's one of the reasons his morning show
was so tremendously successful," commented Allen Hall, a former
colleague and the longtime producer of "The Bozo Show" on WGN-TV.
"Ray Rayner was most definitely one of Chicago's Very Own. Ray's work
was enjoyed by everyone who grew up in Chicago," commented John
Vitanovec, VP/General Manager of WGN-TV. "His tenure here at WGN is
still a time recalled fondly by our viewers. Our thoughts and prayers
are with his family. He will be missed."
WGN-TV hired Ray Rayner to portray Sergeant Henry Pettibone as host of
the "Dick Tracy" show in 1961. He joined "Bozo's Circus" as Oliver O.
Oliver that same year and continued in that role until 1971. In 1962,
Ray replaced Dick Coughlan as host of "Breakfast with Bugs Bunny." In
1964, the show was renamed "Ray Rayner and His Friends," and quickly
became a staple to thousands of Chicagoland grade school children. "Ray
Rayner and His Friends" ran until January, 1981. In 1966, the "Dick
Tracy" show ended a five-year run and Ray hosted "Rocket to Adventure"
for two-seasons.
"Ray Rayner and His Friends," which aired weekday mornings, featured
cartoons, songs, pantomime antics, jokes, riddles, mock newscasts and
daily weather forecasts geared to the younger set, as well as traffic,
sports and news information for parents. Ray's canine puppet friend
Cuddly Dudley visited the program twice a week, and one day a week was
set aside for a "do-it-yourself project." Ray showed his young viewers
how to make everything from pup pencil holders, to mushroom pincushions,
to stocking mice. Once a week Dr. Lester Fisher, director of the Lincoln
Park Zoo, and Ray took viewers behind-the-scenes at the zoo. Chelveston
the duck was also a regular visitor to the show. Any off-camera staff or
crew was referred to as "Chauncy."
Ray left Chicago television in 1981 and became a weather forecaster and
fill-in news anchor for the CBS affiliate in Albuquerque, New Mexico
until 1989. In his "spare time," Rayner hosted the nationally syndicated
"PM Magazine," and wrote three original plays. In 1984, he returned to
Chicago to join the cast of "Guys and Dolls." He made several guest
appearances as himself on "The Bozo Show" and in WGN-TV anniversary
specials.
Born in New York City, Ray was a navigator on a B-17 in the United
States Air Force and spent two years in a German military prison camp.
He picked up a taste for acting during his POW days and pursued the
profession during his college years following the war.
After the war, Rayner returned to a Long Island radio station, and he
started to work his way west to Dayton, Ohio, then Grand Rapids,
Michigan. He hosted music and quiz programs and wrote some news. In 1953
he found himself in Chicago, auditioning at WBBM-TV. There, Rayner
worked for eight years on a variety of children's shows including
"Rayner Shine," "The Little Show" with a duck named Havelock, and in
"Popeye's Firehouse," as Chief Abernathy. He had an active career as a
commercial announcer and as an MC on a teenage dance party program. He
was also one of the first Ronald McDonalds to appear in network
television commercials.
Throughout much of his career, Ray Rayner also acted on the serious side
of theater, playing demanding roles in such productions as Arthur
Miller's "The Crucible," "Assassination, 1865," "The Rainmaker,"and "The
Caine Mutiny." He also appeared in lighter productions such as "The Odd
Couple" and "Fiddler on the Roof." Reaching out to younger actors,
Rayner directed students in Loyola Academy productions.
Rayner attended Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass, and then went on
to Fordham University in New York where he graduated with a B.A. degree
in literature and philosophy. He also received an M.A. in Humanities
from the University of Chicago. Ray was the recipient of many awards
including local Emmy Awards, and most recently, in 2000, Rayner was
inducted into the Chicago Chapter of the National Academy of Television
Arts and Sciences' Silver Circle.
Mr. Rayner was most recently enjoying his retirement in Fort Myers,
Florida. He is survived by his second wife Marie Rayner, daughter
Christina Miller, son Mark Rayner, and four grandchildren: Troy, Hilary,
Sean and Patrick.
The family has asked that donations be made to the Make A Wish
foundation.
Make A Wish Foundation
1-866-880-1382
P.O. Box 29119
Phoenix, AZ 85038-5010
Copyright © 2005, WGN-TV |