Ray Goulding facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray Goulding
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Goulding at left with Bob Elliott on Monitor in 1960
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Raymond Walter Goulding
March 20, 1922 Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Died | March 24, 1990 (aged 68) Manhasset, New York, U.S.
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| Occupation | Comedian, actor |
| Years active | 1946–1990 |
Raymond Walter Goulding (March 20, 1922 – March 24, 1990) was a well-known American comedian. He was famous for being one half of the comedy team called Bob and Ray, alongside his partner Bob Elliott.
Ray was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was the fourth of five children. When he was 17, after finishing high school, he started working as a radio announcer. He used the name 'Dennis Howard' at first. Later, he used his own name when he worked at a Boston radio station.
In 1942, his career paused because of World War II. Ray joined the U.S. Army and became a captain. While serving, he met his future wife, Mary Elizabeth Leader. They got married in 1945 and had six children together.
The Comedy Duo: Bob and Ray
After the war in 1946, Ray Goulding started working at a radio station in Boston. He read the news for the morning show, which was hosted by Bob Elliott. Ray and Bob quickly found they had a great sense of humor together. They became a very popular comedy team.
Ray was tall and had a deep voice. This made him a good contrast to Bob. In their comedy skits, Ray often played bigger, more exaggerated characters. He was very good at imitating Senator Joseph McCarthy. This led to many funny sketches during the time of the Army-McCarthy hearings, which were public investigations. Ray also played all the female roles, using a high voice called a falsetto. His most famous female character was a cooking expert named "Mary Margaret McGoon." In 1949, Ray, as Mary, even recorded a funny song that became popular locally.
Becoming Famous: Radio and TV
In 1951, Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding joined NBC Radio. They worked with NBC for 40 years. Also in 1951, they had their own TV show called "Bob and Ray." Famous actors like Audrey Meadows and Cloris Leachman appeared on the show. In 1955, they became regular comedians on NBC's Monitor radio series. In 1956, they won a Peabody Award for their excellent work in broadcasting.
To learn more about the different characters and voices Ray Goulding created, you can read the Wikipedia page about Bob and Ray.
Ray Goulding's Life Outside Work
When he wasn't performing, Ray Goulding enjoyed photography and sport shooting. He also wrote some funny articles for Mad Magazine with Bob Elliott in the 1950s. Ray was a big fan of the Boston Red Sox baseball team his whole life.
Ray Goulding passed away in 1990 at his home in Manhasset, New York. He died from kidney failure just four days after his 68th birthday.
