Ray Sharkey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ray Sharkey
Born	Raymond Sharkey Jr. (1952-11-14)November 14, 1952 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	June 11, 1993(1993-06-11) (aged 40) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Cause of death	Complications from AIDS
Resting place	Saint Charles Cemetery
Nationality	American
Alma mater	New York City Community College HB Studio
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1974–1992
Spouse(s)	Rebecca Wood ​ ​ (m. 1981; div. 1986)​ Carole Graham ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 1992)​
Children	1

Raymond "Ray" Sharkey Jr. (born November 14, 1952 – died June 11, 1993) was an American actor who performed in plays, movies, and TV shows. He was best known for his role as Vincent Vacarri in the 1980 movie The Idolmaker. For this role, he won a special award called the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. He was also famous for playing Sonny Steelgrave in the TV series Wiseguy.

Ray Sharkey's Early Life

Ray Sharkey was born in Brooklyn, a part of New York. His parents were Cecelia Formisano and Ray Sharkey, Sr. His family background included Irish and Italian heritage. When Ray was five years old, his father, who was a professional drummer, left the family. Ray was then raised by his mother, Cecelia, in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Ray became very interested in acting after watching Jack Lemmon in the 1962 movie Days of Wine and Roses. He went to New York City Community College for one year. After that, he decided to study acting at the HB Studio. While learning at HB Studio, Ray performed in many plays that were shown Off-Broadway, which means they were in smaller theaters. In 1973, Ray and his friend, a boxer and actor named Chu Chu Malave, moved to Los Angeles. They both wanted to become actors there.

Ray Sharkey's Acting Career

Ray Sharkey started his movie career in 1974 with a film called The Lords of Flatbush. Over the years, he acted in more than 40 movies. He also made many guest appearances on different TV shows.

One of his early memorable performances was in the 1978 movie Who'll Stop the Rain, directed by Karel Reisz. The film's editor, John Bloom, thought Ray and another actor, Richard Masur, were excellent villains. He said they were both funny and scary at the same time.

Winning Awards for His Roles

In 1980, Ray Sharkey played a music promoter named Vinnie Vacarri in the movie The Idolmaker. This role really helped his career grow. He even won a Golden Globe Award for his amazing performance in the film. The very next year, he was nominated for another Golden Globe. This time, it was for his main role in a TV movie called The Ordeal of Bill Carney.

He also got the part of Sonny Steelgrave in the TV series Wiseguy. Many people loved his performance as Sonny. One reviewer said that the episodes with Steelgrave were wonderful, partly because of Ray's strong acting. Another person compared Ray's portrayal of Steelgrave to James Cagney's famous character Cody Jarrett in the movie White Heat. The show's producer, Stephen J. Cannell, and many fans were sad when Ray's character left the show. Wiseguy was set up with different story "arcs" that lasted several episodes. Sonny Steelgrave was so popular that many viewers wrote letters asking for him to return. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly magazine listed Ray Sharkey's performance as Sonny Steelgrave as one of the top 50 Emmy snubs, meaning they thought he should have been nominated for an Emmy award.

Later Roles

After his success with Wiseguy, Ray Sharkey co-starred in a movie about the life of John Belushi called Wired. In this film, Ray played an angel who meets Belushi after his death. Ray's next role was in the 1989 comedy movie Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills.

In 1991, he was the star of an ABC TV show called The Man in the Family. While Ray received good reviews for his acting, the show itself was not very popular with critics and was canceled after just one season. The next year, he appeared as a guest on the TV show Jake and the Fatman. He also starred in the TV movie In the Line of Duty: Street War. Ray Sharkey's very last role was in the 1993 comedy movie Cop and a Half.

Ray Sharkey's Personal Life

In May 1981, Ray Sharkey married a model named Rebecca Wood. Their marriage ended in 1986. In 1988, he married actress Carole Graham. They had one daughter together, named Cecelia, who was born in 1989. In November 1992, Carole Graham and Ray Sharkey divorced.

Illness and Passing

Ray Sharkey faced a serious health challenge in the late 1980s. After he passed away, his manager, Herb Nanas, shared that they had decided to keep his health condition private. They were concerned that it might affect his acting career.

Ray Sharkey passed away due to complications from his illness at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. He was 40 years old when he died on June 11, 1993. He is buried at Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations