Biografia
Born in Ohio, Terry Ray, at 18, co-starred alongside Patricia Heaton as a singing Chinese cook disguised as a Native American. After earning a Theatre Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati & Conservatory, he interned at Playhouse on the Square and performed in various regional theaters before moving to Los Angeles. Across more than 130 plays, he has shared the stage with stars like Dixie Carter, Elaine Stritch, and Matthew Perry.
In 1987, a four-day appearance on the game show Scrabble led Terry to openly come out on national TV, earning him a flood of fan mail. AfterElton ranked his appearance third on their top 10 Greatest Gay Moments in Game Show History, following Paul Lynde and Charles Nelson Reilly—Terry’s beloved acting teacher. Movieline.com named him one of the 5 Weirdest Game Show Contestants ever, noting he was the only one considered weird in a positive way.
Terry’s first professional writing credit was the stage production "Hollywood Goes Classical" at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (DCP), starring Mickey Rooney, Michael York, Dean Jones, Rhonda Fleming, and other classic film icons. He wrote and starred in two additional DCP shows, co-starring Amanda Bynes and Hilary Duff respectively.
He co-wrote and starred in the short film Gaydar, which screened at over 120 film festivals worldwide, won numerous awards, and was chosen by the California Independent Film Festival as one of their top 20 short comedy films ever. The film inspired the popular Gaydar Gun toy, which Terry voices. For his short film "Cost Of Living," a comedy about life after global warming, he received the Best Male Actor award at the Boston International Film Festival.
Terry Ray created, wrote, and starred in HERE! TV’s first sitcom, "From Here on OUT," featuring Juliet Mills, T.J. Hoban, Suzanne Whang, and Julie Brown. He co-created, produced, and wrote the Hulu game show Modd Couples. Additionally, he co-wrote the TV movie "Love Unplugged," starring Mischa Barton, David Ogden Stiers, and Markie Post. Terry also co-wrote and starred in the digital series "My Sister Is So Gay," alongside Loni Anderson (playing his mother), Debra Wilson, Tilky Jones, and Rae Dawn Chong.
He wrote and co-starred with Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from "Gilligan's Island") in a series of spoofs titled "She's Still on That Freakin' Island." His series "TV Therapy" features him as a therapist treating various classic TV characters—portrayed by their original actors—dealing with contemporary issues. Guest stars include Dawn Wells, Erin Murphy, Kathy Garver, Butch Patrick, Wesley Eure, Kathy Coleman, Juliet Mills, Bob Bergen, Ted Lange, Marc Copage, Darby Hinton, Johnny Whitaker, Alexandra Paul, Larry Mathews, and Jon Provost.
Terry’s debut play, "Electricity," premiered in Los Angeles to rave reviews, extended for 11 weeks, then launched a record-breaking nearly four-year run in Palm Springs, as well as productions in Columbus’ Evolution Theatre and the Twin Cities. Lavender Magazine named "Electricity" one of the five best out-of-town shows in Minneapolis in 2018, alongside "Hamilton."
He is co-founder and Managing Director of The Bent Theatre, one of the few LGBTQ+ theaters in Southern California. The Bent opened with the world premiere of Terry’s play "The Lincoln Debate," a historically accurate comedy about the four years Abraham Lincoln shared a bed with Joshua Speed, his documented "best friend." The Bent has quickly become one of the most respected theaters in the Palm Springs area.
Terry Ray also teaches acting.
