Figure 1.--This film shows 10-year old Andrew Ray dressed for his part in "The Mudlark", the film that made him famous. |
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Andrew Ray was a popular English child actor in the early 50s. Andrew Ray was born in North London. His father was the popular radio comic, Ted Ray. His mother Sybil Ray was also involved in show business.
Andrew was cast in the title role in "The Mudlark" (England, 1950). This was a 20th Century Fox film which starred Alec Guinness and Irene Dunne. Andrew played a street urchin.. "Mudlarks" were the name given to poor London street children who survived by scavenging along the banks of the River Thames which flows through London. The poor London boy winds up meeting Queen Victoria who in her grief over her husband's death had with drawn from society. The film proved quite popular in Britain and was chosen as the Royal Command Performance in 1950. Andrew's sensitive performance made him an instant child star in Britain. His impish persona made the wide-eyed boy and his tousled hair a British favorite. His father in his autobiography described Abndrew as "perky" and "inquiring". Andrew's film career began by chance. Andrew was a home recuperating from the mumps when Ben Lyon, the casting director for Twentieth Century Fox, came to see his parents. He wanted to know if Andrew's older brother Robin would be interested in testing for a film role. Robin proved a bit too old for the part, but Andrew struvk Lyon as just right. Robin went on to become a well-known British broadcaster and musician.
Another important film for Andrew was "The Yellow Baloon" (England, 195?). It was an English Film Noir in which Andrew gets involved with gangsters. Andrew appeared in several other films as well as theater appearances. Other filns included "Escapade" (with Sir John Mills), "Woman in a Dressing Gown" (with Sylvia Sims), "Serious Charge" (with Anthony Quayle and Cliff Richard), "The System" (with Oliver Reed and David Hemmings) and "Twice Round the Daffodils" (with Juliet Mills and Kenneth Williams). These are English films and we have not seen several of them. Perhaps some of our British readers will be familiar with these films. Some of the most notable theatre roles were "Flowering Cherry" (with Sir Ralph Richardson and Celia Johnson) and "Taste of Honey" on Broadway (with Angela Lansbury and Joan Plowright).
As Andrew became a film star, he withdrew from Franklin House prep school in north London. This was essentially the end of his education. He explains. "My education really stopped at 10. How can you go back to school and remain unchanged when you've suddenly become a film star?"
When Andrew came back from America after his Broadway stibnt he found that he could no longer do child roles and bcme rather depressed as his stsrdom wained. At age 17 he came into the trust his father set up and began spending money wildly. He almost killed himseld in an accident with his new sports car. He later attempted suiside before gaining contol of himself.
One fan writes about Andrews as an adult, "Andrew was a great man. A really lovely gentle guy who cared passionately for the underdog." He married Zimbabwean actress Susan Burnet. They had two children.
As an adult actor he was best known for his portrayal of George VI, both on the stage in "Crown
Matrimonial" (Duke of York, 1973) and in the aclaimed television drama "Edward and Mrs Simpson" (1980).
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