John Wray (born John Griffith Malloy; February 13, 1887 – April 5, 1940) was an American character actor of stage and screen.

Career

Wray was one of the many Broadway actors to descend on

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

in the aftermath of the sound revolution, and quickly appeared in a variety of substantial character roles, such as the

Arnold Rothstein Arnold Rothstein (January 17, 1882 – November 6, 1928), nicknamed "The Brain", was an American racketeer, crime boss, businessman, and gambler who became a kingpin of the Jewish Mob in New York City. Rothstein was widely reputed to have orga ...

-like gangster in '' The Czar of Broadway'' (1930); Himmelstoss, the sadistic drill instructor in '' All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930); and as the contortionist the Frog in the remake of '' The Miracle Man'' (1932), in the role previously played by Lon Chaney in the 1919 original. Wray's roles grew increasingly smaller as the decade progressed but he was very visible as the starving farmer threatening to kill

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...

's Longfellow Deeds in

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...

's classic '' Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'' (1936) and as the warden in

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), better known as Fritz Lang (), was an Austrian-born film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety Obituari ...

's '' You Only Live Once'' (1937). On Broadway, Wray performed in ''Achilles Had a Heel'' (1935), ''Tin Pan Alley'' (1928), ''Nightstick'' (1927), ''Broadway'' (1926), ''The Enemy'' (1925), ''Silence'' (1924), ''Polly Preferred'' (1923), ''The Nightcap'' (1921), ''The Ouija Board'' (1920), ''Richelieu '' (1917), ''The Weavers'' (1915), ''When the Young Vine Blooms'' (1915), ''Hamlet'' (1913), and ''The Merchant of Venice'' (1913).

Partial filmography

* '' New York Nights'' (1929) - Joe Prividi * '' All Quiet On The Western Front'' (1930) - Himmelstoss * '' The Czar of Broadway'' (1930) - Morton Bradstreet * '' Quick Millions'' (1931) - Kenneth Stone * ''

Silence Silence is the absence of ambient hearing, audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low sound intensity, intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be exten ...

'' (1931) - Harry Silvers * '' Safe in Hell'' (1931) - Egan * '' The Woman from Monte Carlo'' (1932) - Cmdr. Brambourg * ''

High Pressure In science and engineering the study of high pressure examines its effects on materials and the design and construction of devices, such as a diamond anvil cell, which can create high pressure. ''High pressure'' usually means pressures of thousan ...

'' (1932) - Jimmy Moore * '' The Miracle Man'' (1932) - The Frog * '' The Mouthpiece'' (1932) - Mr. Barton * '' The Rich Are Always with Us'' (1932) - Clark Davis * '' Miss Pinkerton'' (1932) - Hugo * '' Doctor X'' (1932) - Dr. Haines * '' I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang'' (1932) - Nordine (uncredited) * '' The Death Kiss'' (1932) - Detective Lieut. Sheehan * ''

Central Park Central Park is an urban park between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, and the first landscaped park in the United States. It is the List of parks in New York City, sixth-largest park in the ...

'' (1932) - Robert Smiley * '' The Match King'' (1932) - Foreman of Janitors * '' After Tonight'' (1933) - Mitika, the Gypsy Contact * '' Lone Cowboy'' (1933) - Bill O'Neal * '' Bombay Mail'' (1934) - Giovanni Martini * ''

The Big Shakedown ''The Big Shakedown'' is a 1934 American pre-Code crime drama film starring Charles Farrell and Bette Davis, and directed by John Francis Dillon. The screenplay is based on the story "Cut Rate" by Niven Busch and Samuel G. Engel. The film ...

'' (1934) - Higgins * '' The Crosby Case'' (1934) - Giovanni Martini * '' The Most Precious Thing in Life'' (1934) - Carter * ''

The Love Captive ''The Love Captive'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by Max Marcin and written by Karen DeWolf, adapted from Marcin's play of the same name. The film stars Gloria Stuart, Nils Asther, Paul Kelly, Alan Dinehart, Renee Gadd, and ...

'' (1934) - Jules Glass * '' Green Eyes'' (1934) - Inspector Crofton * '' The Defense Rests'' (1934) - Michael Cooney * '' Fifteen Wives'' (1934) - Jason Getty * '' The Cat's-Paw'' (1934) - Man on Street (uncredited) * '' Embarrassing Moments'' (1934) - Slug * '' The Captain Hates the Sea'' (1934) - Mr. Jeddock * '' I'll Fix It'' (1934) - Fletcher * '' I Am a Thief'' (1934) - Antonio Porricci * '' The Whole Town's Talking'' (1935) - Henchman Harry (uncredited) * '' The Great Hotel Murder'' (1935) - Feets Moore * '' Stranded'' (1935) - Mike Gibbons * '' Men Without Names'' (1935) - Sam 'Red' Hammond * '' Atlantic Adventure'' (1935) - Mitts Coster * '' Ladies Love Danger'' (1935) - Lieutenant Roberts * '' Bad Boy'' (1935) - Fred Larkin * '' Frisco Kid'' (1935) - The Weasel * '' Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'' (1936) - Farmer * '' Poor Little Rich Girl'' (1936) - Flagin * '' A Son Comes Home'' (1936) - Gas Station Owner * '' Sworn Enemy'' (1936) - Lang, a Gangster * ''

The Devil Is a Sissy ''The Devil Is a Sissy'' is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s. The film pre ...

'' (1936) - Priest (uncredited) * '' The President's Mystery'' (1936) - Shane * '' Valiant Is the Word for Carrie'' (1936) - George Darnley * '' A Man Betrayed'' (1936) - Sparks * '' We Who Are About to Die'' (1937) - Jerry Daley * '' You Only Live Once'' (1937) - Warden Wheeler * '' Outcast'' (1937) - Hank Simmerson * '' Circus Girl'' (1937) - Roebling * '' The Devil Is Driving'' (1937) - Joe Peters * '' On Such a Night'' (1937) - Guard Rumann * ''

The Women Men Marry ''The Women Men Marry'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Errol Taggart and starring George Murphy, Josephine Hutchinson, Claire Dodd and Toby Wing. The film's script is credited to Donald Henderson Clarke. Plot Cast * George Murphy as ...

'' (1937) - Brother Nameless * '' The Black Doll'' (1938) - Walling * '' Making the Headlines'' (1938) - Herbert Sandford * ''

Gangs of New York ''Gangs of New York'' is a 2002 American-Italian epic historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan, based on Herbert Asbury's 1928 book '' The Gangs of New York''. The fil ...

'' (1938) - Maddock * '' Reformatory'' (1938) - Guard (uncredited) * '' Professor Beware'' (1938) - Head Lawyer (uncredited) * '' Tenth Avenue Kid'' (1938) - Joe Turner * ''

Spawn of the North ''Spawn of the North'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Henry Hathaway about rival fishermen in Alaska starring George Raft, Henry Fonda and Dorothy Lamour and featuring Akim Tamiroff and John Barrymore. ''Spawn of the North'' is b ...

'' (1938) - Dr. Sparks * '' Boys Town'' (1938) - Weasel (uncredited) * '' Crime Takes a Holiday'' (1938) - Howell * ''

A Man to Remember A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is '' a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes''. It is similar in shape to the Ancient ...

'' (1938) - Tom Johnson * '' Pacific Liner'' (1939) - Metcalfe * '' Risky Business'' (1939) - Silas * '' Almost a Gentleman'' (1939) - 'Crack' Williams * '' Each Dawn I Die'' (1939) - Pete Kassock * '' Winter Carnival'' (1939) - Poultry Truck Driver (uncredited) * '' Smuggled Cargo'' (1939) - Chris Hays * '' Golden Boy'' (1939) - Chocolate Drop's Manager (uncredited) * ''

Blackmail Blackmail is a criminal act of coercion using a threat. As a criminal offense, blackmail is defined in various ways in common law jurisdictions. In the United States, blackmail is generally defined as a crime of information, involving a thr ...

'' (1939) - Diggs * '' The Cat and the Canary'' (1939) - Hendricks * '' The Amazing Mr. Williams'' (1939) - Stanley * ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

'' (1939) - prison gang overseer (uncredited) * '' Remember the Night'' (1940) - Hank * '' Swiss Family Robinson'' (1940) - Ramsey * '' The Man from Dakota'' (1940) - Mr. Carpenter * '' Outside the Three-Mile Limit'' (1940) - Ship's Captain (uncredited) * '' The Doctor Takes a Wife'' (1940) - Joe - Farmer (uncredited) (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wray, John 1887 births 1940 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Philadelphia