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Fred Olen Ray

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Fred Olen Ray
Born (1954-09-10) September 10, 1954 (age 70)
Wellston, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation(s)Film producer, director, screenwriter, actor
Years active1971–present
Spouses
  • Dawn Wildsmith
Kimberly A. Ray
​
(m. 1997)​

Fred Olen Ray (born September 10, 1954) is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter of more than 200 low-to-medium-quality feature films in many genres,[1] including horror, science fiction, action/adventure, erotic thrillers, crime dramas, and holiday films.[2]

Ray is the head of Retromedia, which releases DVDs of both his own productions and archival films.[3] He has also worked for other well-known independent studios and on a few occasions for major Hollywood studios. He has been cited as an inspiration for many independent filmmakers. He loaned a 16 mm camera to Quentin Tarantino so he could make My Best Friend's Birthday.[4]

Aside from his work in the film industry, Ray was also a professional wrestler. His wrestling name was Fabulous Freddie Valentine.[5]

Early life

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Ray was born September 10, 1954, in Wellston, Ohio, to a family originally from West Virginia. As a teenager, he regularly read Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. Being a fan of horror and science fiction films such as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and the AIP movies of the 1950s and 1960s, Ray started making his own movies at the age of fourteen.[6] At age seventeen, he self-published three issues of the amateur fantasy-film fanzine, Dagon in 1972.

Career

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Early work and The Brain Leeches (1970s)

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After serving in the United States Navy, Ray began working at a local television station in Orlando, Florida. He first appeared in a small role in the 1975 film Shock Waves, which starred Peter Cushing and John Carradine.[7] Ray then began directing independent films during his free time using station equipment, starting with The Brain Leeches (1978) produced on a budget of $298.[8][9] Ray also co-wrote the screenplay with political essayist Brad Linaweaver, and the two later collaborated on additional films.[10]

1980s

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Ray's next film was shot on a budget of $15,000. Lessons learned from The Brain Leeches allowed Ray to keep production cost to a minimum, while using the bulk of the budget to attract a recognized Hollywood name to the project. Alien Dead was shot featuring an elderly Buster Crabbe, cinema action hero of the 1930s and 1940s, and star of three Flash Gordon serials from 1936 to 1940. With the success of that film, Ray decided to move to Hollywood to be close to the film industry. He was interested in working in make-up and special effects, "probably from all of those years of reading Famous Monsters magazine", he later said. He found out "it soon became apparent that you would always be between jobs and I was looking for something that would actually earn me a living. I think I became a director because that was the fastest way to get a film made on the independent side of things."[6]

Ray succeeded in raising money for a low-budget horror film, Scalps (1983), which featured cameos from Carroll Borland and Forrest J. Ackerman. The Tomb (1986) starred Cameron Mitchell and John Carradine. Ray switched to action films with Armed Response (1986), which starred David Carradine and Lee Van Cleef. Ray had affection for this movie because "it had a great cast and was one of the first times I had more than two nickels to rub together."[6] He then turned to science fiction: Deep Space (1987) and Cyclone (1987). Beverly Hills Vamp (1988) was a horror comedy with Eddie Deezen. Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) was made in only a few days and turned out to be a big hit.[5] Less popular was The Phantom Empire (1988).

1990s

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Ray during the filming of Operation Cobra in 1996

After Alienator (1989) he was reunited with Deezen for Mob Boss (1990), another comedy. He entered sword and sorcery movies with Wizards of the Demon Sword (1991) and made the more popular Bad Girls from Mars (1991). During this time he published a book he had written, The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors (1991).[11]

Ray co-directed Scream Queen Hot Tub Party (1991) with Jim Wynorski, shot in one day.[12] Ray moved into erotic thrillers with Inner Sanctum (1991) starring Tanya Roberts. It was a hit and Ray would make others in that genre, including Inner Sanctum 2, Mind Twister (1994) and Possessed by the Night (1994).

Evil Toons (1992) was a comedy-horror, then he co-directed another with Wynorski, Dinosaur Island (1994). Witch Academy (1994) was the last of his "scream queen" movies.[12] After Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold (1995), he made Fugitive Rage (1996), Friend of the Family II (1996), Inferno (1997), Hybrid (1997), and The Shooter, which has been referred to as Ray's best film.[5] Dear Santa (1998) was a family film and Billy Frankenstein (1998) was a comedy.

2000s to present

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In 2001, he made the film, Critical Mass. He later said he was a "Critical Mass kind of guy. I like to shoot things and blow stuff up. I also like comedies. Don't like erotic thrillers."[6][13]

He established a DVD company called Retromedia. Ray made a film called Bikini Airways "on a lark and it did really well", said Ray. This led to a series of Bikini films.[12][14]

In 2007, he reflected on his career:

Money is always a barrier. The more they give you, the more they expect, so you're always caught short, regardless. I don't think anything I've done was ever budgeted properly for what was expected of me, but that's just the nature of the business, I guess. There certainly are films I did because there was a paycheck attached. It's a working man's world and it doesn't pay to get too idealistic about things like directing low-budget movies if you have a family to think about. I usually try to find something that interests me in each and every project. It's not really possible to phone it in. Making a film with no money or schedule is ten times harder than it is to make a big-budget show where you're surrounded by a gang of super-talented people.[6]

Budgetary constraints notwithstanding, Ray has, on occasion, been able to attract A-list actors to appear in his films. Two-time Academy Award nominee Peter Fonda played Marshal Kane in the 2010 Ray film, American Bandits: Frank and Jesse James.[5] While Golden Globe Awards winner Christian Slater appeared in Ray's 2012 film Hatfields and McCoys: Bad Blood.[15] One reviewer described American Bandits as perhaps "the most boring Jesse James film ever made".[5]

In 2017, he received a "Living Legend Award" at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival.[16]

In 2019, he produced and released, Boggy Creek: The Series with director Henrique Couto at the helm.[17]

Books

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  • Grind Show - Weirdness as Entertainment (1993)
  • The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors (2011), ISBN 978-0786467556
  • Hell-Bent for Hollywood: A Director's Journey (2024), ISBN 979-8986521589

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2022 Piranha Women Yes Yes No
2020 Dying for a Daughter Yes Yes Yes
2016 Trial Yes No No
Sniper: Special Ops Yes Yes Yes
Accidental Switch Yes Yes Yes
2014 After Midnight Yes Yes Yes
Christmas in Palm Springs Yes No Yes
House of Secrets Yes No Yes
2013 All I Want for Christmas Yes No Yes
Abner, the Invisible Dog Yes No Yes
2012 Collision Course Yes Yes Yes
Baby Dolls Behind Bars Yes No No
Hatfields and McCoys: Bad Blood Yes Yes Yes
Busty Housewives of Beverly Hills Yes No No as Nicholas Medina
2011 Super Shark Yes Yes Yes
Together We Can Find a Cure Yes No No
Little Witches Yes Yes Executive as Nicholas Medina
Lady Chatterly's Ghost Yes Yes Executive
Knock Outs Yes Yes Executive
2010 Housewives from Another World Yes Yes No
Twilight Vamps[18] Yes Yes Executive
Bikini Frankenstein[19] Yes Yes Executive as Nicholas Medina
Bikini Royale 2 Yes Yes No
American Bandits: Frank and Jesse James[5] Yes Yes Yes
2009 Silent Venom Yes No No
Dire Wolf Yes No No
2008 Solar Flare Yes No No
Bikini Royale Yes Yes No
2007 The Girl from B.I.K.I.N.I. Yes Yes No
2006 Bikini Pirates aka Ghost of the Pirate Queen[20] Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina
2005 Glass Trap Yes No No as Ed Raymond
Bikini Round-Up Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina
2004 Tomb of the Werewolf[5] Yes Yes No as Sherman Scott
Bikini a Go-Go Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina
Sherman Scott
The Bikini Escort Company Yes Yes Associate as Bill Carson
Nicholas Medina
Sherman Scott
Genie in a String Bikini Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Medina
Bikini Chain Gang[5] Yes Yes Associate
Bikini Cavegirl (also known as Teenage Cavegirl)[5] Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina
Sherman Scott
2003 Final Examination Yes No No Ed Raymond
Bikini Airways Yes No No
2002 Southern Discomfort: Wrestling on the Indie Circuit Yes Yes Yes as Freddy Valentine
Venomous Yes No No as Ed Raymond
13 Erotic Ghosts Yes Yes Executive as Roger Collins
Nicholas Medina
Peter Stewart
2001 Air Rage Yes No No as Ed Raymond
Mach 2 Yes No No
ACW Wrestling's Wildest Matches Yes No Yes as Sherman Scott
Freddie Valentine
Kept Yes No No Uncredited
Stranded Yes No No
2000 Submerged Yes No No
Sideshow Yes No No
Critical Mass Yes No No as Ed Raymond
Special Envoys Yes No No
1999 Invisible Mom II Yes No Yes
Fugitive Mind Yes No Yes
The Kid with X-ray Eyes Yes No No
Counter Measures Yes No Yes
Active Stealth Yes No No
Scandal: On the Other Side Yes No No as Nick Medina
1998 The Prophet Yes No No as Sherman Scott
Mom, Can I Keep Her? Yes No Yes
Illicit Dreams 2 Yes No Yes as Roger Collins
Billy Frankenstein Yes No No
Dear Santa Yes No No as Peter Stewart
Mom's Outta Sight Yes No No
1997 The Shooter[5] Yes No No as Ed Raymond
Inferno Yes No No
Bikini Hoe-Down Yes No Yes as Roger Collins
Nicholas Medina
Hybrid Yes No Yes
Invisible Dad Yes Yes No
Little Miss Magic Yes Yes Yes
Masseuse 2 Yes Yes No as Peter Daniels
Maximum Revenge Yes No No as Bill Carson
Night Shade Yes No Yes as Nicholas Medina
Rapid Assault Yes No No as Sherman Scot
1996 Invisible Mom Yes No Yes
Friend of the Family II Yes No No as Nicholas Medina
Fugitive Rage Yes No Yes
Over the Wire Yes No No as Nicholas Medina
Masseuse Yes No No as Peter Daniels
1995 Sorceress No No Yes
Droid Gunner Yes No Yes
Bikini Drive-In Yes No Yes as Randy Rocket
Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold Yes No Yes
Star Hunter Yes No Yes as Sam Newfield
The Wasp Woman No No No as Tex
Witch Academy Yes No Yes
1994 Inner Sanctum II Yes No Yes
Possessed by the Night Yes Yes No
Dinosaur Island Yes No Yes
Mind Twister Yes No No
1993 Dinosaur Girls Yes Yes Yes
1992 Evil Toons Yes Yes Yes
1991 Haunting Fear Yes Yes Yes
Spirits Yes No No
Inner Sanctum Yes No Co-producer
Scream Queen Hot Tub Party Yes Yes Yes as Bill Carson
Bad Girls from Mars Yes Yes Yes as Sherman Scott
Wizards of the Demon Sword Yes No Yes
1990 Mob Boss Yes No Yes
1989 Terminal Force Yes No Yes
Alienator Yes No No
1988 Warlords Yes No Yes
The Phantom Empire Yes Yes Yes
Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers[5] Yes Yes Yes as Dr. S. Carver
Beverly Hills Vamp Yes No Yes
1987 Commando Squad Yes No Co-producer
Cyclone Yes Uncredited No
Deep Space Yes Yes Yes
Evil Spawn Uncredited No Yes
1986 Armed Response Yes Yes Co-producer
Prison Ship Yes Co-writer Co-producer
The Tomb Yes No Yes
1985 Biohazard Yes Yes Yes
1983 Scalps Yes Yes No
1980 Alien Dead Yes Yes Yes as Fred Ray
1978 The Brain Leeches Yes Yes Yes as Fred Ray
Brian Wolfe
1971 Demented Death Farm Massacre Yes No Yes Reshoots

Television

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TV Movies

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2004 Haunting Desires Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina and Sherman Scott
2007 Nuclear Hurricane Yes No No n/a
Bewitched Housewives Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina
Super Ninja Doll Yes No No as Nicholas Medina and Sherman Scott
Girl with the Sex-Ray Eyes Yes Yes No as Nicholas Medina and Sherman Scott
An Accidental Christmas Yes No No n/a
2008 Polar Opposites Yes No No
Bikini Royale Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Medina
Voodoo Dollz Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Medina
Tarzeena, Queen of Kong Island Yes No No as Nicholas Medina
2009 Reptisaurus No No Yes n/a
2010 Turbulent Skies Yes Yes Yes
Bikini Jones and the Temple of Eros Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Medina
2011 Bikini Warriors Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Juan Medina
Lady Chatterley's Daughter Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Juan Medina and Mark Reynolds
Bikini Time Machine Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Juan Medina
Sexual Witchcraft Yes Yes Yes as Nicholas Juan Medina
2012 Dirty Blondes from Beyond Yes No No as Nicholas Medina
Jersey Shore Shark Attack No No Yes n/a
A Christmas Wedding Date Yes Yes Yes
2013 Holiday Road Trip Yes No Yes
All I Want For Christmas Yes No Yes
2014 A Perfect Christmas List Yes Yes Yes
2015 Eyewitness Yes Yes Yes
A Prince for Christmas Yes Yes Yes
The Christmas Gift Yes Yes Yes
2016 A Mother's Revenge Yes Yes Yes
Unwanted Guests Yes No No
A Christmas in Vermont Yes Yes Yes
2017 The Twin Yes No Yes
Stage Fright Yes No No
Deadly Vows Yes No No
Framed by My Fiancé Yes No Yes
2018 Witness Unprotected Yes Yes Yes
Fiancé Killer Yes No No
Deadly Shores Yes No Yes
A Wedding For Christmas Yes No Yes
A Christmas In Royal Fashion Yes Yes Yes
2019 Sister of the Bride Yes No No Uncredited
One Fine Christmas Yes Yes Yes n/a
Baking Christmas Yes No Yes
A Christmas Princess Yes Yes Yes
2020 A Mother's Secret Yes Yes Yes
A Royal Christmas Engagement Yes No No
2021 The Killer in My Backyard Yes No Yes
2022 A Royal Christmas on Ice Yes Yes Yes
Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays Yes No Yes

TV Series

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2000 Emmanuelle 2000 Yes No No as Nicholas Medina, Episode: Emmanuelle's Sensual Pleasures
2002 Sexy Urban Legends Yes No No 2 Episodes
2006–2007 Dante's Cove No No Yes Supervising Producer
2007–2009 The Lair Yes Yes Yes Creator, Executive Producer
2018–2020 The Bay No No Yes Co-executive producer
2019 Boggy Creek - The Bigfoot Series No Yes Yes Executive Producer

See also

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  • Sam Newfield, a filmmaker who uses the "Sherman Scott" and "Peter Stewart" pseudonyms.
  • Brad Linaweaver, science fiction writer, publisher, and frequent Ray collaborator.

References

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  1. ^ Campopiano, John (June 27, 2016). "Cult Film Legend Fred Olen Ray Talks the Birth of His Stepmonster". Dread Central.
  2. ^ "Understanding the Holiday TV Movie Market with Fred Olen Ray and Christopher Ray". Final Draft. December 19, 2017.
  3. ^ "Meet Fred Olen Ray of Retromedia Entertainment Group in Studio City". VoyageLA.
  4. ^ Gaydos, Steve (March 14, 2007). "Q&A with Tarantino…when he was Mr. Green". Variety.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Johnny D. Boggs (January 10, 2014). Jesse James and the Movies. McFarland. pp. 223–226. ISBN 978-0-7864-8496-6.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Interview Fred Olen Ray". Bad Movies. October 12, 2007.
  7. ^ "Interview with Fred Olen Ray". Reddit.
  8. ^ Fred Olen Ray (January 1, 1991). The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors. McFarland. p. 176. ISBN 978-0-89950-628-9.
  9. ^ Mike Quarles (June 21, 2010). Down and Dirty: Hollywood's Exploitation Filmmakers and Their Movies. McFarland. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-7864-6257-5.
  10. ^ "Libertarian Screenwriter Brad Linaweaver Slams Neocons". Hollywood Investigator. August 12, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  11. ^ 2007 Audio Interview at Your Video Store Shelf Archived March 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ a b c Topel, Fred (October 27, 2014). "AFTER MIDNIGHT: FRED OLEN RAY ON STRIP CLUBS & CHAINSAW HOOKERS". Crave.
  13. ^ "INTERVIEW WITH FRED OLEN RAY". Bad Movies.
  14. ^ "After Midnight: Fred Olen Ray on Strip Clubs & Chainsaw Hookers". Mandatory. October 28, 2014.
  15. ^ Millinocket, Sue. "Bad Blood: The Hatfields and McCoys". Movie Rewind. Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  16. ^ "Buffalo Dreams 2017 Dreamer Awards". Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  17. ^ "Fred Olen Ray presents Boggy Creek: The Series, now on Amazon". JoBlo. October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  18. ^ "Sexy Good Time in Twilight Vamps, Bikini Frankenstein".
  19. ^ "Twilight Vamps and Bikini Frankenstein Ring in 2010". July 3, 2012.
  20. ^ Nanarland. "Fred Olen Ray - la biographie par Nanarland". www.nanarland.com (in French). Retrieved January 6, 2024.
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