Ray Bradbury Forums
Movies Ray Appeared

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19 May 2006, 03:14 PM
Nard Kordell
Movies Ray Appeared
Didn't realize that there are several movies where Ray appeared. Perhaps 'philnic' and others may dispute or add information to this very short list.

• 'Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby is a Friend of Mine'
directed by Ralph Rosenblum

• 'Rich and Famous'
directed by George Cukor
19 May 2006, 03:56 PM
Braling II
Does Stan Freberg's "Sunsweet Prunes" commercial count?
19 May 2006, 05:55 PM
Chapter 31
In “Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby is a Friend of Mine” Ray was the voice of the adult Ralph.

In “Rich and Famous” I think he played a party guest.

He was in at least one of the “Ray Bradbury Theater” episodes but sorry to say I can’t remember which one.
**
Those prunes are “still rather badly wrinkled you know”.
19 May 2006, 08:07 PM
dandelion
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001969/
19 May 2006, 09:03 PM
libRArY
dandelion:
Well, that answers that!
19 May 2006, 09:39 PM
biplane1
Chapter 31, Ray was in several of the introductions to the segment. I don't remember the titles, but in it is foggy and by a train station and a dark digure comes walking out of the fog and it is Ray. In another one he is seen walking along side a hill wearing a bright red and black checked coat.

There may be others via Alfred Hitchcock.
20 May 2006, 02:05 AM
philnic
I've seen all the episodes of Ray Bradbury Theater at least three times, and I'm pretty sure Ray only appears in the introductions. But... in some of them he simply introduced and talked to camera while doing a bit of business with (for example) a coffee machine or a candle; but in a few others he acted out little scenes on the set of the epiode. If you check out the DVD box set of the series, you will see at least two of these bits of acting. (The train station, and also (unless my memory is playing tricks) one where he's out in the hills or mountains, possibly with binoculars.)

I think they stopped doing these introductions when the budgets got tighter, so only the earliest episodes have such intros.

There are also one or two episodes with characters who look a bit like Ray. When I first saw 'The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl', I was convinced that 'next door neighbour' (a walk-on part) was Ray...until 'neighbour' re-appeared at the end of the episode and clearly wasn't RB.

He was also in You Bet Your Life once - I'd love to see that episode if it still exists (or hear it, if was radio rather than TV). And I believe he did some radio acting when he was a child.


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Visit the Center for RB Studies: www.tinyurl.com/RBCenter
21 May 2006, 05:32 AM
Richard
There was a screening here in Chicago several years ago of the film version of THE WONDERFUL ICE CREAM SUIT, attended by both Ray and director Stuart Gordon. In a talk given after the film, I recall Stuart Gordon saying that Ray played a part...that of a pawn shop owner, I believe...in the film. However, when editing the film, the scene in which Ray appeared was felt to slow the pace of the film and was cut out, a decision with which Ray said he agreed. Wouldn't it be nice to find that piece of film and perhaps insert it into the "special features" or "extras" portion of a DVD release? Disney, are you listening?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Richard,
21 May 2006, 07:35 AM
rocket
Philnic, your right about the episode where Ray is looking through binoculars, we just watched it. Its the Screaming Woman with a young Drew Barrymore. The introduction is the normal one where he walks to his office. Then it opens to a hilly country side. Ray is standing at the bottom wearing a red checkered flannel jacket peering into binoculars as a stranger approaches from above and behind. The stranger sneaks up on him and taps him on the back with a dousing or divining rod. It startles Ray and he drops the binocs. Then the guy says to him, "your that crazy writer fellow". Ray nods and takes the dousing rod as he starts to say what things he is seeing with it, "earth worms, trapdoor spiders, deathwatch beetles, seventeen year locusts, oh yes , yes." They walk towards a cave in the rocks and fog is coming out. Then it cuts to the story. I thought it was great. We haven't watched any past the first disc.

Question, if anyone knows. We watched The Emissary. The actor that played the sick boy Martin looks and sounds like a girl with short hair. The name of the actor gave us no help. It was Keram Maliki-Sanchez. Does anyone know, just curious. So far, we have enjoyed every episode.


She stood silently looking out into the great sallow distances of sea bottom, as if recalling something, her yellow eyes soft and moist...

rocketsummer@insightbb.com
21 May 2006, 08:23 AM
philnic
There's a lot of info about Keram here. He's a he.


- Phil

Deputy Moderator | Visit my Bradbury website: www.bradburymedia.co.uk | Visit the Center for RB Studies: www.tinyurl.com/RBCenter
21 May 2006, 11:12 AM
rocket
Thanks Phil. My youngest son even commented on it. That clears that up.

I read that bio. What a prolific energized person. I can see how we made that mistake though.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: rocket,


She stood silently looking out into the great sallow distances of sea bottom, as if recalling something, her yellow eyes soft and moist...

rocketsummer@insightbb.com
21 May 2006, 02:38 PM
rocket
Ray makes a cameo in The Town Where No One Got Off. Its night and he is talking to the conductor. Also I noticed that the actor who plays the doctor in The Small Assasin is the same who portrayed the Captain in F-451. Much aged of course.


She stood silently looking out into the great sallow distances of sea bottom, as if recalling something, her yellow eyes soft and moist...

rocketsummer@insightbb.com
21 May 2006, 08:28 PM
lmskipper
Robot--Did you notice in that website about Keram that he is wearing a floor-length dress? I can see why you were confused.
21 May 2006, 09:34 PM
rocket
I did! Confusion aside, I liked that episode alot. Creepy. Earlier we watched The Man Upstairs and they changed the premise on that a little. Loved the vampire, but missed the strawberry window. Now I know what you all were saying about the show, some episodes are so well done and others are campy.


She stood silently looking out into the great sallow distances of sea bottom, as if recalling something, her yellow eyes soft and moist...

rocketsummer@insightbb.com
22 May 2006, 09:28 AM
PatrickMullins
Last week, Ray contributed to the current national debate over immigration. The Wall Street Journal ran a poem Ray that wrote in praise of America. It contends that, in immigrants, we native-born Americans can see reflected the best in our country's spirit. Simply lovely stuff. In case you missed it, here it is.

Patrick Mullins



Wall Street Journal

http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110008385



America
An ode to immigrants.

BY RAY BRADBURY

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:01 a.m. EDT


We are the dream that other people dream.
The land where other people land
When late at night
They think on flight
And, flying, here arrive
Where we fools dumbly thrive ourselves.

Refuse to see
We be what all the world would like to be.
Because we hive within this scheme
The obvious dream is blind to us.
We do not mind the miracle we are,
So stop our mouths with curses.
While all the world rehearses
Coming here to stay.
We busily make plans to go away.

How dumb! newcomers cry, arrived from Chad.
You're mad! Iraqis shout,
We'd sell our souls if we could be you.
How come you cannot see the way we see you?
You tread a freedom forest as you please.
But, damn! you miss the forest for the trees.
Ten thousand wanderers a week
Engulf your shore,
You wonder what their shouting's for,
And why so glad?

Run warm those souls: America is bad?
Sit down, stare in their faces, see!
You be the hoped-for thing a hopeless world would be.
In tides of immigrants that this year flow
You still remain the beckoning hearth they'd know.
In midnight beds with blueprint, plan and scheme
You are the dream that other people dream.


Mr. Bradbury is the author of "Fahrenheit 451" and numerous other books.