Fred Olen Ray


Fred Olen Ray is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter of more than 150 low-to-medium budget feature films in many genres, including horror, science fiction, action/adventure, crime dramas, and holiday films.
Ray is the head of Retromedia, which releases DVDs of both his own productions and archival films. He has also worked for other well-known independent studios and on a few occasions for major Hollywood studios. He is also cited as an inspiration for many independent film-makers. He loaned a 16 mm camera to Quentin Tarantino so he could make My Best Friend's Birthday.
Aside from his work in the film industry, Ray was also a professional wrestler. His wrestling name was Fabulous Freddie Valentine.

Early life

Fred Olen Ray was born September 10, 1954 in Wellston, Ohio, just across the border from West Virginia where the Ray family had all been raised for the previous 150 years. He has always been a passionate film fan, and 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.

Career

Early work and ''The Brain Leeches'' (1970s)

Ray served in the Navy. When he got out, he went to work at a local television station, in Orlando, Florida. He worked as an credited still photographer on his first film in 1975, Shock Waves, with Peter Cushing and John Carradine. Ray then began making movies on the weekend using station equipment, starting with The Brain Leeches made on a budget of $298.00. Ray co-wrote the screenplay with political essayist Brad Linaweaver, whose career trajectory took a turn toward science fiction and film after the experience.

1980s

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 1940, and star of three Flash Gordon serials from 1936-1940. 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."
Ray succeeded in raising money for a low budget horror film, Scalps, which featured cameos from Carroll Borland and Forrest J. Ackerman. The Tomb starred Cameron Mitchell and John Carradine. Ray switched to action films with Armed Response, 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." He then turned to science fiction: Deep Space, Cyclone. Beverly Hills Vamp was a horror comedy with Eddie Deezen. Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers was made in only a few days and turned out to be a big hit. Less popular was The Phantom Empire.

1990s

After Alienator he was reunited with Deezen for Mob Boss, another comedy. He entered sword and sorcery movies with Wizards of the Demon Sword and made the more popular Bad Girls from Mars. During this time he published a book he had written, The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors.
Ray co-directed Scream Queen Hot Tub Party with Jim Wynorski, shot in one day. Ray moved into erotic thrillers with Inner Sanctum starring Tanya Roberts. It was a hit and Ray would make others in that genre, including Inner Sanctum 2, Mind Twister and Possessed by the Night.
Evil Toons was a comedy-horror, then he co-directed another with Wynorski, Dinosaur Island. Witch Academy was the last of his "scream queen" movies. After Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold, he made Fugitive Rage, Friend of the Family II, Inferno, Hybrid, and The Shooter, which has been referred to as Ray's best film. Dear Santa was a family film and Billy Frankenstein a comedy.

2000s to present

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."
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.
In 2007 he reflected on his career:
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. But, sometimes, even star power isn't enough to rescue a low-budget film. One reviewer described American Bandits as perhaps "the most boring Jesse James film ever made".
In 2017, he received a "Living Legend Award" at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival.

Pseudonyms

In his craft, Ray has used many pseudonyms, some used earlier by the B-movie director, Sam Newfield.

Personal life

Fred Olen Ray has four sons from two marriages. Two of his sons work in the film industry as well, the eldest being director Christopher Ray.
Fred Olen Ray is currently unmarried, and resides in Studio City California where he continues to write, produce, and direct.

Books

YearFilmPseudonymNotes
2020A Royal Christmas EngagementDirector
2019One Fine ChristmasWriter & director
2019Baking ChristmasDirector
2019A Christmas PrincessDirector
2018Deadly ShoresDirector
2018Fiancé KillerDirector
2018A Wedding for ChristmasProducer & director
2018A Christmas in Royal FashionWriter & director
2018Witness UnprotectedWriter, producer & director
2017The TwinProducer & director
2017Deadly VowsDirector
2017Framed by My FianceExecutive producer & director
2017Stage FrightDirector
2016TrialDirector
2016Writer & director
2016A Christmas in VermontWriter, producer & director
2016Unwanted GuestWriter, producer & director
2016Accidental SwitchWriter, producer & director
2015A Prince for ChristmasWriter, producer & director
2015EyewitnessWriter, producer & director
2014After MidnightWriter, producer & director
2014Christmas in Palm SpringsProducer & director
2014House of SecretsProducer & director
2013All I Want for ChristmasProducer & director
2013Abner, the Invisible DogProducer & director
2013Holiday Road TripWriter & director
2012A Christmas Wedding DateWriter, producer & director
2012Collision CourseWriter, producer & director
2012Baby Dolls Behind BarsDirector
2012Hatfields and McCoys: Bad BloodWriter, producer & director
2012Busty Housewives of Beverly HillsNicholas MedinaDirector
2012Dirty Blondes from BeyondNicholas MedinaDirector
2012The Teenie Weenie Bikini SquadNicholas MedinaDirector
2011Sexual WitchcraftWriter, producer & director
2011Super SharkWriter, producer & director
2011Together We Can Find a CureDirector
2011Little WitchesNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2011Bikini Time MachineNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2011Lady Chatterly's GhostNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2011Knock OutsNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2010Housewives from Another WorldNicholas MedinaWriter & director
2010Turbulent SkiesWriter, producer & director
2010Bikini Jones and the Temple of ErosNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2010Twilight VampsWriter, executive producer & director
2010Bikini FrankensteinNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2010Bikini Royale 2Nicholas MedinaWriter & director
2010American Bandits: Frank and Jesse JamesNicholas MedinaWriter, producer & director
2009Silent VenomDirector
2009Dire WolfDirector
2008Voodoo DollzNicholas MedinaWriter, executive producer & director
2008Bikini RoyaleNicholas MedinaExecutive producer & director
2008Polar OppositesDirector
2008Solar FlareDirector
2008Tarzeena: Jiggle in the JungleDirector
2007Bewitched HousewivesNicholas MedinaWriter & director
2007The LairTV Show
Creator
2007Girl with the Sex-Ray EyesWriter & director
2006The Legend of William TellDirector
2006Bikini PiratesNicholas MedinaWriter & director
2005Glass TrapEd RaymondDirector
2005Bikini Round-UpNicholas MedinaWriter & director
2004Tomb of the WerewolfSherman ScottWriter & director
2004Bikini a Go-GoNicholas Medina
Sherman Scott		Writer & director
2004The Bikini Escort CompanyBill Carson
Nicholas Medina
Sherman Scott		Writer, associate producer & director
2004Genie in a String BikiniNicholas MedinaWriter, producer & director
2004Bikini Chain GangNicholas MedinaWriter, producer & director
2004Haunting DesiresNicholas Medina
Sherman Scott		Writer & director
2004Bikini Cavegirl Nicholas Medina
Sherman Scott		Writer & director
2003Final ExaminationEd RaymondDirector
2003Bikini AirwaysDirector
2002Southern Discomfort: Wrestling on the Indie CircuitFreddy ValentineActor, writer, producer & director
2002VenomousEd RaymondDirector
200213 Erotic GhostsRoger Collins
Nicholas Medina
Peter Stewart		Actor, editor, writer, executive producer & director
2001Emmanuelle 2000Ed RaymondDirector
2001Air RageEd RaymondDirector
2001Mach 2Director
2001ACW Wrestling's Wildest MatchesSherman Scott
Freddie Valentine		Actor, producer & director
2001Emmanuelle 2001: Emmanuelle's Sensual PleasuresNicholas MedinaDirector
2001KeptUncredited director
2001StrandedDirector
2000SubmergedDirector
2000SideshowDirector
2000Critical MassEd RaymondDirector
2000Inviati specialiDirector
1999Invisible Mom IIProducer & director
1999Fugitive MindProducer & director
1999The ProphetSherman ScottActor & director
1999The Kid with X-ray EyesDirector
1999Counter MeasuresProducer & director
1999Active StealthDirector
1999Scandal: On the Other SideNick MedinaDirector
1998Mom, Can I Keep Her?Producer & director
1998Illicit Dreams 2Roger CollinsProducer & director
1998Billy FrankensteinDirector
1998Dear SantaPeter StewartDirector
1998Mom's Outta SightPeter StewartDirector
1997The ShooterEd RaymondDirector
1997InfernoActor & director
1997Invisible MomActor, producer & director
1997Bikini Hoe-DownRoger Collins
Nicholas Medina		Producer & director
1997HybridProducer & director
1997Invisible DadWriter & director
1997Little Miss MagicWriter, producer & director
1997Masseuse 2Peter DanielsWriter & director
1997Maximum RevengeBill CarsonActor & director
1997Night ShadeNicholas MedinaProducer & director
1997Rapid AssaultSherman ScottDirector
1996Friend of the Family IINicholas MedinaDirector
1996Fugitive RageActor, producer & director
1996Over the WireNicholas MedinaDirector
1996MasseusePeter DanielsDirector
1995Droid GunnerActor, producer & director
1995Bikini Drive-InRandy RocketActor, producer & director
1995Attack of the 60 Foot CenterfoldActor, producer & director
1995Star HunterSam NewfieldActor, producer & director
1994Inner Sanctum IIActor, producer & director
1994Possessed by the NightActor, writer & director
1994Dinosaur IslandProducer & director
1994Mind TwisterActor & director
1993Dinosaur GirlsWriter, producer & director
1993Witch AcademyProducer & director
1992Evil ToonsUncredited voice actor, writer, producer & director
1991Haunting FearWriter, producer & director
1991SpiritsDirector
1991Inner SanctumCo-producer & director
1991Scream Queen Hot Tub PartyBill CarsonActor, writer, producer & director
1991Bad Girls from MarsSherman ScottActor, writer, producer & director
1991Wizards of the Demon SwordProducer & director
1990Mob BossProducer & director
1989WarlordsProducer & director
1989Terminal ForceProducer & director
1989AlienatorUncredited actor & director
1988Hollywood Chainsaw HookersDr. S. CarverWriter, producer & director
1988Prison ShipWriter, producer & director
1988Beverly Hills VampProducer & director
1987Commando SquadUncredited actor, co-producer & director
1987CycloneUncredited actor, uncredited writer & director
1987Deep SpaceActor, writer, producer & director
1987Evil SpawnProducer & uncredited director
1986Armed ResponseActor, writer, co-producer & director
1986The TombProducer & director
1986The Phantom EmpireWriter, producer & director
1985BiohazardActor, writer, producer & director
1983ScalpsWriter & director
1980Alien DeadFred RayActor, writer, cinematographer, producer & director
1978The Brain LeechesFred Ray
Brian Wolfe		Actor, writer, cinematographer, producer & director
1971Demented Death Farm MassacreProducer & director
New footage