Michael Raye was a renowned television and stage personality, born in Bristol, England, who enjoyed a long and illustrious career in the American entertainment industry. He played the recurring character "Bradbury" in the ABC and later FOX sitcom "Nine to Five" from 1982 to 1988.
In addition to his work on television, Raye worked regularly in television and print advertising, often impersonating Prince Charles. He was a fixture in the Los Angeles theatre scene, co-writing, producing, and starring in several stage productions, including the musical "Who Killed Mrs. Bitzer?" and the stage plays "The Grand Finale" and "Angel's Delight".
Raye's film credits include featured roles in "The Morgue" (2008),"Mad Cowgirl" (2006),"Until the Night" (2004),and "Red Nights" (1988). His work extended beyond the screen, as he was a member of several prestigious acting unions, including the Screen Actors Guild (SAG),American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA),and Actors Equity Association (AEA or EQUITY).
One of Raye's most notable projects was his long-running cable access spoof talk show, "Tea with Michael Raye", which he hosted, wrote, and produced. The show, which first aired in 1985, has been produced sporadically over the years, with more than sixty episodes to date. The show's latest installment was scheduled to begin production just weeks before his passing.
In "Tea with Michael Raye", Raye played a resident of Torrance who hosts a television talk show from his living room, interviewing various authors, publicists, neighbors, and other guests, who are often actors promoting fictitious books and causes. The show's humor ranged from tongue-in-cheek to broad slapstick, and Raye was able to coax celebrity friends like Sally Struthers and Kathleen Freeman to make occasional guest appearances.
The show was the inspiration for the American sitcom "My Talk Show", which aired from 1990 to 1991 and starred Cynthia Stevenson. Producers of "My Talk Show" reportedly approached Raye to take "Tea with Michael Raye" national before deciding to go with a female host instead, in a slightly retooled version.
Raye was a dedicated philanthropist, co-founding Feed the Minds, Inc., a non-profit corporation dedicated to helping the homeless and educating the public about mistreatment of animals around the world. He tragically passed away on April 14, 2010, in Los Angeles, due to complications from pneumonia, just days before the latest installment of "Tea with Michael Raye" was set to begin production.
