Ray Teal, a renowned character actor, is most famously recognized for his portrayal of Sheriff Roy Coffee on the long-running western series Bonanza (1959). With a career spanning almost four decades, he played a diverse range of roles, including cops, gunfighters, sheriffs, gangsters, and even a judge at the Nuremberg War Crimes trials.
Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Teal began his career as a musician, working his way through college by playing the saxophone in local bands. At UCLA in the 1920s, he formed his own band and led it until 1936. He made his film debut in several minor bit parts, but it wasn't until 1938 that he landed a more substantial role in Western Jamboree (1938).
The following year, Teal appeared in the action-packed adventure Northwest Passage (1940) alongside Spencer Tracy, playing one of Rogers' Rangers. He went on to star in serials, westerns, crime dramas, costume epics, war pictures, and even appeared as Little John in The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946).
Teal's impressive filmography also includes memorable roles in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961),where he played one of Spencer Tracy's fellow judges. In addition to his film work, he made numerous television appearances, including episodes of The Lone Ranger (1949) and Green Acres (1965).
Ray Teal passed away in 1976 due to natural causes, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most versatile and talented character actors of his time.
