Stage and Screen Actor Jonathan Regis Cray Passes Away at 67
By: BWW News Desk Nov. 04, 2016
John was born on January 5, 1949 in Pittsburgh, PA, but lived in New York for most of his life. He was a wry humorist; a published poet; a passionate actor, musician, and free thinker; a dedicated mentor, uncle, father, husband, and friend.
On stage, John acted many of his bucket list parts, most recently playing Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Bay Street Theater). Other favorite roles included Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tim Roof (Triad Theater), Winston Churchill in Churchill (New World Stages), Polly's father in Crazy for you (Riverside Theater), Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol (McCarter Theater), Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly (50th Anniversary Tour starring opposite his pal Sally Struthers), Doc in West Side Story (National Tour), Ben Franklin in 1776 (Regal Players, winner of the Boston Best Actor Award), and Moonface Martin in Anything Goes (Regal Players). He performed this October as William Gregson in A Day By The Sea.
John also appeared on television in Law and Order, The Late Show with David Letterman, John Adams, Life on Mars, Kidnapped, Orange is the New Black, Master of None, and The Knick.
He was a passionate reader and teacher, and taught English as a second language at colleges in New York City for several years. He graduated with a degree in theater from Carnegie Mellon and with a JD from Fordham Law School.
John is survived by his wife Mary, son Phillip Cray, niece Rebecca Steinberg, nephews Michael Steinberg and Patrick Cray, great niece Shannon Alicia Cray, great nephew Patrick Joseph Cray, sisters-in-law Beth Steinberg and Lori Cray, brother-in-law Maurice Steinberg, and more friends than can be counted. He was beloved by so many.
A memorial is being planned for January of 2017 in New York City. Updates with information about the service will be posted to his Facebook page.
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