Origins & Early Life

Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian-American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film King Kong. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international recognition as an actress in horror films. She had minor film roles, and gained media attention as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars" in 1926. This led to her contract with Paramount Pictures as a teenager, where she made more than a dozen feature films.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After leaving Paramount, she signed deals with various film companies, got her first roles in horror films and many other types, including in The Bowery (1933) and Viva Villa! (1934), both of which star Wallace Beery. For RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., Wray starred in her most identifiable film, King Kong (1933). After its success, she had numerous roles in film and television, retiring in 1980. Wray was born on a ranch near Cardston, Alberta, to parents who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Elvina Marguerite Jones from Salt Lake City, Utah, and Joseph Heber Wray from Kingston upon Hull, England.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

They had six children and she was a granddaughter...

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