Photo: Film screenshot (Paramount Pictures) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on January 12, 1902 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States, Ray Teal was a bandleader, conductor and saxophonist. Ray Teal died on April 2, 1976 at the age of 74. Education on record includes University of California, Los Angeles.
My Take
Ray Teal is one of those wonderfully unexpected careers I love to dig into. Born in Grand Rapids in 1902, he started as a saxophonist, bandleader, and conductor before reinventing himself as an actor, and he even studied at UCLA. With over 300 film and television credits and his signature turn as Sheriff Roy Coffee on Bonanza, he practically became the face of the screen lawman, playing dozens of sheriffs over his long run. I value character actors like him who never chase the spotlight yet make every world they appear in feel real. His weathered, trustworthy face still endures in the Westerns he helped bring to life.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ray Teal
- Name (Japanese)
- レイ・ティール
- Reading
- れい・てぃーる
- Born
- January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Tiger
- Origin
- Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
- Occupation
- bandleader / conductor / actor / saxophonist / television actor
2. Background
- University
- University of California, Los Angeles
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray%20Teal
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3420566
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Ray Teal born?
Born January 12, 1902.
When did Ray Teal die?
Died April 2, 1976, aged 74.
Where was Ray Teal from?
Ray Teal was from Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States.
What did Ray Teal do?
Ray Teal worked as bandleader, conductor, actor, saxophonist, television actor.
Bandleader — see all → · Conductor — see all → · More people from the United States →