Steven Geray

Biography

Steven Geray, originally named Istvan Gyergyay, was a film actor born on November 10, 1904, in Ungvár, Austria-Hungary, which is now Uzhgorod, Ukraine. His career spanned over 100 films and numerous television series. Notable film credits include appearances in classics such as Spellbound (1945), Gilda (1946), In a Lonely Place (1950), All About Eve (1950), Call Me Madam (1953), and To Catch a Thief (1955).

Geray pursued his education at the University of Budapest and made his theatrical debut at the Hungarian National Theater under his birth name. After nearly four years, he transitioned to the London stage, adopting the name Steven Geray, with his debut performance in Happy Week-End! in 1934. He began acting in English-language films in 1935 and relocated to Hollywood in 1941. He starred alongside his wife, Magda Kun, in the 1935 film Dance Band.

One of his prominent roles was in the film noir So Dark the Night (1946), which, despite its modest budget, garnered critical acclaim and helped its director, Joseph H. Lewis, ascend to larger projects. Geray remained active in both television and film through the 1960s, including a guest role on Perry Mason and multiple appearances on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show as French designer Gaston Broussard.

In the late 1960s, Geray spent time in Estes Park, Colorado, where he directed local theater productions, including The Fantasticks, and operated a bar from 1969 to 1970. He passed away on December 26, 1973.