- Born
- Birth nameRaymond Antonioni
- Height5′ 9½″ (1.77 m)
- Ray Anthony (real name Raymond Antonini) was born in Bentleyville, PA, on Jan. 20, 1922. His family moved to Cleveland, where he spent most of his early life. There he studied trumpet with his father. From 1940-1941 he played in Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1942 and was discharged in 1946. He also played in the Jimmy Dorsey and Al Donahue bands before forming his own band in the Midwest. He was a summer replacement for Perry Como on both CBS and NBC. Anthony recorded for Capitol Records for 19 years and later ran another record company, Wood Records, for nine years. He was once married to actress Mamie Van Doren. His biggest hits were the themes from Dragnet (1951) and Peter Gunn (1958), along with being one of the top big bands of the post-WW2 era.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Mike McKinley
- SpouseMamie Van Doren(August 29, 1955 - March 22, 1961) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenPerry Ray Anthony
- Son, with Mamie Van Doren, Perry Ray Anthony was born on March 18, 1956.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1751 Vine St.
- Big band's theme song: "The Man With a Horn".
- He is the last surviving member of Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.
- Anthony was considered one of the most modern big band leaders. In the lyrics to "Opus One", which imagine a number of players performing the song, he is cited along with Les Brown and his Band of Renown: If Mr. Les Brown can make it renowned And Ray Anthony could rock it for me.
- I can't remember a time when music wasn't a part of my life. Music puts wings on the human soul. Nothing can touch people the way music can, and every day is a new opportunity to create, change, stretch, and reach for new heights doing something that I absolutely love - entertaining people through great music.
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