Ray Charles
Acting • Born 1930-09-23 – Died 2004-06-10
Biography
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"
Filmography
121 credits
The Blues Brothers
Movie • 1980
Ray
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Movie • 1990
Self
Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
Movie • 1968
Self
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Beatles Forever
Movie • 1977
Self
Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
Movie • 2008
Self
Piano Greats at the BBC
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Ballad in Blue
Movie • 1965
Self
Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
Movie • 2002
Self
The Big T.N.T. Show
Movie • 1965
Self
Piano Blues
Movie • 2003
Self
Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
Movie • 2004
Self
Ray Charles - In Concert
Movie • 2001
Self
I Love Quincy
Movie • 1984
Self
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Movie • 2003
Self
Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
Movie • 2006
Self
Blue's Big Musical Movie
Movie • 2000
G-Clef (voice)
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Movie • 2007
Self
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Movie • 1988
Self
Rat Pack
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Movie • 2005
Self (archive footage)
The Greatest Night in Pop
Movie • 2024
Self (archive footage)
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
Movie • 1989
Ray Charles
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Movie • 1995
Self - Performer
Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years
Movie • 1998
Self
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
Movie • 1987
Self
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Rockin' Pianos
Movie • 2004
Self
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Movie • 2022
Self (archive footage)
Face of Unity
Movie • 2014
Self
Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
Movie • 1981
Self
They All Came Out to Montreux
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Spy Hard
Movie • 1996
Busdriver
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Movie • 1978
Self
Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
Movie • 2004
Self
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Movie • 2007
Self
Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
Movie • 2007
Self
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
Movie • 1973
Self
Jazz Evolution
Movie • 2008
Self - Piano, Vocals
Limit Up
Movie • 1989
Julius
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Movie • 1990
Self
Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
Movie • 1979
Self
Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
Movie • 2004
Self (archive footage)
Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
Movie • 2012
Self
Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Movie • 2006
Self
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Movie • 2002
Self
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
Movie • 2008
Self
Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
Movie • 2004
Self
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
Movie • 1991
Self
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Movie • 2006
Self
Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
Movie • 2011
Self
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Movie • 1986
Self (archive footage)
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Movie • 1985
Self
The World of Jim Henson
Movie • 1994
Self (archive footage)
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Movie • 2001
Self
Swingin' Along
Movie • 1961
Self
The Statue of Liberty
Movie • 1985
Self - Composer
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Movie • 1993
Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Movie • 2001
Self (archive footage)
Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival
Movie • 1980
Self
Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
Movie • 2004
Self
Billy Joel: Building the Bridge
Movie • 1986
Self
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
Movie • 1994
Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul
Movie • 1983
Ray Charles
John Schneider: Back Home
Movie • 1980
Self
Lynda Carter's Celebration
Movie • 1981
Self
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Movie • 1994
Self (archive footage)
The Second Barry Manilow Special
Movie • 1978
Self
Love Affair
Movie • 1994
Self
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Movie • 2009
Self (archive footage)
Hallelujah Gospel
Movie • 1983
Self
Merci Dorothée !
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage)
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage)
Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Movie • 2021
Self (archival footage)
Fats and Friends
Movie • 2007
Self
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
Movie • 2023
Self (archive footage)
Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer
Movie
Self (archive footage)
Quincy Jones | Music Man
Movie • 2025
Self (archive footage)
Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
Movie • 1993
Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
Rolling With the Blues
Movie • 2007
Self (archive footage)
St. Elsewhere
TV • 1982
Arthur Tibbits
Who's the Boss?
TV • 1984
Ray Charles
The Nanny
TV • 1993
Sammy
Moonlighting
TV • 1985
Ray Charles
Wings
TV • 1990
Ray Charles
The Hollywood Palace
TV • 1964
Self - Singer
Shindig!
TV • 1964
Self - Singer
The Johnny Cash Show
TV • 1969
Self
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
TV • 1969
Self
The Flip Wilson Show
TV • 1970
Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV • 1956
Self
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
TV • 1980
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV • 1962
Self
Victoires de la musique
TV • 1985
Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
TV • 1978
Self
Cher
TV • 1975
Self
The Blues
TV • 2003
Self
Saturday Night Live
TV • 1975
Self - Host & Musical Guest
The Midnight Special
TV • 1972
Self
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
TV • 2013
Self (archive footage)
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV • 1948
Self
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
TV • 2005
Self
Bio’s Bahnhof
TV • 1978
Self
Musikladen
TV • 1972
Self
CMT Crossroads
TV • 2002
Self
The Carol Burnett Show
TV • 1967
Self - Guest
The John Larroquette Show
TV • 1993
Ray Charles
Champs-Elysées
TV • 1982
Self
The Dick Cavett Show
TV • 1968
Self - Guest
Star Academy
TV • 2001
Self
Le monde est à vous
TV • 1987
Self (archive footage)
Kraft Music Hall
TV • 1958
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self - Co-Host
Téléthon
TV • 1987
Self
Sacrée Soirée
TV • 1987
Self
Super Dave
TV • 1987
Self
The Smothers Brothers Show
TV • 1975
Saturday Live
TV • 1996
Self
Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde
TV • 1969
Self