Raymond Massey Biography

Fast Facts

• Decided to try acting after staging plays for recreation as a member of the Canadian armed forces fighting World War I on the Siberian front
• His deeply religious father would not let him pursue an acting career unless he vowed not to work on the Sabbath
• Made his Broadway debut in 1930 in Symphony in Two Flats
• The film Adam's Rib was inspired by his divorce from Adrianne Allen
• After hiring the married lawyers William and Dorothy Whitney to handle legal proceedings, the Whitneys divorced each other and married Allen and Massey, respectively
• His brother Vincent Massey was a prominent Canadian politician
• Was an ardent supporter of Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign and not only appeared in a campaign film but toured the country with the candidate
• Died on the same day as his The Prisoner of Zenda co-star David Niven
• Has a cocktail named for him, which contains Canadian rye whiskey, ginger syrup and champagne