Michael Raye

Born in Bristol, England, Michael Raye had a long career in American television and live stage. He played the recurring character "Bradbury" in the 1982-88 ABC, and then FOX American sitcom "Nine to Five." He worked regularly in television and print advertising as a Prince Charles impersonator. He worked regularly in Los Angeles theatre. He co-wrote, produced, and starred in the stage musical "Who Killed Mrs. Bitzer;" and the stage plays "The Grand Finale" and "Angel's Delight." He had featured roles in the films "The Morgue" (2008), "Mad Cowgirl" (2006), "Until the Night" (2004), and "Red Nights" (1988). Raye died on April 14, 2010, in Los Angeles, from complications of pneumonia. Raye was best known in the Los Angeles area for his long-running cable access spoof talk show, "Tea with Michael Raye." Raye was host, writer, and producer. The show first aired in 1985, and has been produced sporadically ever since. More than sixty episodes have been produced. The latest installment had been scheduled to start production the week following his death. In the show, Raye plays a resident of Torrance who hosts a television talk show from his living room. He interviews various authors, publicists, neighbors, and other guests; who are in reality actors promoting fictitious books and causes. The humor ranges from tongue-in-cheek to broad slapstick, and Raye coaxed celebrity friends like Sally Struthers and Kathleen Freeman to make occasional guest appearances. The show was the inspiration for the 1990-1991 American sitcom "My Talk Show," which starred Cynthia Stevenson. Producers of My Talk Show reportedly approached Raye to take "Tea with Michael Raye" national, before deciding to go with a female host instead, in a slightly retooled version. Raye was a member of Screen Actors Guild (SAG), American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), and Actors Equity Association (AEA or EQUITY), and a co-founder of Feed the Minds, Inc., a non-profit corporation dedicated to helping the homeless and to educating the public about mistreatment of animals around the world.