Ray Charles
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest
1975
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961
Series
The Nanny
Sammy
1993
Series
Wings
Ray Charles
1990
Series
St. Elsewhere
Arthur Tibbits
1982
Series
Champs-Elysées
Self
1982
Series
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest
1967
Series
Moonlighting
Ray Charles
1985
Series
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968
Series
Sacrée soirée
Self
1987
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
Who's the Boss?
Ray Charles
1984
Series
Le monde est à vous
Self (archive footage)
1987
Series
The John Larroquette Show
Ray Charles
1993
Series
The Midnight Special
Self
1972
Series
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
1956
Series
Kraft Music Hall
Self
1958
Series
The Flip Wilson Show
Self
1970
Series
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer
1964
Series
Star Academy
Self
2001
Series
Victoires de la musique
Self
1985
Series
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978
Series
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self
1969
Series
CMT Crossroads
Self
2002
Series
Téléthon
Self
1987
Film
The Blues Brothers
Ray
1980
Series
Shindig!
Self - Singer
1964
Series
Cher
Self
1975
Series
The Johnny Cash Show
Self
1969
Series
Musikladen
Self
1972
Series
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
Self (archive footage)
2013
Series
The Blues
Self
2003
Film
Love Affair
Self
1994
Bio’s Bahnhof
Self
1978
Film
The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
2024
Film
Spy Hard
Busdriver
1996
Series
Super Dave
Self
1987
Series
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
Self
1980
Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde
Self
1969
Hallelujah Gospel
Self
1983
Film
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self
2001
Film
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
Lynda Carter's Celebration
Self
1981
The Smothers Brothers Show
1975
Film
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
Self
2007
Film
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2023
Film
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Self (archive footage)
1994
Series
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
Self
2005
Film
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Self (archive footage)
1986
Film
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Self - Performer
1995
Film
Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
1993
Film
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Self
1990
Film
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage)
2022
Saturday Live
Self
1996
Film
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Self
1978
Film
The Big T.N.T. Show
Self
1965
Film
The World of Jim Henson
Self (archive footage)
1994
Film
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
Film
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
2001
Film
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Self
1985
Film
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
Limit Up
Julius
1989
Film
Ballad in Blue
Self
1965
Film
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
2001
Film
I Love Quincy
Self
1984
Film
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Self
1993
Film
Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Self (archival footage)
2021
Film
Quincy Jones, Music Man
Self (archive footage)
2025
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self (archive footage)
2023
Film
Face of Unity
Self
2014
Film
Swingin' Along
Self
1961
Film
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Self
1988
Film
Piano Blues
Self
2003
Film
Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
Self
1973
Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
Self
2004
Film
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self
2007
Film
Merci Dorothée !
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
The Statue of Liberty
Self - Composer
1985
Film
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Self
2002
Film
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
Self
1987
Piano Greats at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2022
Film
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Self
2003
Film
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
Self
1991
Film
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Self
2006
Film
The Beatles Forever
Self
1977
Film
Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
Self (archive footage)
2004
Film
Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
Self
2011
Film
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Self
1990
Billy Joel: Building the Bridge
Self
1986
Film
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
Ray Charles
1989
Film
Fats and Friends
Self
2007
Film
Blue's Big Musical Movie
G-Clef (voice)
2000
Film
Jazz Evolution
Self - Piano, Vocals
2008
Film
Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
Self
1981
Film
Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
Self
2004
Film
Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
Self
2004
Film
Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
Self
2008
Film
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Self
2007
Film
Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years
Self
1998
Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer
Self (archive footage)
Film
Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
Self
2006
Film
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
Self
2008
Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul
Ray Charles
1983
Film
Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
Self
2002
Film
Rolling With the Blues
Self (archive footage)
2007
Film
Ray Charles - In Concert
Self
2001
Film
Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
Self
1979
Film
Rockin' Pianos
Self
2004
Film
Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Self
2006
Film
Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
Self
1968
Film
Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
Self
2004
Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
Self
2012
Film
The Second Barry Manilow Special
Self
1978
John Schneider: Back Home
Self
1980
Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival
Self
1980