Film
Thursday, 20 November 2003
Fame's Gene Anthony Ray dies, aged 41
Dancer and actor Gene Anthony Ray, best known for his role as Leroy Johnson in 1980 film 'Fame', has died in New York.
He died of complications from a stroke he had in June; he was also HIV positive.
Ray starred as streetwise teenager Leroy in the 'Fame' spin-off TV series that ran throughout the Eighties.
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Both film and series portrayed students at New York's High School of the Performing Arts, which Ray attended for a year before being kicked out.
Ray also appeared in 1995 film 'Out of Sync', directed by his 'Fame' co-star Debbie Allen, and 'Eddie' (1996) with Whoopi Goldberg.
According to his manager, Selma Rubin, Ray's last project was a BBC 'Fame' reunion documentary filmed in Los Angeles in April 2003.
