{{Infobox person | birth_date = 1961 | known_for = Freestyle artistic roller skating, acting | notable_works = * ''Roller Boogie'' (1979) | television = * ''Star City Roll Out'' (1983) }}
'''Jim Bray''' is a professional freestyle artistic roller skater. A performer and instructor, Bray competed in freestyle artistic skating for nearly a decade, prior to giving up his amateur status in order to co-star alongside Linda Blair in 1979 musical teensploitation film ''Roller Boogie''.<ref name="susan-a-miller">{{Cite web |date=2022-04-01 |title=Jim Bray Interview, Roller Skating Magazine August 1979 |url=http://www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie/jimbray1e.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401131942/http://www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie/jimbray1e.html |archive-date=2022-04-01 |access-date=2024-12-31 }}</ref><ref name="google">{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bLpJHjGFNk8C&dq=%22jim+bray%22+roller+skating&pg=PT44 |title=The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst |date=2007-09-03 |publisher=Grand Central Publishing |isbn=978-0-446-51008-0 |language=en}}</ref>
By the time he was 18, Bray had earned 275 trophies and "won every Artistic Singles event from Primary Boys to Senior Men's in his Regional competitions".<ref name="susan-a-miller"/> He has been United States amateur roller skating champion 8 times and skated competitively for 15 years.<ref name="archive">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-14 |title=Jim Bray on the Don Lane Show in the 80's - YouTube |website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=P7CFasLYaRM |access-date=2024-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914175611/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=P7CFasLYaRM |archive-date=14 September 2024 }}</ref><ref name="youtube">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7CFasLYaRM |title=Jim Bray on the Don Lane Show in the 80's |date=2009-10-21 |last=Jayson Sutcliffe |access-date=2024-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914175611/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=P7CFasLYaRM |archive-date=2024-09-14 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
In 1981, ''Roller Skating Magazine'' (published by Surfer Publications) wrote that Bray's "ability to turn his roller skating talent into a marketable career has been a pleasure and inspiration to millions all over the world".<ref name="susan-a-miller2">{{Cite web |date=2021-12-03 |title=Success Profile: One In a Million: Jim Bray, Roller Skating Magazine (1981) |url=https://www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie/jimbray1b.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203225646/https://www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie/jimbray1b.html |archive-date=2021-12-03 |access-date=2024-12-31 }}</ref>
== Life == Jim Bray was born in 1961 and grew up in Ontario, California, as an only child.<ref name="susan-a-miller3"/> He graduated from Chaffey High School in Ontario, California.<ref name="susan-a-miller3">{{Cite web |year=1980 |title=Why Jim Bray Doesn't Have Time for Love |url=https://www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie/jimbray3j.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230124309/http://www.susan-a-miller.com/rollerboogie/jimbray3j.html |archive-date=2019-12-30 |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=www.susan-a-miller.com |publisher=Teen Beat Super Stars}}</ref>
=== Competitive skating === He began skating competitively in 1967, at 6 years of age.<ref name="susan-a-miller"/> He stated that he first got interested in roller skating "from some girls who were neighbors".<ref name="susan-a-miller3"/> In his youth, he practiced daily after school from 3 PM to 7:30 PM.<ref name="susan-a-miller"/>
Bray studied under various Californian coaches, including Chris Baerg of Downey, Rick Weber of Simi Valley, and Omar and Delores Dunn of Bakersfield.<ref name="susan-a-miller"/>
At 13 years of age, he set his intentions on competing in the Olympics as well as the Artistic Skating World Championships.<ref name="google"/> He has thanked his parents' support, stating, "They were my number one fans. They gave me everything. The skates. The joy of it. They were behind me all the time".<ref name="susan-a-miller2"/>
As of 1979, his major event was the Senior Men's International Skating competition, though he also skated Artistic Pairs.<ref name="susan-a-miller"/> His other hobbies included water skiing, snow skiing, basketball, watching football, and coaching Little League Baseball.<ref name="susan-a-miller"/>
Bray stated in a 1979 interview that he was inspired by Canadian figure skater Toller Cranston, but Michael Jacques was the skater he admired most. Bray stated, "I used to watch [Jacques] all the time and he was my idol...I'll never forget how he used to skate. He might be sideways jumping and still land right. I always wanted to be like him".<ref name="susan-a-miller"/>
=== ''Roller Boogie'' and subsequent fame === Bray was scouted by producers who had seen a writeup and photoshoot about him, likely in ''Roller Skating Magazine''.<ref name="susan-a-miller3"/> While he was initially a stunt man, he ended up being cast alongside Linda Blair because the producers could not find a leading actor who was familiar with roller skating.<ref name="susan-a-miller3"/> He was given acting and voice lessons to prepare him for the film.<ref name="susan-a-miller3"/> Blair would become a close friend of Bray's.<ref name="susan-a-miller2"/>
In 1981, describing his experience of ''Roller Boogie''<nowiki/>'s 1979 premiere, Bray stated,<blockquote>Premiere night was really weird! First of all, Linda and I arrived an hour late! I was so nervous because I'd invited everyone I knew! In the opening scene when it says "Introducing Jim Bray," my whole family started clapping! I was so embarrassed at first, and then I decided what the heck and settled down a little. I looked for all the bad spots, naturally, and just kept thinking about how strange it was to watch myself become someone else.<ref name="susan-a-miller2"/></blockquote>In 1980, Bray co-hosted a one-hour pilot for the Nickelodeon channel, titled ''Star City Roll Out,'' filmed at New York's Roxy Roller Rink. It featured "professional roller dancers, stunt skaters, and a top name musical group".<ref name="susan-a-miller"/> Interviewees included Erik Estrada, Loni Anderson and Valerie Bertinelli; Bray intended to feature disco band "Le Chic" {{Sic||expected=Chic is known for their song, "Le Freak"}}.<ref name="susan-a-miller3"/> The pilot aired<ref>{{Cite book |last=Easton |first=Anthony T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HNWgjpFARCkC&q=%22star+city+roll+out%22 |title=The Home Satellite TV Book: How to Put the World in Your Backyard |date=1983 |publisher=Putnam |isbn=978-0-399-50921-6 |language=en}}</ref> as part of Nickelodeon anthology series ''Special Delivery''. It featured the music of Zero Cool, Nona Hendryx, and Blondie.<ref name=":0">[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Other-Documments/Panorama-TV/Panorama-TV-1981-06.pdf What's On], Panorama TV June 1981, page 15. "What's On: Music: ''Star City Roll Out''. Taped at a New York roller disco; featur- ing the music of Zero Cool, Nona Hendryx and Blondie. Nickelodeon (cable)."</ref> It reran in 1981<ref name=":0" /> and 1983.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Easton |first=Anthony T. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Home_Satellite_TV_Book/HNWgjpFARCkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22star+city+roll+out%22&dq=%22star+city+roll+out%22&printsec=frontcover |title=The Home Satellite TV Book: How to Put the World in Your Backyard |date=1983 |publisher=Putnam |isbn=978-0-399-50921-6 |language=en}}</ref>
He appeared on ''The Big Show'' in 1980, alongside Steve Allen, Gary Coleman, Loni Andersen and Peggy Fleming.<ref name="susan-a-miller3" /> Likely the same year, on ''The Don Lane Show'', he demonstrated rollerskating tricks, to audience applause.<ref name="youtube" /> He stated that he planned to star in three films in 1980: ''Parasite; A Crosstown Kid;'' and ''Romeo and Juliet.<ref name="youtube" />''
The following year, he began work as a disc jockey at the Skateway rink in Chino.<ref name="susan-a-miller2" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-02-12 |title=When Skateway came to Chino {{!}} Chino Memories {{!}} championnewspapers.com |url=https://www.championnewspapers.com/opinion_and_commentary/chino_memories/article_1e0d2654-1b40-11e9-bea3-ab0d1999110d.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212190808/https://www.championnewspapers.com/opinion_and_commentary/chino_memories/article_1e0d2654-1b40-11e9-bea3-ab0d1999110d.html |archive-date=2019-02-12 |access-date=2024-12-31}}</ref> He was also an aerobic fitness teacher.<ref name="susan-a-miller2" /> He planned trips to Mexico and South Africa, presumably with The Jim Bray Traveling Show, though it is unknown if they occurred. He has also expressed interest in being on ''Battle of the Network Stars,''<ref name="susan-a-miller" /> though it has not yet been ascertained whether he participated in the broadcasts. He also recorded demo tracks for a rock album.<ref name="susan-a-miller2" />
Some time before 1981, he developed a touring roller company titled ''The Jim Bray Traveling Show'', which incorporated 15 show skaters.<ref name="susan-a-miller2"/> They performed in Mexico City as well as unspecified cities in Chile and Brazil. According to ''Roller Skating Magazine'', Bray was "mobbed by fans in Brazil who knocked him unconscious in their determined effort to get close to [Bray]". When transported to a local hospital, "the doctor in attendance requested Jim's autograph" before providing him with treatment for his minor injuries.<ref name="susan-a-miller2"/>
== See also == {{Portal|1970s }} * List of roller skaters
== References == <references responsive="1"></references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bray, Jim}} Category:Living people Category:1961 births Category:American roller skaters Category:Artistic roller skaters Category:Disco