Spalding Gray

Birth Name: Spalding Rockwell Gray

Date of Birth: June 5, 1941

Place of Birth: Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.

Date of Death: c. January 11, 2004

Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, small amount of Irish

Spalding Gray was an American actor and writer. He was known for his driving autobiographical monologues. He starred in the films Swimming to Cambodia, Spalding Gray: Terrors of Pleasure, and Monster in a Box, all of which he wrote; and Gray’s Anatomy, which he co-wrote. He was spotlighted in Steven Soderbergh’s documentary film And Everything Is Going Fine. His roles also included the films Farmer’s Daughters, Seven Minutes in Heaven, Hard Choices, True Stories, Stars and Bars, Clara’s Heart, Beaches (1988), Straight Talk, Twenty Bucks, The Pickle, King of the Hill (1993), The Paper (1994), Bad Company (1995), Beyond Rangoon, Glory Daze, Diabolique (1996), Coming Soon (1999), Julie Johnson, How High, and Kate & Leopold; the made-for-tv movies The Image (1990) and Zelda; and the show The Nanny. He was sometimes described as “the WASP Woody Allen.”

Spalding was the son of Margaret Elizabeth (Horton) and Rockwell Mason Gray, who was treasurer of Brown & Sharpe. His father was born in Muskegon, Michigan. His mother was born in Rhode Island. He had considerable Colonial American (English) ancestry from both parents. Spalding was raised in Barrington, Rhode Island, spending summers in Newport, RI. He was raised in Christian Science. Spalding was married to Kathleen Russo, until his death, with whom he had two children.

Spalding’s paternal grandfather was Curtis Rockwell Gray (the son of Dr. James Martin Gray and Susan G. “Susie” Goodenough). Curtis was born in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Dr. James was born in New York City, New York, and was a Bible scholar, editor, hymn writer, and pastor in the Reformed Episcopal Church. He was the son of Hugh Barr Gray and Mary A. Martin. Spalding’s great-grandmother Susan was born in New York City, the daughter of William Rockwell Goodenough and Julia Maria McComb/McCone, who was Irish.

Spalding’s paternal grandmother was Dorothy Spalding Wood (the daughter Edward Emerson Wood, Jr. and Helen Mayhew Crane). Dorothy was born in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Edward was born in New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, the son of Edward Emerson Wood and Sarah Elizabeth Spalding. Spalding’s great-grandmother Helen was born in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, the daughter of Jared Crane and Hannah Mayhew Longfellow.

Spalding’s maternal grandfather was Elmer Stuart Horton (the son of Jarvis S. Horton and Ida Frances Battey). Elmer was born in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island. Jarvis was the son of John M. Horton and Eliza Bailey. Ida was the daughter of Alden A. Battey and Lucinda D. Weaver.

Spalding’s maternal grandmother was Margaret Metcalf (the daughter of Edward Potter Metcalf and Mary Elizabeth Gardiner). Margaret was born in Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey. Edward was born in Rhode Island, the son of Franklin Metcalf and Narcissa Snow Potter. Spalding’s great-grandmother Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of William V. Gardiner and Mary E.

Sources: https://ottawacitizen.com
https://archive.org
https://www.google.ca
https://www.google.ca

Genealogy of Spalding Gray – https://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of Spalding’s paternal great-grandparents, Dr. James Martin Gray and Susan G. “Susie” Goodenough – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Spalding’s maternal great-grandparents, Edward Potter Metcalf and Mary Elizabeth Gardiner – https://www.familysearch.org