Procrastination and the lost footage

Since months now, i try to motivate myself to publish the content of several days of researchs, and today seems to be a good day (the french soccer team finally scored).

When i continued to search for informations, i have contacted several institutions/persons, the McKinley high school, the Apollo theater, the Amsterdam News, several persons from Rudy Clark family, and the owners of the Steve Schapiro website.

My aim was to progress by following a chronological order (even if it’s harder than starting from the end).

First, the McKinley High SChool.

James Ray is born in Washington DC and as the Wikipedia page mention, he went to the McKinley high school, probably between 1955 and 1959. I walk through most of the yearbooks availables, and i found something in the 1955 yearbook, where there is a photo of cadets with the name Ray. That’s a cold comfort, but it could match with what i suspect as there is another mention of an US Army career, and we can clearly see that one of the cadet is below the average size (James Ray was 5’ tall, ~1.52m, which explain it’s earlier artist name, Little Jimmy Ray).

I got a reply from the McKinley high school, thanks to Juan, but they didn’t found any entries about a James Ray.

From Apollo theater side, no specific records in their archives, except the fact that James Ray was present during the 22-29 December 1961.

But they found two clippings (thanks to Brad) about James Ray, the first one is about the event organized by the WWRL radio with the Amsterdam News (Nicholas Arena), and the second one is related to an appearance in 1962 (New York Amsterdam News Jul 14, 1962) at the Baby Grand café/bar, near the Apollo theater.

I will put here a photo issued from the Steve Schapiro collection (taken during the Apollo theater sessions in December 1961), as i have a serious doubt about the identity of the “unidentified” man (which appear too healthy to be James Ray if we take into account the description of Gerry Granahan).

Later on, i received a reply from Darby who work at the Amsterdam News, but unfortunately, they don’t have any records related to the event at the Nicholas Arena.

During a wide research session, i found that James Ray appears in the American Bandstand TV show few days before the Apollo session in December 1961. After weeks of researchs (some of the American Bandstand episodes are availables on the Wayback Machine and Youtube, thanks to Dick Clark productions and numerous fans), i didn’t found the footage (referenced AB-1141). The video was recorded with a kinescope, and by consequence special tapes, which means that there were only few copies or maybe just one. And in addition, it appears that ABC burned several tapes without Dick Clark consent…

It’s a great disapointment, but maybe one day this video will be back from the dead.

Facts en vrac:

Website updates:

Next steps:

Rémi.