Ray Mala: Difference between revisions
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*"Last of the Pagans" - 50,000 feet of underwater footage was shot for this film, with a final total of 60 reels shot during the 22 weeks of production. It was eventually released as an 8-reel feature. The film was banned in Germany; French censors deleted scenes of natives being contracted unknowingly for 5 years of hard labor. |
*"Last of the Pagans" - 50,000 feet of underwater footage was shot for this film, with a final total of 60 reels shot during the 22 weeks of production. It was eventually released as an 8-reel feature. The film was banned in Germany; French censors deleted scenes of natives being contracted unknowingly for 5 years of hard labor. |
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*"Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island" was the only sound serial ever produced to have 14 chapters. |
*"Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island" was the only sound serial ever produced to have 14 chapters. |
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*Ray Mala was an [[Actor]] and member of [[SAG]] as well as a union card carrying [[ |
*Ray Mala was an [[Actor]] and member of [[SAG]] as well as a union card carrying [[Cinematographer]]. |
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Revision as of 22:53, 15 November 2006
Ray Mala (1906-1952) is the First Native American Movie Star and is the most prolific film star that the State of Alaska has thus far produced. He starred in MGM's Academy Award winning "Eskimo/Mala The Magnificent" produced by the legendary Irving Thalberg and directed by Woody Van Dyke. "Eskimo" won the First Oscar ever for Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards in 1935. There is only one beginning of the Academy Awards...
History
Alaska
Ray Mala was born in Candle, Alaska during a very unique period in Alaskan history. At that time Alaska was still a territory of the United States and very much still a mystery to the rest of America. In 1921 an explorer named Capitain Frank Kleinschmidt went to Alaska on an expedition to film a picture called "Primitive Love" in which Mala makes his film debut at age 16. Not only does Mala act in front of the camera but he serves as a cameraman as well for the picture. From here young Mala accompanied Knud Rasmussen, the Danish Arctic explorer and writer on his trip called "The Great Sled Journey" from 1921 to 1924 to collect and describe Inuit songs and legends as the official cameraman.
Hollywood
In 1925 Mala made his way to Hollywood and got a job as a cameraman with Fox Studios. Not long after Mala landed his first lead role in "Igloo" for Universal Pictures. "Igloo" was a success and led to his being cast as the lead in MGM's "Eskimo/Mala the Magnificent". Louis B. Mayer sent Woody Van Dyke to Alaska to film with an all Native Cast. "Eskimo" was produced by the legendary Irving Thalberg. "Eskimo/Mala the Magnificent" premiered to much fanfare at the famed Astor Theatre in Times Square, New York in 1934 and was a huge success. "Eskimo" was billed as "The Biggest Picture Ever Made" by MGM. "Eskimo" won the First Oscar Ever for Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards.
Mala gained International Stardom from "Eskimo" and as a result MGM cast Mala as the lead in "Last of the Pagans". "Last of the Pagans" was written by John Farrow (Mia Farrow's father) and directed by Richard Thorpe. "Last of the Pagans" was filmed entirely on location in Tahiti and was a success. Mala's next big role came in "The Jungle Princess" which launched Dorothy Lamour's career (she went on to co-star with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in the wildly popular "Road To...." movies). According to the book "The Paramount Story", "The Jungle Princess" was a huge success and was a whopping money maker for the studio. He also starred as himself in Republic Pictures' "Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island" which was one of the first serials the studio had ever made. Mala co-starred with Herman Brix in Republic's "Hawk of the Wilderness" which many consider of of the top 10 best serials ever made. Other notable films include "Green Hell" starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe", Cecil B. DeMille's "Union Pacific", "Son of Fury" with Tyrone Powers, "The Tuttles of Tahiti" with Charles Laughton, and many more.
Mala also spent a considerable amount of time behind the camera as a cinematographer working with Joseph LaShelle on many pictures including the Oscar winning "Laura" starring Gene Tierney and "Les Miserables". Mala also worked as a cameraman on Alfred Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" and many more...
In 1952 Mala came back in front of the camera to star in "Red Snow" which according to the American Film Institute (AFI) was the first film to deal with the cold war and the atomic bomb. Shortly after the release of Red Snow (1952) Mala passed away on the set of his last film. He was only 46 years old...
Family
Mala was a devout family man. He was married to a beautiful woman named Galina Liss. They had one son whom they named Ted Mala. Ted Mala grew up to become the First Male Native Doctor. Dr. Mala served as the First Native Commissioner of Health and Social Servies on Governor Walter J. Hickel's cabinet. Dr. Mala has two chldren Ted Mala, Jr. and Galina Liss (named after his mother).
Trivia
- Ray Mala was Inupiat Eskimo from Alaska.
- "Eskimo" won the first Oscar ever for Best Film Editing.
- "Last of the Pagans" - 50,000 feet of underwater footage was shot for this film, with a final total of 60 reels shot during the 22 weeks of production. It was eventually released as an 8-reel feature. The film was banned in Germany; French censors deleted scenes of natives being contracted unknowingly for 5 years of hard labor.
- "Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island" was the only sound serial ever produced to have 14 chapters.
- Ray Mala was an Actor and member of SAG as well as a union card carrying Cinematographer.
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