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Bombshell from beyond the grave: Real story behind Oscar-winning actress Gloria Grahame’s relationship with her stepson is revealed in a new memoir so explosive it could only be published after everyone involved died

BBG News

In March of 1953, under a showery sky, the 25th Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Pantages Theatre, situated along Hollywood Boulevard.

Gloria Grahame, widely recognized as a strong contender for Best Supporting Actress, was the first to arrive at the event. She gained this recognition for her captivating portrayal of a superficial Southern belle in the successful film “The Bad and the Beautiful,” co-starring Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner.

After a few hours had passed, Edmund Glenn unveiled the envelope with the winning name. “Gloria Grahame for The Bad and the Beautiful,” he announced triumphantly. “She’s indeed beautiful,” he emphasized, adding some theatrical flair.

In my role as a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: Stepping onto the stage at just 30 years old, now an Oscar-winning actress, she radiated pure star quality, soaking up the admiration of her fellow industry professionals. Yet, there were some within the Hollywood elite who recognized that beneath the beauty lay a troubled soul.

Approximately two years ago, it was reported that her husband, Nicholas Ray – a renowned film noir director who would later collaborate with James Dean on Rebel Without a Cause – found her in their Malibu beach house, along with his 13-year-old son, Tony, while they were sharing the same bed.

Tony appeared mature beyond his age, boasting a robust physique and handsome features that belied his youth. However, he was merely 13 years old. It was at the tender age of 12 that she first captivated him.

Eight years ago, Grahame experienced a surge of posthumous fame as Annette Bening portrayed her in the film “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.” The movie was adapted from a memoir by Peter Turner, a Liverpudlian actor (portrayed by Jamie Bell in the film), who began his romantic relationship with Grahame when he was 26 and she was 55.

However, the movie didn’t convey any indication that her preference for significantly younger partners began when she was 26, implying she might have been involved with underage individuals, essentially suggesting a possible pedophilic behavior.

Recently, a new memoir has been released that provides an intimately detailed account of the true events involving Gloria Grahame and her teenage stepson, Tony Ray.

This remarkable and captivating story hasn’t been thoroughly shared before, mainly because the person narrating it, Tony, refused to permit its release until both he and all others mentioned had passed away.

In 1958, at the age of 21, he penned the book; this was a period two years prior to his marriage to Grahame, marking him as her fourth spouse and therefore making him a stepfather to Tim, her son from her second husband, Nick Ray.

In 1979, Nick passed away, followed by Gloria in 1981. More recently, in 2018, Tony, who was 80 years old, also died. Now, the remaining family members have given approval for the publication of his book titled “Circle of Lions: Nicholas Ray, Gloria Grahame, and Me.

The story begins with an introduction penned by Tony’s daughter, Kelsey. She discovered a previously overlooked manuscript and in her words, she recognizes the profound impact of his ‘unresolved emotional pain’ that affected various facets of his later years.

Tony joined the movie industry, guided by his father, and eventually rose to the position of Head of East Coast Production at 20th Century Fox at the young age of 20. He was even a potential Oscar winner himself, serving as the producer for the 1978 Best Picture nominee “An Unmarried Woman.

However, a woman who had been married several times significantly impacted his life. She played a crucial role in his struggles with substance abuse (drugs, alcohol, and gambling), as well as his emotional instability that oscillated between periods of excessive joy and grandiosity, and intense, self-destructive depressions.

However, she too admits that her father’s affection for Gloria persisted until his death, despite being affected by Alzheimer’s. She recounts one of the most moving and impactful experiences she has encountered as standing by his bedside at the hospice.

Tony’s stepmother, Eve, decided to play the movie Oklahoma!, where Grahame memorably sang ‘I’m Simply a Woman Who Can’t Say No’, as a means to console him.

She aimed to confirm he wasn’t scared and reassure him of the upcoming reunion with numerous dear ones. At the sound of Gloria’s voice, Dad momentarily raised his head before relaxing it once more, offering a tender smile.

Approximately 70 years elapsed after Gloria and Tony initially crossed paths, which occurred at Los Angeles International Airport in June 1950, just five months before Tony turned 13.

Tonally rephrased: On the East Coast, Tony found himself in a few minor troubles at school. His mother, a journalist named Jean Evans (who was previously married to Nick), felt that a change of environment might benefit him and suggested he move to Los Angeles to live with his father who had departed from the family when Tony was just a toddler.

Three years into his marriage with Gloria, it might seem unexpected, but Nick consented to welcome the son he hardly knew into their home.

Originally, Tony came from New York with the assumption he’d be welcomed by his father. However, due to Nick being preoccupied, he didn’t have time to meet Tony upon his arrival at the airport.

Instead, he delegated his attractive, fashionable, and renowned young spouse – who wore a V-neck cashmere sweater that revealed quite a bit – to give the boy a comforting embrace. As she drove him back to Malibu in her black Cadillac convertible, Gloria requested Tony to light up a Pall Mall cigarette for her.

While perusing the book, it becomes evident that she regarded him as a man of advanced age from the outset, and this admiration was returned by him.

During that sunny California summer, the duo developed a strong bond of friendship. Although Nick declined every invitation from Tony for activities like fishing, swimming, hunting, horseback riding, and card games, citing his busy schedule, Gloria proved to be anything but aloof.

She took an active role in introducing her stepson to smoking and drinking alcohol, and also allowed him to style her hair every morning, even asking him to dry her back after her showers. This behavior could be interpreted as a calculated attempt to groom him, given the context.

Thrillingly, when the pair of them were out together, people asked her to sign autographs. 

Gloria previously appeared in a minor role in the 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life.” She received an Academy Award nomination for her performance in the 1947 movie “Crossfire.” Furthermore, she was chosen to act alongside Humphrey Bogart in the 1950 film “In A Lonely Place.

Despite being a well-established film actress, numerous eligible men were at her disposal for extramarital relationships. However, she opted for a young man instead.

In my narrative, the pivotal moment that reshaped my world occurred when Gloria graciously showed me the art of a proper kiss. From this point forward, our intimate bond deepened subtly yet stealthily, despite our precarious circumstances. However, we continued to tread on the edge of danger.

When Nick brought Gloria and Tony to the famed Cal-Neva Lodge and Casino at the California-Nevada border, specifically Lake Tahoe, their indulgence in Nick’s gambling tendencies reached new heights, surpassing previous limits.

In the bustling casino, I (Nick) was unfortunately losing my hard-earned cash, while up in our home, another individual (Gloria) was spending time with my teenage son, providing him comfort and joy.

The marriage was turbulent, without a doubt. Gloria often accused Nick of being unfaithful with Marilyn Monroe, which enraged him for her accusations about his gambling habits. Frequently, he would leave their Malibu home only to return again.

Yet, there was no constant harmony between Gloria and Tony. A dispute is mentioned in the book where she brandished a gun at him, followed by a phone call to the police alleging that her stepson had attempted to sexually assault her. When the police arrived, she apologized, admitting it was an exaggerated response during an intense argument.

But by any measure it was a deeply dysfunctional household. And Tony was still only 13.

In Hollywood, later speculations – suggesting that Nick Ray discovered his son in a compromising position with his famous wife – were baseless. However, when Nick learned about an inappropriate incident involving the police, he connected the dots, directly questioning Tony about the duration of his and Gloria’s intimate relationship.

It seems that Tony understood it was futile to claim innocence. However, one might wonder if his father secretly desired their involvement in some way, perhaps as a means to hasten a separation from Gloria. The book subtly suggests that by the time Tony moved in with them, his father may have been planning to orchestrate an affair between them, which could make the divorce less costly.

In 1952, Nick and Gloria got divorced. Two years after that, Gloria tied the knot with another film director named Cy Howard.

However, that marriage didn’t endure either. In 1960, Tony had a drink with his father at Idlewild Airport (which would later be known as John F Kennedy Airport) in New York. At the time, they hadn’t seen each other since the chaos in Malibu, but now Nick was coming back to Hollywood from Spain and had a spare hour.

He inquired from Tony if he had watched the 1955 film “Rebel Without a Cause,” often considered the epitome of teenage turmoil on screen. Indeed, Tony had seen it. Later, for reasons unknown to all but himself, Nick recommended to his son that he reach out to Gloria and even provided her phone number.

In a supplement added to his memoir in 2002 (originally published in 1958), Tony noted: ‘I hadn’t interacted with Gloria since I was thirteen, but I yearned for her during my teenage years. I managed to follow her career through her films … Upon arriving in California, I reached out to her. She was eager to meet me right away. I felt the same way – I wanted to see her immediately as well.’

We’ve arranged to connect at the intersection of Laurel Canyon and Ventura Boulevard. She will be arriving, just like old times, in a sleek black Cadillac convertible.

As soon as she arrived, I hopped into her vehicle, and we shared a lengthy embrace. In the back, I noticed a suitcase and some grocery items. We then proceeded to our rental guesthouse where we unloaded Gloria’s belongings.

Instead of a brief hour-long stop, she intended to stay longer. My wife, Gloria, and I tied the knot on May 13, 1960.

In this situation, they were both adults: he was 22 years old, while she was 36. Despite the notable age difference, similar to before, it’s important to clarify that there was no element of pedophilia involved. This is because Gloria’s inappropriate attraction towards a child and her stepson did not affect her professional success in any way.

Following her Academy Award win, she landed an exceptional part in Oklahoma! Interestingly, despite the ’50s being portrayed as an era of ethical integrity, there was no apparent concern regarding a prominent actress engaging in a relationship with a minor.

Without a doubt, the union between Tony and Gloria eventually faced difficulties, but they had two sons together before this occurred.

In 1965, as their second son came into the world, she struggled with mental health issues, which led to a suicide attempt. She turned to alcohol and suffered a nervous breakdown, while Tony found himself battling self-destructive habits. Their separation in 1974 saw the judge awarding him custody of their children due to him being considered ‘the lesser of two troubled individuals’.

As an utterly captivated admirer, I can’t help but share my thoughts on Tony Ray’s book – a tale as tragic as it is tawdry, revolving around a scandalous Hollywood love triangle that left no heart unscathed. Yet, despite the sorrow and deceit, the narrative carries an undercurrent of nostalgia and warmth.

The title “Circle of Lions” symbolizes how trauma can be passed down through generations, much like a ruthless lion producing another. However, an alternate title could have been “The Girl Who Never Said No,” which carries the same underlying theme but with a slightly different emphasis.

To get your hands on the book “Circle of Lions: Nicholas Ray, Gloria Grahame and Me”, check it out at this link: https://stickingplacebooks.com/circle-of-lions/

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2025-07-22 03:40

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