Paul Gray's Obituary
Jan-17-2018
Paul Thomas Gray, 87, succumbed to complications of Parkinson’s Disease on January 13, 2018.
Mr. Gray had a long and varied artistic career as a Writer, Filmmaker, Theatre Director and Teacher.
He began his teaching career as the head of the Theatre and Film Departments at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and at Bennington College in Vermont, where he turned the departments into repertory theatre groups.
Mr. Gray then started The Gray Film Atelier, an apprentice film school which had its origin in Brussels and then moved to New York State, where students traveled from all over the world to live and learn (24/7) the art of filmmaking.
After moving to the West Coast, he created and taught his own seminars on Film Directing. He delivered these weekend-long seminars in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Europe.
He was a Script Consultant on countless Hollywood scripts.
Mr. Gray also made some independent short films. Two of these films were shot locally using local talent and featuring locations at San Miguel Mission, Spooners Cove in Montana de Oro and Cayucos beach. Many local artists contributed to these films.
Most recently, Mr. Gray was working on a story of a boy growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930’s when the Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers and loved and admired by every boy; when the streets were a little rough and you had to use your imagination to escape them.
He was also composing a dramatic documentary on Eleonora Duse, known as the greatest actress who ever lived.
For his theatre work, Mr. Gray was selected to “Who’s Who in American Theatre” and was a contributing editor to “The Tulane Drama Review” (now “The Drama Review”)
Paul Gray has been a full-time resident of Atascadero for 24 years. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Gretchen Gray, son Pauli Gray of San Francisco, daughter Gabriella Gray of Santa Monica, daughter Gwendolyn Gray of Tacoma, Washington, daughter Glynda Gray Purdy of La Jolla, California, granddaughter Dylan Gray Lavitz of Spokane, Washington and her two children, Levi and Dylantae.
Mr. Gray had a long and varied artistic career as a Writer, Filmmaker, Theatre Director and Teacher.
He began his teaching career as the head of the Theatre and Film Departments at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and at Bennington College in Vermont, where he turned the departments into repertory theatre groups.
Mr. Gray then started The Gray Film Atelier, an apprentice film school which had its origin in Brussels and then moved to New York State, where students traveled from all over the world to live and learn (24/7) the art of filmmaking.
After moving to the West Coast, he created and taught his own seminars on Film Directing. He delivered these weekend-long seminars in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Europe.
He was a Script Consultant on countless Hollywood scripts.
Mr. Gray also made some independent short films. Two of these films were shot locally using local talent and featuring locations at San Miguel Mission, Spooners Cove in Montana de Oro and Cayucos beach. Many local artists contributed to these films.
Most recently, Mr. Gray was working on a story of a boy growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930’s when the Dodgers were the Brooklyn Dodgers and loved and admired by every boy; when the streets were a little rough and you had to use your imagination to escape them.
He was also composing a dramatic documentary on Eleonora Duse, known as the greatest actress who ever lived.
For his theatre work, Mr. Gray was selected to “Who’s Who in American Theatre” and was a contributing editor to “The Tulane Drama Review” (now “The Drama Review”)
Paul Gray has been a full-time resident of Atascadero for 24 years. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Gretchen Gray, son Pauli Gray of San Francisco, daughter Gabriella Gray of Santa Monica, daughter Gwendolyn Gray of Tacoma, Washington, daughter Glynda Gray Purdy of La Jolla, California, granddaughter Dylan Gray Lavitz of Spokane, Washington and her two children, Levi and Dylantae.