Ray Hassett - the Power and the Passion

If you've seen enough ‘70s-‘80s productions starring Americans but filmed in England for cost reasons, then chances are you’ve seen the same basic crew of American stock actors reused in multiple roles throughout them. For the discerning James Bond fan, one biggie stands out: Shane Rimmer. He played a NASA technician in YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967), some lackey in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971) and, in his unassailable tour-de-force performance, Carter, captain of the nuclear submarine U.S.S. Wayne, in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977). He was also the voice of one of the Tracy brothers in THUNDERBIRDS. He also turned up in SUPERMAN II (1981), I believe. Also among this hallowed fraternity were John Ratzenberger (best known today as Cliff from "Cheers") and the late William Hootkins (the fat guy in STAR WARS (1977), the fat guy in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981), and the fat guy in BATMAN (1989)), and the one, the only...

Ray Hassett.

I don’t know what it is about Ray that sets him apart from his ilk. His finely modulated performances? His scene-stealing nature? The almost Johnny Depp-like idiosyncratic acting style? The fact that he remains mired in obscurity, while Rimmer and Ratzenberger at least have some face recognition? The fact that so little information is available on the man? I’m not sure, but the following is my ode to Ray.

According to the IMDb, his first credited role is as “U.S.S. Wayne Crewman” in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. He is referred to as being called “Martin” in the film, but evidently this wasn’t good enough for those bastards at the IMDb. Of all the actors to play a minor role as a Wayne crewman – and they all do really good jobs if you watch the film closely – Ray gets the standout moment.

This comes when he enters Rimmer’s cabin to hand him a report, only to find himself distracted by the sight of Barbara Bach having a shower only a few steps away. He finds himself mesmermised by the sight of the side of her boob through a steamy glass screen, only to be reprimanded by Rimmer for it. He gives a perfectly timed, apologetic smile and marches out of the room, only to hilariously peek back through the door as it closes for one final glimpse. Ray’s comic timing is perfect, and it looks a lot like the beginning of a great career as a character actor.

Ray also gets into the action during the climactic battle, at one point even throwing a grenade! At a door! He also helpfully provides Bond (Roger Moore) with his jetski, further cementing his role as a useful member of the good guys’ team. He does a lot with very limited screentime. If I ran a submarine, I’d want him on my crew.

The following year, Ray turned in perhaps his greatest and most memorable performance, as “Officer #2” in SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. He gives another terrifically thought-through performance as an over-the-top, hard-boiled, pork-pie-hat-wearing Metropolis cop named Harry. It’s only a few minutes from his first appearance to the point where he is pushed into the path of an oncoming train by Ned Beatty and killed, but he is the focus of all his scenes for those few minutes, and he carries the film effortlessly. Ray shows none of the trepidation one might expect from a small-time actor appearing in a surefire blockbuster, which lends him a lot of his charm.

He also apparently played “Tigran Jamiro” in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), which, when coupled with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, means that Ray is in two of the tip-top best movies of all time. To be honest, I can’t even spot him in the film, but it was filmed in England, so logic dictates that he’s in there somewhere. I wonder is he has an action figure. Probably. Who needs a Lando Calrissian with Removable Cape when you can have a Tigran Jamiro?

His filmography is a little dodgy thereafter. He seems to often plays police officers, including in the well-regarded RAGTIME (1981). His last credited role was in 1984, in Brian De Palma’s BODY DOUBLE, as, incredibly, “Police Officer”. Evidently the impact he made in SUPERMAN role left him typecast. He also co-wrote the film GREEN ICE (1981), a thriller about emeralds starring Ryan O’Neal, and more recently, a TV film entitled FRIENDS IN SPACE (1990), in which he collaborated with John Ratzenberger. Maybe they are old friends from their American-actors-slumming-work-in-England days?

What happened to Ray since? My one hope is that Ray Googles himself, finds this, and contacts me personally. That way I can maybe persuade him to act out little skits for me in the privacy of my own home.

Bottom line? Ray, you have a fan. Thank you.

Nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it
Half as good as you
Ray Hassett, you’re the best at providing background colour.

- after Carly Simon