Ray Combs
| Ray Combs | |
|---|---|
publicity photo (1988)
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| Born |
Raymond Neil Combs, Jr. April 3, 1956 Hamilton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | June 2, 1996 (aged 40) Glendale, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Suicide by hanging |
| Body discovered | Glendale Adventist Medical Center |
| Resting place | Greenwood Cemetery |
| Education | Garfield High School |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian, game show host |
| Years active | 1983–1996 |
| Known for | Hosting Family Feud (1988–1994) |
| Spouse(s) | Debbie Combs (1977–1996) |
| Children | 6 |
Raymond Neil "Ray" Combs, Jr. (April 3, 1956 – June 2, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, and game show host.
Combs began his professional career as a stand-up comedian in the 1980s. His popularity on the stand-up circuit led to him being signed as the host of the revival of the game show Family Feud. The show aired on CBS and was in syndication until 1994. From 1995 to 1996, Combs hosted another game show, Family Challenge.
Combs committed suicide by hanging at Glendale Adventist Medical Center where he was being held for observation in June 1996.
Combs was born in Hamilton, Ohio. He graduated in 1974 from Garfield High School, where he was an actor, senior class president, and Boys State delegate. He declined a nomination to the United States Military Academy to serve as a Mormon missionary for two years in Arizona.
Combs began performing comedy at Cincinnati's Red Dog Saloon, where he developed his best-known shtick of audience sing-alongs of sitcom theme songs. In 1979, Combs sent a letter to David Letterman asking for advice; Letterman encouraged him to continue in comedy. In 1982, convinced that he was better than others he saw appear on The Tonight Show, Combs quit his job as an Indianapolis furniture salesman and moved with his family to Los Angeles. He did well in a competition with more than 200 other young comedians, and began doing audience warm-ups for sitcoms such as The Golden Girls and Amen. He became so popular that other sitcoms changed their production schedules just so they could have him warm up their audiences.Johnny Carson heard the audience's laughter and then invited Combs to perform on The Tonight Show in October 1986; the audience gave him a standing ovation.
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