A performer and instructor, Bray competed in freestyle artistic skating for nearly a decade, prior to giving up his amateur status in order to co-star alongside Linda Blair in 1979 musical teensploitation film Roller Boogie.
[1][2] By the time he was 18, Bray had earned 275 trophies and "won every Artistic Singles event from Primary Boys to Senior Men's in his Regional competitions".
[1] Bray studied under various Californian coaches, including Chris Baerg of Downey, Rick Weber of Simi Valley, and Omar and Delores Dunn of Bakersfield.
[1] At 13 years of age, he set his intentions on competing in the Olympics as well as the Artistic Skating World Championships.
[6] While he was initially a stunt man, he ended up being cast alongside Linda Blair because the producers could not find a leading actor who was familiar with roller skating.
[5]In 1980, Bray co-hosted a one-hour pilot for the Nickelodeon channel, titled Star City Roll Out, filmed at New York's Roxy Roller Rink.
[1] Interviewees included Erik Estrada, Loni Anderson and Valerie Bertinelli; Bray intended to feature disco band "Le Chic" [sic].
[9] He appeared on The Big Show in 1980, alongside Steve Allen, Gary Coleman, Loni Andersen and Peggy Fleming.
[5] He planned trips to Mexico and South Africa, presumably with The Jim Bray Traveling Show, though it is unknown if they occurred.
When transported to a local hospital, "the doctor in attendance requested Jim's autograph" before providing him with treatment for his minor injuries.