Born on July 27, 1898, in San Francisco, Gray attended schools there and worked in Standard Oil Company's export department.

After the war, he was production manager at the Lasky Studios, but later became an extra in crowd scenes and such, and liking the work, decided on a film career.

That same year he also starred in the Vitaphone film musicals Sunny and Spring is Here.

On August 7, 1935, with the Associated Press crediting actress Dolores Del Rio as matchmaker, Gray married Mexican former actress Maria Luisa Figueroa;[2][3] shortly thereafter, they relocated permanently to Mexico City.

[4] Gray died in Mexico City on February 2, 1970, at the age of 71,[5] survived by his wife.