Fred Olen Ray

Fred Olen Ray is an American film producer, director and screenwriter, born September 10, 1954, in Wellston, Ohio, who has made more than 200 low budget feature films in genres that include horror, science fiction, action, erotic thrillers and crime dramas. He heads the home video company Retromedia, which releases both his own productions and archival films, and he is cited as an inspiration by many independent filmmakers. Alongside his film work, Ray was also a professional wrestler, competing under the name Fabulous Freddie Valentine. He began making films at fourteen, directed The Brain Leeches in 1978 on a budget of 298 dollars, and later received a Living Legend Award at the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival in 2017.