Hawaii Film Blog

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Ray Bumatai (1952-2005)



Local veteran comedian/actor/singer Ray Bumatai passed away late last night. Bumatai was diagnosed with brain cancer several years ago, but continued to perform on stage and screen. Recent projects include several plays at
Manoa Valley Theater, including a role as the king in "The King and I," a music CD called "All the Things I Said," and local indie feature "Pele O Ka Foodmart," which will screen at the Hawaii International Film Festival on October 22, 3:45pm at Dole.

Bumatai also worked as a voice actor for cartoons and guest-starred on most of the major network TV series that have filmed in Hawaii, including "Magnum P.I.," "Baywatch," "Hawaii," "Jake and the Fatman," "Raven," "One West Waikiki," and "Byrds of Paradise." Bumatai sometimes worked with his younger brother
Andy on projects such as "The Procrastinators," a short film about two guys who spend their days riding around Oahu on their Harleys, and "BumaVision," a series of local comedy specials on OC16.

He will be dearly missed by Hawaii's television, theater, comedy, and film communities, and by the many people he has made laugh throughout the years in Hawaii and beyond.

>> Entertainer Ray Bumatai, 52, succumbs to brain cancer [Hnl Advertiser, 10/7/05]
>> Actor was versatile on stage and screen [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 10/7/05]
>>
Entertainer Ray Bumatai dies [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 10/6/05]
>>
Bumatai's dedication is no act [Hnl Advertiser, 8/20/02]

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