Ray McCarey, the younger brother of renowned director Leo McCarey, embarked on a career in the film industry in the mid-1920s, initially serving as a prop boy. Over time, he ascended the ranks to become an assistant director, screenwriter, and eventually, a director in his own right.
In the early 1930s, McCarey joined the esteemed Hal Roach Studios, where he directed several comedies featuring the beloved Our Gang and the iconic duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. His tenure at Roach Studios was followed by a move to Columbia Pictures, where he helmed a series of short films starring the renowned Three Stooges.
Throughout his career, McCarey worked across a wide range of genres, including musicals at Republic Pictures and westerns at Columbia, collaborating with numerous studios. Despite his extensive output, however, his work often lacked the distinction and acclaim that his famous older brother, Leo McCarey, had achieved.