Educated at Toronto University & Balliol College, Oxford, he joined the Canadian Field Artillery in World War I, served in France & was wounded. His first appearance was in a stage production in Siberia, during its occupation by American Forces in 1918. Raymond returned to Canada & the farm implement business after the war, but footlights proved a greater allure than ploughshares. He appeared at the Everyman Theatre, London in "In the Zone" in 1922 and from then his acting career never looked back. As adept in front of arc lights as the footlights, he was signed up for a 5 year contract by Alexander Korda. Major Massey was invalided from the Canadian Army in 1943. Raymond is devoted to his American wife Dorothy, to whom he refers all queries and problems. He has an ardent radio following in the States and has now become an American citizen. This is natural as his forebears were American for generations. A bad traveller, Raymond hates the sea and aeroplanes. A good sportsman, he excels at golf and fishing, A scholar, he loves good literature. A modest man, he regards himself as supremely uninteresting.


Father of Anna Massey, Daniel Massey and Geoffrey Massey. Grandfather of the producer Raymond Massey and Alice Massey. Although born a Canadian and serving in the Canadian Army in both world wars, he later became an American citizen. Scion of the Massey family whose farm implement manufacturing business merged with the Harris company in 1891 to form Massey-Harris. Then in 1953, it merged with the Ferguson company to become Massey-Harris-Ferguson, shortened to Massey-Ferguson in 1957. Massey-Ferguson, now an AGCO (formerly Varity) subsidiary, is the largest selling farm tractor brand in the world. Vincent and Raymond Massey were the last Masseys to have a direct role in the company. Each elected to pursue other careers. Portrayed Abraham Lincoln in both Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) and How the West Was Won (1962). There was much dissatisfaction among the public when it was learned that Massey, a Canadian with clear diction and a fine speaking voice, had been selected to play Abraham Lincoln in the stage production of "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" - until he received rave reviews for his performance. His subsequent reprise of the role in the 1940 film version (Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)) earned him an Oscar nomination. Was a two-time Wound Badge winner, having been wounded in both world wars. Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 554-555. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. Played Abraham Lincoln four times on TV and in the movies as well as in the stage play "Abe Lincoln in Illinois.". Was a veteran of the the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force (CSEF) composed of 4,000 soldiers tat were sent to Russia to combat the Bolshevik menace. This was authorized on August 12, 1918. Massey announced his participation during the airing of The Lux Radio Theater:Action in the North Atlantic broadcast on May 15, 1944.