CBS News
Actress Fay Wray in an undated publicity photo.
Born on Sept. 15, 1907, the luminous actress gained immortality in the paw of a giant gorilla, in the 1933 horror classic, "King Kong."
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan
CBS News
Left: Actress Fay Wray in an undated publicity photo.
A native of Alberta, Canada, Wray moved to Los Angeles and started getting screen roles while still a teenager.
"The First Kiss"
Paramount Pictures
Before Fay Wray became famous as a star of horror films, she appeared in a slew of westerns and romantic dramas.
Left: In "The First Kiss" (1928), Gary Cooper starred as a fisherman trying to win the hand of a society girl played by Wray.
Wray and Copper also co-starred in "The Legion of the Condemned" (1928), "The Texan" (1930), and "One Sunday Afternoon" (1933).
"The Wedding March"
Paramount Pictures
Fay Wray appeared in two films directed by Erich von Stroheim, including the 1928 drama, "The Wedding March" (left). Wray played the object of von Stroheim's romantic obsession, but who watches from the sidelines as von Stroheim's cavalry officer is forced by financial difficulties to marry the daughter of a wealthy businessman.
"The Texan"
Paramount Pictures
Fay Wray as Consuelo in "The Texan" (1930).
"The Sea God"
Paramount Pictures
Richard Arlen and Fay Wray appeared together in numerous films, including "The Sea God" (1930).
"Dirigible"
Columbia Pictures
Fay Wray played one point of a love triangle (a married one at that) in Frank Capra's 1931 adventure, "Dirigible," about aviators flying zeppelins to the South Pole.
"The Unholy Garden"
Samuel Goldwyn
In "The Unholy Garden" (1931), Fay Wray played opposite Ronald Colman, as a thief who tries to romance Wray in order to get at her father's hidden treasure.
"Doctor X"
Warner Brothers
Fay Wray starred in "Doctor X" (1932), a horror-comedy based on a play, "The Terror," about the investigation of a serial killer who fells his victims when the moon is full.
"Doctor X"
Warner Brothers
Fay Wray encounters a horrifying figure, and an owl, in "Doctor X" (1932).
"The Most Dangerous Game"
RKO Pictures
Produced by Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper (who would later direct "King Kong"), "The Most Dangerous Game" starred Leslie Banks (left) as a Russian count whose favorite pastime is hunting human prey. Fay Wray and Joel McRae played shipwreck victims who find their island sanctuary is anything but.
"Mystery of the Wax Museum"
Warner Brothers
Fay Wray and Lionel Atwill reteamed for the 1933 horror classic, "Mystery of the Wax Museum," in which a sculptor's true face is revealed - as is the fate of murder victims who look uncannily like the wax figures in his gallery.
As was the case with "Doctor X," "Wax Museum" was filmed in an early two-color Technicolor process.
"The Vampire Bat"
Majestic Pictures
Poverty Row studio Majestic Pictures hired Fay Wray and Lionel Atwill, and leased sets from Universal's "Frankenstein," for "The Vampire Bat" (1933), about the mysterious deaths of townspeople in a European village due to . . . loss of blood!
"King Kong"
RKO Pictures
In 1933 Fay Wray was cast in the biggest role of her career, with the biggest costar, as a naive young woman recruited by a filmmaker for a mysterious voyage, to Skull Island ...
Wray's ear-splitting shrieks along the way led many to dub her "The Queen of Scream" ... setting a decibel standard rarely, if ever, equaled since.
"King Kong"
RKO Pictures
A publicity still from "King Kong" (1933), in which the giant gorilla battles all manner of prehistoric creatures while protecting the blonde woman in his paw (Fay Wray).
"King Kong"
RKO Pictures
In "King Kong" (1933), Fay Wray played Ann Darrow, an unemployed woman whose shot at acting fame leads her to a fateful encounter with a giant gorilla.
"King Kong"
RKO Pictures
Bruce Cabot and Fay Wray in "King Kong" (1933).
The Eighth Wonder of the World
RKO Pictures
After Kong is captured and brought to New York City, he appears on stage along with the adventurers and young woman responsible -- Bruce Cabot, Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong -- in "King Kong" (1933).
"King Kong"
RKO Pictures
"King Kong"'s classic status was due in no small part to Fay Wray's performance as the beauty who conquered the beast.
When Naomi Watts considered taking the role in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake, she asked the advice of her "Mulholland Drive" director, David Lynch. He replied, "Anyone who sits in the paw of King Kong is a movie star for life."
"One Sunday Afternoon"
Paramount Pictures
Fay Wray in "One Sunday Afternoon" (1933), a comedy in which a married dentist (Gary Cooper) tries to rekindle romance with an old flame (Wray).
"Madame Spy"
Universal Pictures
In "Madame Spy" (1934), Fay Wray played the Russian wife (and a spy!) married to a German intelligence officer (Nils Asther).
"Viva Villa!"
MGM
Fay Wray starred opposite Wallace Beery as Pancho Villa in the 1934 "Viva Villa!"
"Viva Villa!"
MGM
Fay Wray as Theresa in the 1934 "Viva Villa!"
"Mills of the Gods"
Columbia Pictures
Fay Wray in the 1934 drama, "Mills of the Gods."
CBS News
Left: An undated publicity photo of Fay Wray.
Following "King Kong," Wray's star dimmed, and she appeared in programmers such as "Alias Bulldog Drummond," "Murder in Greenwich Village," and "Smashing the Spy Ring."
She continued to perform for decades to come, including in "Tammy and the Bachelor" (playing the mother of Leslie Nielsen) in 1957, and in such TV shows as "Perry Mason," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Playhouse 90," "77 Sunset Strip" and "Wagon Train."
Her last appearance was in the 1980 TV movie "Gideon's Trumpet," opposite Henry Fonda.
AP Photos
A portrait of "King Kong" actress Fay Wray on February 1, 1986.
Wray was scheduled to make a cameo appearance in Peter Jackson's remake of "King Kong," but died on August 8, 2004 - five weeks shy of her 97th birthday - before she could go in front of the cameras one more time.
CBS News
Left: An undated publicity photo of actress Fay Wray.
