Veleka Gray
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Veleka Gray (b. March 22, 1947, New Orleans, Louisiana, ([1])) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Laura Donnelly (#2) on Love is a Many Splendored Thing, a role created by Donna Mills, and as "Mia Marriott" on Love of Life from 1977 - 1980.
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[edit] Education
Gray has been a member of Mensa since her early 20s where she placed in the 99 percentile.
[edit] Acting career
In 1975 she joined Somerset as "Victoria Paisley" and was quickly paired with Joel Crothers. The two were the hot item on the soaps during that time. In 1980, she originated the role of "Lyla Montgomery" on As the World Turns but due to internal politics, the role subsequently went to actress Ann Sward.
Moving to Los Angeles, she was the first soap actress to play two different roles on one soap. She started on The Young and the Restless in 1983 as manicurist Ruby Collins. A few months later, she began portraying "Dr. Sharon Reaves", a psychotherapist, on the same soap. At that time, she began being credited as Velekka Gray (adding an extra K to her first name).
Filmography
- Divorce Court ... Mrs. Lindsay (1 episode)
- The Young and the Restless ... Dr. Sharon Reaves/Ruby Collins (unknown number of episodes, 1983-1984)
- As the World Turns ... Lyla Montgomery (#1) (unknown number of episodes, 1980)
- Love of Life ... Mia Marriott (1977-1980)
- Somerset ... Victoria 'Vicki' Paisley (unknown number of episodes, 1975-1976)
- How to Survive a Marriage (1974) ... Susan Pritchett
- Love is a Many Splendored Thing ... Laura Donnelly, #2 (1970-1971)
- I Love My Wife (1970) ... The Stewardess
- The Mod Squad ... Mae Colly (1 episode, 1970)
[edit] Writing
Her love for writing caused it to become an avocation. Over the years she has written three plays, one of which had a successful public reading. From there she drafted a screenplay, and has also worked on three novels.
Due to her years on soaps and her knowledge of the genre's intricacies, she is currently (as of 2006) working on a suspense novel about a soap star.
[edit] Teaching
It has been in recent years, though, that she has come into her own as an acting teacher; focusing on acting and improvisation for stage and camera.
She has gone the personal gamut from New York fashion models to teaching re-entry into society classes for inmates at the notorious San Quentin penitentiary.
