Ray Verhaeghe
Ray Verhaeghe | |
|---|---|
| Born | Raymond Verhaeghe March 19, 1926 Torhout, Belgium |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1957–present |
| Known for | Familie (1992–present) |
| Spouse |
Diana Sanders
(m. 1955; died 2005) |
| Children | 4 |
Ray Verhaeghe (born 19 March 1926) is a Belgian actor, known for the role as grandpa Albert Thielens, in the Belgium longest soap-opera Familie since 1991 until today.[1]
Life and education
[edit]Verhaeghe was born on 19 March 1926 in Torhout, Belgium, as Raymond Vergaeghe.[2] He completed his primary education in Torhout, followed by full classical humanities studies in Latin and Greek. He then pursued training in Word Recitation and Acting at the Municipal Music Conservatory in Bruges,[3] continuing his education at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent. Verhaeghe later joined the studio of the National Theatre in Antwerp,[4] where he graduated in 1956, despite a 21-month interruption in his studies due to military service.[5]
Career
[edit]As an actor, Ray remains active in the performing arts and has appeared in numerous stage productions and television series. From 1956 to 1991, he held a permanent position as an actor at the Royal Dutch Theatre in Antwerp.[6] Following his tenure there, he continued his career, focusing primarily on television.[7] He is best known to the general public for his role as grandpa Albert Thielens in the long-running soap opera Familie, which was considered the longest soap opera in Belgium with almost 7549 episodes in until now in 2025.[8] She and actress Annie Geeraerts are the oldest soap couple in the world, both at the age of 99 year.[9]
Personal life
[edit]In 1955, Verhaeghe married Diana Sanders from Sint-Michiels, near Bruges. The couple had four children. Diana worked as a secondary school home economics teacher in Waregem before leaving her position after seven years to dedicate herself fully to raising their family. She died more than twenty years ago following heart surgery in 2005.[10]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992–2025 | Familie | Albert Thielens |
| 1993 | Bompa | Bankdirector |
| 1993 | Postbus X | |
| 1990 | Commissaris Roos | Coenen |
| 1980 | De Collega's | Onderzoeksrechter |
| 1979 | Die Nacht mit Chandler | Traveler |
| 1977 | Rubens, schilder en diplomaat | Bishop |
| 1976 | Pallieter | |
| 1974 | The Conscript | Notaris |
| 1968 | I Love You, I Love You | |
| 1966–1967 | Axel Nort | Ned |
| 1966 | Johan en de Alverman | Lodder |
| 1967 | Midas | |
| 1962 | Het Rijk van koning Sim | Pelegrin |
| 1957 | Muiterij op de Caine | Matroos |
References
[edit]- ^ "PORTRET. Ray Verhaeghe ('Familie') wordt woensdag 99 jaar: "Mijn geheim om zo oud te worden? Het is gewoon geluk hebben"". GVA (in Flemish). 2025-03-19. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
- ^ "Koken, wassen, strijken... ik doe nog alles zelf": 'Familie'-icoon Ray Verhaeghe wordt vandaag 99, maar ziet zijn vrijheid sinds kort ingeperkt". myprivacy.dpgmedia.be. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
- ^ Shakespeare Quarterly. Folger Shakespeare Library. 1980.
- ^ Thys, Marianne; Belgique, Cinémathèque royale de (1999). Belgian Cinema (in French). Royal Belgian Film Archive. ISBN 978-90-5544-234-8.
- ^ Teater jaarboek voor het nederlandstalig landsdeel van belgië (in Dutch). 1971.
- ^ "Familie'-acteur Ray Verhaeghe: "Het blijft een groot vraagteken wanneer ik weer zal mogen draaien". myprivacy.dpgmedia.be. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
- ^ Drammaturgia (in Italian). 1958.
- ^ Follet, Michel (2023-11-23). We worden er niet jonger op: Hotel solitude (in Arabic). Vrijdag Uitgevers. ISBN 978-94-6434-199-7.
- ^ "Annie Geeraerts is 98: "Eerlijk, wanneer ik de nieuwe verhaallijnen binnenkrijg, scan ik die toch gauw eens om te zien of bomma overleeft"".
- ^ Vansteelandt, Tim (2017-06-12). "Ray 'Albert' Verhaeghe: "In Familie spelen houdt mij jong"". KW.be (in Flemish). Retrieved 2025-05-24.
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