Raymond "Ray" Sharkey, Jr

 11.14.1952 - Raymond "Ray" Sharkey, Jr., actor, was born in Red Hook, and lived near the Gowanus. He attended but did not finish All-boys St. Augustine H.S. on Park Place.

Sharkey's father, Ray Sr., a professional drummer, abandoned the family when Sharkey was just five years old. He was raised by his mother, Cecelia, with assistance from her parents.

After seeing the Broadway production of "Hair" at 17, Sharkey decided to become an actor and started studying acting at the H.B. Studio in New York City. In 1974, he made his film debut in "The Lords of Flatbush". Sharkey would go on to appear in more than forty motion pictures and dozens of guest appearances on various television series.

In 1981, he won a Golden Globe Award for his performance in "The Idolmaker". The following year, he was nominated for another Golden Globe for his role in "The Ordeal of Bill Carney". In 1987, Sharkey landed the role of Sonny Steelgrave in the series "Wiseguy".

Sharkey struggled with an addiction to cocaine and heroin throughout his career. He was involved in four drug-related car wrecks, two requiring microsurgery on his eyes.

Sharkey reportedly contracted the AIDS virus through intravenous drug use and was diagnosed as HIV positive in 1987. Despite his diagnosis, he remained in denial about his HIV positive status. Sharkey convinced himself he harbored a strain of HIV that would never endanger himself or anyone else. He told no one of his condition, and reportedly did not disclose the fact that he was HIV positive to women with whom he was in intimate relationships

On 6.11.1993, Sharkey died of AIDS at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn.