I inherited the archives, except for the Marilyn Monroe photograph:
Ray Munro and Marilyn Monroe leaving a press conference at a Vancouver hotel. Ray Munro was a pilot during the filming of a Robert Mitchum/Marilyn Monroe movie "River of No Return."
I'm not sure who is managing this blog but just wanted to comment about this great posting of the photos and a bit of background of Ray Munro. I corresponded with Ray from Vancouver after reading a library copy of his autobiography, The Sky's No Limit in the late 1980's and contacting him wishing a copy of the book if possible. Over the next few years, we wrote letters & on a first time visit to Ontario to see a friend, it turned out he lived in the adjacent city of Oakville to Burlington. He invited me to go aerobatic flying in his open cockpit plane that he called a crop duster. He knew I loved different flying experiences having told him about being in a glider in Hawaii, a helicopter in Vancouver and invited into the cockpit for landings of a 727 and and a 747. The former in L.A. and the latter in Vancouver. Both pre-9/11. So, I didn't hesitate to have this former WW II Spitfire pilot take me aerobatic flying. My friend thought I was nuts as Ray was then about 68 years old. He let me wear his WW II leather pilot cap with the ear flaps. It was an unforgettable experience and I loved every minute of it. I'd been an RN for years in Critical Care and had volunteered at the Abbotsford Air Show as an RN; so knew the many 'tricks' of the aerobatic pilots in their event there. Ray asked me what maneuver I wanted him to do when up in the air. I said, "A 3/4 roll and stay upside down as long as you can." This plane was an open cockpit plane and I only had a 4-point seat belt on and a small metal bar to hold sitting in the front seat of the plane. He managed the roll and stayed upside down a good distance before flipping back up. To finish, he did a snap roll which was superb. Afterwards, we had tea at his house and he had a room full of his awards, front page Vancouver Sun articles of his all framed and hanging from the ceiling on 4 silver chains on each corner of the frame. Best use of a ceiling I've ever seen. He had keys to cities in North America - US and Canada. So many certificates too. He really was a man to admire for so many reasons. To say after his sad death from cancer that he had a life well lived is an understatement. I often had wondered what happened to all his treasures and honours. If you do have them, how wonderful. I also have wondered what happened to the man who inherited his copyright in Edmonton. Ray sent to me the first chapters of his 2nd autobiograpy and one of a novel he had begun. I still have them here. They were never published if he did finish them before he became ill. I'm not sure where you are located in Canada (assuming you are in Canada) but it would be great to hear from you by email. I know he had two children and also wonder if they are still alive along with also his second wife who he married a few years before he died. I'll never forget his generosity in taking me flying that day in Oakville. Hope to hear from you.
I'm not sure who is managing this blog but just wanted to comment about this great posting of the photos and a bit of background of Ray Munro. I corresponded with Ray from Vancouver after reading a library copy of his autobiography, The Sky's No Limit in the late 1980's and contacting him wishing a copy of the book if possible. Over the next few years, we wrote letters & on a first time visit to Ontario to see a friend, it turned out he lived in the adjacent city of Oakville to Burlington. He invited me to go aerobatic flying in his open cockpit plane that he called a crop duster. He knew I loved different flying experiences having told him about being in a glider in Hawaii, a helicopter in Vancouver and invited into the cockpit for landings of a 727 and and a 747. The former in L.A. and the latter in Vancouver. Both pre-9/11. So, I didn't hesitate to have this former WW II Spitfire pilot take me aerobatic flying. My friend thought I was nuts as Ray was then about 68 years old. He let me wear his WW II leather pilot cap with the ear flaps. It was an unforgettable experience and I loved every minute of it. I'd been an RN for years in Critical Care and had volunteered at the Abbotsford Air Show as an RN; so knew the many 'tricks' of the aerobatic pilots in their event there. Ray asked me what maneuver I wanted him to do when up in the air. I said, "A 3/4 roll and stay upside down as long as you can." This plane was an open cockpit plane and I only had a 4-point seat belt on and a small metal bar to hold sitting in the front seat of the plane. He managed the roll and stayed upside down a good distance before flipping back up. To finish, he did a snap roll which was superb. Afterwards, we had tea at his house and he had a room full of his awards, front page Vancouver Sun articles of his all framed and hanging from the ceiling on 4 silver chains on each corner of the frame. Best use of a ceiling I've ever seen. He had keys to cities in North America - US and Canada. So many certificates too. He really was a man to admire for so many reasons. To say after his sad death from cancer that he had a life well lived is an understatement. I often had wondered what happened to all his treasures and honours. If you do have them, how wonderful. I also have wondered what happened to the man who inherited his copyright in Edmonton. Ray sent to me the first chapters of his 2nd autobiograpy and one of a novel he had begun. I still have them here. They were never published if he did finish them before he became ill. I'm not sure where you are located in Canada (assuming you are in Canada) but it would be great to hear from you by email. I know he had two children and also wonder if they are still alive along with also his second wife who he married a few years before he died. I'll never forget his generosity in taking me flying that day in Oakville. Hope to hear from you.
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