Ray Stantz

"Of course, you forget, Peter, I was present at an undersea, unexplained mass sponge migration."

- Ray Stantz; Ghostbusters

Raymond Stantz, Ph.D.
Occupation:	Scientist, Ghostbuster, Owner of Ray's Occult Books
Appeared In:	Ghostbusters Ghostbusters II Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Played By:	Dan Aykroyd

Dr. Ray Stantz was one of the original Ghostbusters and was one of the most devoted to the pursuit of studying the paranormal.

Personality

Ray's devotion to the company was obvious when he mortgaged his parents' house to provide the capital to begin Ghostbusters, Inc. Ray was also handy man and largely responsible for the repair and modification of the Ecto-1. He wasn't particularly religious, but did seem to believe in a spiritual realm of sorts. In The Video Game it is shown he beleives in the concept of a soul.

Ray is regarded by Peter as the "Heart of the Ghostbusters". Indeed, Ray displays a level of ebullience when it comes to Ghostbusting and paranormal science in general unmatched by any of his colleagues. His mention of the a mass sponge migration shows he's more than eager to go anywhere it takes to study the strange and unusual.

History

Ghostbusters

Before they were kicked out of the University, Ray was devoting a lot of his workday to interviewing people who had some sort of encounter with the paranormal. After the entanglement with the Library ghost, Ray was more motivated to continue that type of work. When the guys were let go by Dean Yager, he was initially crushed, primarily concerned with his academic integrity, financial stability, etc. Ray had briefly worked in the private sector beforehand, and knew it wasn't conducive to his line of work, as they expect notable results.

After talking with Peter Venkman and Egon Spengler, he was relieved and decided to try hunting ghosts full-time. Ray even mortgaged the house he was born in to provide the starting capital to get the company started and buy the Firehouse. In addition, he rummaged through used car lots to find a suitable vehicle and repair it to make the Ecto-1.

Ray accidentally chose the form of Gozer's appearance because of his childhood times at Camp Oconda. Despite his initial attempt at negotiations, he wound up fighting Gozer with his proton pack. After reversing the particle flow, Ray was concerned about the other guys, and then celebrated with them all afterward.

Ghostbusters II

In the second film he and Winston were entertainers for parties. When he is not doing that, he is running his bookstore; Ray's Occult Books. However, when Dana comes to Egon and later Ray, it becomes clear that something supernatural was happening underneath New York.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

in Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Ray is one of the senior busters. He is voiced by none other than Dan Akroyd and thus is similar to his movie counterpart. He is still the wide-eyed enthusiast and still more than eager to expand his knowledge in regards to researching the paranormal. More than once he asks the Rookie to collect samples and take readings for later research. Ray is also the most vocally supportive of the Rookie.

It is mentioned that the mortgage for the firehouse is in his name. His selection for the Stay-puft form of Gozer's "destroyer form" was mentioned in a quote "It wasn't me this time I swear" when the busters see that Stay-Puft is,once again, terrorizing new york. Ray is the most visibly shaken to see Mr Stay-Puft again.

Ray apprently has skill at operation nautical vessels as he's the primary navigator on Marine Ecto-8.

Dr. Ray Stantz as seen in Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Trivia

• Ray was portrayed by Dan Aykroyd, who is admittedly interested in the paranormal and occult, which may explain why Ray seemed to be the most motivated of the Ghostbusters..."busting heads-in a spirtual sense," of course.

• Dan Aykroyd helped to design the proton pack, trap, and other "busting tools."

• Even though Ray seemed skeptical about the existence of God, he DID seem to have a working familiarity with Biblical folklore. And even described (with Venkman) to Mayor Lenny that NYC's takeover had Biblical, "Wrath-of-God" proportions. In the Video Game his description of Black Slime implies he beleives in the concept of a soul.

• In the novelization, Ray's relatives were listed as a bisexual sister with a daughter, and a macho brother with two boys in military school. Ray's father, also a doctor, willed him the house not because he felt Ray was more worthy, but that after Peter had come with him to a family dinner once and seduced Ray's sister, he figured Ray was going to need all the help he could get.

• Also in the novelization, Ray's parents were said to have disappeared in a plane flight that vanished without a trace. Egon kept insisting to Ray that they might still be alive in the Bermuda Triangle, until Ray finally punched him.

• The "dream sequence" where Ray is seduced by a widowed ghost was actually originally filmed as an actual mission. Ray and Winston were sent out to a museum. On a lark, Ray had decided to try on a Napoleonic era uniform and was lying on a replica bed when she appears. This scene was later re-edited into the movie as a dream. A picture of Ray and Winston exiting Ecto-1 in front of the museum can be found in a storybook based on the film, although it wasn't referred to in the story anywhere. In real life, Aykroyd was filmed driving the Hearse off of private premises, before authorities arrived on scene.

• Possibly for being the most open-minded of the group, his body and will were possessed by Vigo the Carpathian.

• Aykroyd made a cameo appearance as a mustachioed Ray Stantz in the 1995 live-action Casper film. He was defeated by Casper's uncles and ran for his life.