Ney was an actor, investment adviser, and author best remembered for his role as Vin Miniver in the Oscar-winning World War II film "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), for which his future wife, Greer Garson, won an Oscar as Best Actress playing the role of his mother. Born Richard Maximilian Ney, his father was a successful insurance salesman. He attended Columbia University in New York City, New York, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in economics and public finance. He became interested in acting, by chance when he wandered on impulse into the Empire Theater in New York City, New York during rehearsals for "Life Without Father." Even though he had no acting experience, he persuaded the director that he could play the part of the young Clarence Day, on whose memoirs the comedy play was based. While he was playing the road show version, he asked for a raise and was fired. He then went to Hollywood, California, where casting officials, who thought he would be ideal for the role of Vin Miniver. spotted him. In 1943 he married Greer Garson and served in the US Navy during World War II. They divorced in 1947, and in 1949 he appeared in three other films, "The Secret of St. Ives," "The Fan," and "The Loveable Cheat." His acting career waned, and from the 1950s until the mid-1960s, he appeared mostly on television. In 1958 he produced the short-lived Broadway musical "Portofino," for which he also wrote the book and lyrics. By the mid-1960s he successfully transitioned into a career as an investment counselor. He joined a Beverly Hills stockbroking firm, prior to launching a newsletter, "The Ney Report," which had among its subscribers, the famous industrialist J. Paul Getty. He wrote three highly critical books about Wall Street, the first being "The Wall Street Jungle" (1970), which was a New York Times bestseller. He followed this with "The Wall Street Gang" (1974) and "Making It in the Market" (1975). He died of heart failure at his home at the age of 87. He is the father of Rick Dufay, a former guitarist of the rock group Aerosmith and the grandfather of actress Minka Kelly.
Ney was an actor, investment adviser, and author best remembered for his role as Vin Miniver in the Oscar-winning World War II film "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), for which his future wife, Greer Garson, won an Oscar as Best Actress playing the role of his mother. Born Richard Maximilian Ney, his father was a successful insurance salesman. He attended Columbia University in New York City, New York, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in economics and public finance. He became interested in acting, by chance when he wandered on impulse into the Empire Theater in New York City, New York during rehearsals for "Life Without Father." Even though he had no acting experience, he persuaded the director that he could play the part of the young Clarence Day, on whose memoirs the comedy play was based. While he was playing the road show version, he asked for a raise and was fired. He then went to Hollywood, California, where casting officials, who thought he would be ideal for the role of Vin Miniver. spotted him. In 1943 he married Greer Garson and served in the US Navy during World War II. They divorced in 1947, and in 1949 he appeared in three other films, "The Secret of St. Ives," "The Fan," and "The Loveable Cheat." His acting career waned, and from the 1950s until the mid-1960s, he appeared mostly on television. In 1958 he produced the short-lived Broadway musical "Portofino," for which he also wrote the book and lyrics. By the mid-1960s he successfully transitioned into a career as an investment counselor. He joined a Beverly Hills stockbroking firm, prior to launching a newsletter, "The Ney Report," which had among its subscribers, the famous industrialist J. Paul Getty. He wrote three highly critical books about Wall Street, the first being "The Wall Street Jungle" (1970), which was a New York Times bestseller. He followed this with "The Wall Street Gang" (1974) and "Making It in the Market" (1975). He died of heart failure at his home at the age of 87. He is the father of Rick Dufay, a former guitarist of the rock group Aerosmith and the grandfather of actress Minka Kelly.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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