Fred Olen Ray grew up in the circus town of Sarasota, Florida. His classmates were often circus children and one of his Junior High School teachers was a member of the famous Wallenda family.

He has successfully pursued a career as a motion picture Producer-Director in Hollywood with such well-known movies as ARMED RESPONSE and INNER SANCTUM to his credit. He is the author of THE NEW POVERTY ROW (McFarland & Co.) and was once a magician, specializing in spectacular, hair-raising escapes. His love for the carnival and its Side Shows led him to create his own traveling exhibit. In doing so he quickly discovered the strange, and often bizarre, world that lurks behind the scenes of the Grind Shows.