Geoffrey Holder (1930-2014) was a veteran film and stage actor who supplied the voice of Ray in Bear in the Big Blue House.
Holder directed both the Broadway premiere and revival versions of the stage musical The Wiz, and his film roles include Baron Samedi in the James Bond film Live and Let Die, Punjab in the film musical Annie, and the sorcerer in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*But Were Afraid to Ask. In later years, Holder provided narration for Tim Burton's version of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and was heard on the PBS animated series Cyberchase as Master Pi. In commercials, he appeared as the "un-Cola" man for 7-Up.
Holder was married to dancer/actress Carmen de Lavallade.