Ray Nadeau hails from Butte, Montana. Nadeau attended Westwood High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Ray served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Nadeau was a negative cutter on three low-budget exploitation films, an editor on two other movies, and directed the oddball Bigfoot soft-core flick The Beast and the Vixens (1974). Moreover, Ray not only was a recurring background police officer extra on the acclaimed TV series Hill Street Blues (1981), but also worked as the stand-in for Daniel J. Travanti on that particular TV show. In addition, his wife Beverly and son Mark also worked as extras on Hill Street Blues (1981).