Bernard B. Ray was born Benjamin Shamrayevsky on November 18, 1895 in Moscow, Russia. He and his family immigrated to the U. S. in the early 1900s, settled in New York City, and during this period, the family surname got shortened to "Shamroy".

Despite his lack of formal education he found constant work in the movie business starting with Biograph and then D. W. Griffith and Mutual Film Corporation. He worked primarily as a camera operator, but also did film editing and lab work. Eventually he formed Reliable Pictures with Harry S. Webb in 1933. Known for it's cheap westerns starring cowboys such as Tom Tyler, Reliable lasted a until 1938 when Monogram Pictures absorbed it. It was at Reliable that B.B. Ray became a director and known for his western features. After Reliable was gone he attempted to make exploitation and "black" pictures before returning to B-Westerns until the 50's.

Bernard B. Ray passed away December 10, 1964 at the Motion Picture Home and Hospital, Woodland Hills, California.