Date Of Birth & Birthplace: 2/13/1935 (Chicago, IL) Race: White Religion: Catholic Residence: Chicago, IL Education: Occupation: Entertainer Office Type:U.S. House -- Illinois District 1
Quarterly Campaign Finance Information
Cash on Hand: $423,746.00
Total Receipts: $188,824.00
Total Disbursements: $230,601.00
Date of Last Report: 2/11/2004
Biography:
Raymond Wardingley, 69, a retired entertainer, was one of 12 children reared on the Southeast Side of Chicago.
Wardingley served in the Air Force from 1955 to 1957 and studied briefly with the Goodman Theater Company in 1962, before moving to Hollywood, Calif.
There, he earned a living performing in commercials and as an extra in movies including "Hello Dolly" and "Paint your Wagon."
"I always played a drunk," he said. "It paid good."
Wardingley continued acting in commercials when he returned to Chicago in 1968. He ran against Mayor Richard J. Daley as a write-in candidate named "Spanky the Clown" in 1976.
He's run unsuccessfully for mayor several other times. This is the third time he has run for Congress against incumbent Bobby Rush. Wardingley currently lives in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood with his wife, Karen. The couple has no children.
Past Campaigns:
Raymond Wardingley ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1976, 1979, 1983 and 1995. He also ran unsuccessfully for alderman in 1999. He has run against Rush twice in the past and loss both times.
