Editing Ray Liotta (section)

==Early life and education==
Liotta was born in [[Newark, New Jersey]], on December 18, 1954.<ref name="biography.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.biography.com/people/ray-liotta-9542538 |title=Ray Liotta Biography: Film Actor, Television Actor, Television Personality (1954–) |publisher=[[Biography.com]] ([[FYI (TV network)|FYI]] / [[A&E Networks]]) |access-date=December 18, 2016 |archive-date=May 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526201124/http://www.biography.com/people/ray-liotta-9542538 |url-status=live}}</ref> Having been abandoned at an orphanage, he was adopted at the age of six months by township clerk Mary (née Edgar) and auto parts store owner Alfred Liotta.<ref name="Lifetime-Bio">{{cite web |title=Ray Liotta |url=http://www.lifetimetv.co.uk/biography/biography-ray-liotta |website=[[Biography (TV series)|Biography]] |publisher=[[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime TV]] |access-date=September 12, 2014 |archive-date=May 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520121403/http://www.lifetimetv.co.uk/biography/biography-ray-liotta |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="FamilySearch-Ray-USPR-1998">{{cite web|title=Raymond Liotta – United States Public Records, 1970–2009|url=https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJNK-271B|website=[[FamilySearch]]|access-date=September 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="FamilySearch-Mary-USPR-1999">{{cite web|title=Mary E Liotta – United States Public Records, 1970–2009|url=https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KGRN-FNR|website=[[FamilySearch]]|access-date=September 12, 2014|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304024713/https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KGRN-FNR|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.elmundo.es/loc/celebrities/2022/05/26/628fb112fdddffd4688b45ce.html | title=Ray Liotta: Abandonado por sus padres biológicos, una tragedia en el rodaje de 'Uno de los nuestros' y padre de una sola hija | date=May 26, 2022 }}</ref> His adoptive parents were Scottish and Italian Americans.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/film/news/a10295/ray-liotta-interview/ | title=Ray Liotta: What I've Learned | date=July 13, 2016 }}</ref> Alfred was a personnel director and president of a local [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] club.<ref name="Lifetime-Bio" /> His adoptive parents each unsuccessfully ran for local political office; he recalled attending parades to hand out flyers for his father's run.<ref name="LarryKingNow-Identical-2014" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800023967/bio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115075314/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800023967/bio|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 15, 2006|title=Ray Liotta|access-date=July 7, 2009|publisher=Movies.yahoo.com}}</ref>

Liotta had a sister, Linda, who was also adopted. He said that he knew that he was adopted as a young child, and presented a show-and-tell report.<ref name="LarryKingNow-Identical-2014">{{cite web|last1=King|first1=Larry|title=Ray Liotta|url=http://www.ora.tv/larrykingnow/ray-liotta-0_16c9q31w9n8n|website=[[Larry King Now]]|publisher=[[Ora TV|Ora]]|access-date=September 6, 2014|date=September 3, 2014|archive-date=September 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906225936/http://www.ora.tv/larrykingnow/ray-liotta-0_16c9q31w9n8n|url-status=live}}</ref> He hired a private detective to locate his biological mother, named Ruth, in the 2000s, from whom he learned his family was of Scottish descent.<ref name="NJStarLedger-KillingSoftly-2012">{{cite news|last1=Whitty|first1=Stephen|title=Ray Liotta on 'Goodfellas,' mob movies, Jersey and more|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/11/ray_liotta_on_goodfellas_mob_m.html|access-date=September 12, 2014|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|date=November 25, 2012|archive-date=September 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912135432/http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/11/ray_liotta_on_goodfellas_mob_m.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="StarPulse-WENN-2006">{{cite web|title=Ray Liotta Is Glad He Met His Biological Mother|url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/10/06/ray_liotta_is_glad_he_met_his_biological|website=Star Pulse|access-date=September 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202922/http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/10/06/ray_liotta_is_glad_he_met_his_biological/|archive-date=October 29, 2013|date=October 6, 2006}}</ref>{{Contradictory inline|date=February 2025}} He had one biological sister, one biological half-brother also named Ray, and five biological half-sisters.<ref name="LarryKingNow-Identical-2014" /><ref name="HReporter-Identical-2014">{{cite news|last1=Evans|first1=Suzy|title=Ray Liotta Filmed 'The Identical' Because of His Own Adoption Experience|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ray-liotta-filmed-identical-because-730109|access-date=September 6, 2014|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=September 4, 2014|archive-date=September 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907020629/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ray-liotta-filmed-identical-because-730109|url-status=live}}</ref>

Liotta grew up in a [[Roman Catholic]] household in [[Union Township, Union County, New Jersey|Union, New Jersey]],<ref name="NJStarLedger-UnionHS-2012">{{cite news|last1=Kratch|first1=James|title=Football previews, 2012: Union|url=http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/football/index.ssf/2012/09/football_previews_2012_union.html|access-date=September 12, 2014|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|date=September 1, 2012|archive-date=September 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912141341/http://www.nj.com/hssports/blog/football/index.ssf/2012/09/football_previews_2012_union.html|url-status=live}}</ref> although his family was not especially religious.<ref name="ChristianPost-Identical-2014">{{cite news|last1=Nsenduluka|first1=Benge|title=Ray Liotta on 'The Identical', Being Adopted and Safety Concerns After Playing a Snitch in 'Goodfellas'|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/ray-liotta-on-the-identical-being-adopted-and-safety-concerns-after-playing-a-snitch-in-goodfellas-125615|access-date=September 12, 2014|work=Christian Post|date=August 29, 2014|archive-date=September 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912140812/http://www.christianpost.com/news/ray-liotta-on-the-identical-being-adopted-and-safety-concerns-after-playing-a-snitch-in-goodfellas-125615/|url-status=live}}</ref> They attended church and he received [[first communion]] and was [[Confirmation in the Catholic Church|confirmed]], but the family did not pray much. He occasionally used prayer in his daily life, telling an interviewer, "... if I'm in a fix, I'll pray ... if I'm feeling uncomfortable about something, I'll say "Our Fathers" and "Hail Marys" to this day."<ref name="ChristianPost-Identical-2014"/> In 1973, he graduated from [[Union High School (New Jersey)|Union High School]],<ref name="NJStarLedger-KillingSoftly-2012"/> and was later named to the Union High School Hall of Fame.<ref name="Brennan2022">{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Dick |title=Actor Ray Liotta, star of "Goodfellas" and more, dies at 67 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/actor-ray-liotta-dies-at-67/ |access-date=May 27, 2022 |work=www.cbsnews.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527054039/https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/actor-ray-liotta-dies-at-67/ |archive-date=May 27, 2022}}</ref>

Liotta attended the [[University of Miami]], where he studied acting and graduated with a [[Bachelor of Fine Arts]] in 1978.<ref name="MiamiHerald-Identical-2014">{{cite news|last1=Marr|first1=Madeleine|title=Ray Liotta dug deep to play a preacher in 'The Identical'|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/09/05/4328233/ray-liotta-dug-deep-to-play-a.html|access-date=September 6, 2014|work=[[Miami Herald]]|date=September 5, 2014|archive-date=September 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906223124/http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/09/05/4328233/ray-liotta-dug-deep-to-play-a.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He performed in plays and  musicals, including ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'', ''[[Dames at Sea]]'', ''[[Oklahoma (musical)|Oklahoma]]'', and ''[[The Sound of Music]]'', at the University of Miami's [[Jerry Herman Ring Theatre]].<ref name="HuffPo-Live-2014">{{cite web|last1=Camilleri|first1=Ricky|title=Ray Liotta LIVE|url=http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/ray-liotta-the-identical/53f20d3a02a76097e90005ab|website=[[Huffington Post]]|access-date=September 12, 2014|format=Video interview|date=September 4, 2014|archive-date=September 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912141120/http://live.huffingtonpost.com/r/segment/ray-liotta-the-identical/53f20d3a02a76097e90005ab|url-status=live}}</ref>