Ronald Jay Hargrave

Ronald Jay Hargrave passed peacefully into the Great Beyond on May 16th, 2023 at the age of 93 years old. 

He was born on November 8th, 1929 in Brooklyn, NY to vaudeville performers William “Bill” and Marjorie Hargrave, - just 10 days after the stock market crash that began the Great Depression. When he was 6 years old his family moved to California, where he would reside for the rest of his life. His childhood in Hollywood included acting in “The Little Rascals,” learning to play the ukulele, getting into shenanigans with his older brother Robert “Bob” Hargrave, and playing sports. Ron developed many passions in his youth including boxing, swimming, diving, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and surfing; but his greatest passion was always music. 

A born entertainer, Ron first became a stuntman and bit-part actor in his 20s, garnering over 30 film credits to his name. In 1953, he was drafted into the US Army, where he utilized his guitar playing and singing skills to entertain his fellow troops. During his time in the service he met and impressed Lou Costello, who would become his manager and land him a record deal with MGM. With MGM, he would go on to write a hit song called “High School Confidential” for Jerry Lee Lewis, which landed Ron a spot in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He later signed with Capitol Records under the stage name “Johnny Deerfield” and gained popularity in Japan for his song “Lonely Soldier Boy.” After touring in Japan, Ron returned to California and had a brief stint in comedy and acting again. 

Settling down from the entertainment industry, Ron met and married Miho Nagisa, a professional dancer and ink & paint artist. In 1965 he became a father to his only daughter, Donna Miyuki Hargrave. Although they ended up divorcing a short while later, he remained close to Miho until she passed away in 1981. For 28 years, he owned and operated a swimming pool repair business and continued to play music for fun on the weekends. Later in his life, he retired to Ventura, CA and became “Grandpa” to three beloved grandchildren: Brandon, Siana, and Gavin Harley. It was one of Ron’s greatest joys to watch them grow up and to share his love of music with his family. He picked up the ukulele again in his late 70s and got back into playing music, not only performing every chance he got but also writing and recording! He recorded and released his last studio album at the age of 88 years old. The album, entitled “The Best Things In Life,” is a collection of music he loved and the wisdom gathered throughout his lifetime that he wanted to become his legacy. 

Ron deeply cherished the wonderful friendships and connections he made throughout his life. His spirit of love, laughter, musicality, and tenacity remained through his final days. 

Please join his family in a joyful celebration of his life at his upcoming memorial services on May 30th and 31st. If you have photos or videos of memories with Ron that you would like to share for his memorial slideshow, please submit them here: https://forms.gle/i6DUwxMfXXfQNzyS7. 

Please join us for a reception after Ron’s memorial service, at 4:15pm at

Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant

1620 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo, CA 93010

There will be food, drinks, and opportunities to share memories, stories, and music. 

...Family in the care of Erin Arteaga, Funeral Director