Raymond William Stacy Burr was born on May 21, 1917, in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. His father, William Johnston Burr, worked as a hardware salesman, while his mother, Minerva Annette, was a pianist and music teacher. When Raymond was six years old, his parents divorced, leading him to move with his mother and younger siblings, Geraldine and James, to Vallejo, California. His father remained in New Westminster.