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Billy Beck

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Billy Beck
Publicity Photo of Billy Beck
Born
Frank Billerbeck

(1920-05-26)May 26, 1920
DiedJune 29, 2011(2011-06-29) (aged 91)
OccupationActor
Years active1954–2009

Billy Beck (born Frank Billerbeck; May 26, 1920 – June 29, 2011)[1] was an American clown and character actor.

Life

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Born Frank Billerbeck on May 26, 1920 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Billy did drawings of clowns as a kid. Beck fought in World War II with the Allied Forces in France during the 1940's and returned in 1948 to Paris, France.

Career

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After fighting with the Allied Forces in France during World War II, Beck returned to Europe in 1948 to Paris, France, where he began his show business career acting in French films.

Beck began his career as a clown at the legendary Cirque Medrano in Paris, France, in the late 1950s, and appeared in small roles beginning in the 1950s, Beck appeared in the 1954 made for television series Sherlock Holmes, starring Ronald Howard.

On TV he portrayed Coco the Clown in episode #24, "The Night Train Mystery", as well as appearing as Rafe in the third season of Combat! in the episode "The Town That Went Away " (1964) as Rafe and in S11E22's “The Wishbone” as Mr. Tonkins in the TV Western Gunsmoke (1966).

He also appeared in such films as Irma la Douce (1963), The Patsy (1964), The Fortune Cookie (1966), Nickelodeon (1976), House (1986), and the 1988 remake The Blob as the first victim of the title creature.

Death

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Beck died in his Glendale home of natural causes on June 29, 2011, at age 91.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1957 Comme un cheveu sur la soupe
1959 Two Men in Manhattan Le partenaire de Judith Nelson sur scène
1963 Irma la Douce Officer Dupont
1963 Combat Episode Episode-"No Trumpets, No Drums" Duboise
1963 Combat Episode Episode-"Ambush" French Priest
1964 Combat Episode Episode-"The Town That Went Away" Rafe
1964 The Best Man Party Guest Uncredited
1964 The Patsy Band Member Uncredited
1964 A House Is Not a Home Goggle-Eyed Man
1964 Kiss Me, Stupid Serious Waiter at Desert Sands Uncredited
1966 Fireball 500 Jobber
1966 The Fortune Cookie Maury's Assistant
1967 Valley of the Dolls Man Sleeping in Movie Theatre Uncredited
1974 Dirty O'Neil Craddock
1974 Airport 1975 Funeral Director - Passenger Uncredited
1976 Nickelodeon Movie Fanatic
1977 First Love Cafeteria Proprietor Uncredited
1978 Mean Dog Blues Deadman
1980 Diff'rent Strokes The guard Episode: "The Bank Job"
1980 The Black Marble Man at Cemetery
1980 A Change of Seasons Older Man
1980 Stir Crazy Flycatching Prisoner
1980 First Family French Delegate
1981 Buddy Buddy Gentleman
1982 Things Are Tough All Over Pop, Manager Red Wagon Adult Motel
1984 Bachelor Party Patient
1984 The Woman in Red Bartender
1984 Micki & Maude Finn
1985 Avenging Angel Tall Man
1985 Moving Violations Grandfather
1985 When Nature Calls (segment "Raging Bullshit")
1985 House Priest
1987 Near Dark Motel Manager
1987 Baby Boom Roofer
1988 The Blob Can Man
1989 Memories of Me Angry Man
1989 Checking Out Father Carmody
1991 Guilty as Charged Old Man
1991 The Killing Mind Digby
1991 Another You Harry
1991 The Dark Wind Motel Clerk
1992 Brain Donors Janitor
1993 Silent Tongue Petrified Man
1994 Leprechaun 2 Homeless Man
1999 Mystery Men Old Man
2005 Just like Heaven Mr. Clarke
2008 Uncross the Stars Old Man

References

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  1. ^ "Billy Beck dies at 91". Variety. Jul 7, 2011.[permanent dead link]
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