Billy Beck (born Frank Billerbeck; May 26, 1920 – June 29, 2011) was an American clown and character actor.
Life 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
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 Beck died in his Glendale home of natural causes on June 29, 2011, at age 91.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1957 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 Uncredited1964 The Patsy Band Member Uncredited1964 A House Is Not a Home Goggle-Eyed Man 1964 Kiss Me, Stupid Serious Waiter at Desert Sands Uncredited1966 Fireball 500 Jobber 1966 The Fortune Cookie Maury's Assistant 1967 Valley of the Dolls Man Sleeping in Movie Theatre Uncredited1974 Dirty O'Neil Craddock 1974 Airport 1975 Funeral Director - Passenger Uncredited1976 Nickelodeon Movie Fanatic 1977 First Love Cafeteria Proprietor Uncredited1978 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
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