Billy Beck

Biography

Billy Beck was an American clown and character actor who, after serving with the Allied Forces in France during World War II, returned to Paris in 1948 and began his show business career in French films. Born Frank Billerbeck in Philadelphia, he performed as a clown at the Cirque Medrano in Paris in the late 1950s and took small roles from the 1950s, among them the 1954 television series Sherlock Holmes. On television he played Coco the Clown in The Night Train Mystery and appeared as Rafe on Combat! in 1964 and Mr. Tonkins on Gunsmoke in 1966. He also appeared in Irma la Douce (1963), The Fortune Cookie (1966), The Patsy (1964), Nickelodeon (1976), House (1985), and The Blob (1988), as the title creature's first victim. He died in 2011.

91years old at death

Born May 26, 1920Philadelphia
Died June 29, 2011Glendale
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20

Movie Career

Films: 17
Career span: 29 years1976 to 2005

Genres

Comedy59%, 10 films
Drama35%, 6 films
Horror29%, 5 films
Crime18%, 3 films
Fantasy18%, 3 films

First and latest

Billy Beck movies on Netflix

Just Like Heaven2005IMDb rating 6.7as Mr. Clarke
Poodle Springs1998IMDb rating 6.0as Old Man in Jail
Leprechaun 21994IMDb rating 4.7as Homeless Man
Another You1991IMDb rating 5.3as Harry
Checking Out1988IMDb rating 4.8as Father Carmody
Memories of Me1988IMDb rating 5.7as Angry Man
Terrorist on Trial: The United States vs. Salim Ajami1988IMDb rating 6.5as Doorman
The Blob1988IMDb rating 6.7as The Can Man
Near Dark1987IMDb rating 6.9as Motel Manager
House1985IMDb rating 6.1as Priest
Moving Violations1985IMDb rating 5.8as Grandfather
Invitation to Hell1984IMDb rating 5.1as Mover
The Woman in Red1984IMDb rating 6.0as Bartender
Things Are Tough All Over1982IMDb rating 5.8as Pop, Manager Red Wagon Adult Motel
A Change of Seasons1980IMDb rating 5.2as Older Man
Stranger in Our House1978IMDb rating 5.5as Sheriff
From Noon Till Three1976IMDb rating 6.5as Mental Patient

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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House1985 Comedy, Fantasy, Horroras Priest
IMDb rating 6.133K votes
The Blob1988 Horror, Sci-Fi, Thrilleras The Can Man
IMDb rating 6.750K votes
The Woman in Red1984as Bartender
IMDb rating 6.020K votes
Just Like Heaven2005as Mr. Clarke
IMDb rating 6.7129K votes
Leprechaun 21994as Homeless Man
IMDb rating 4.714K votes
Things Are Tough All Over1982as Pop, Manager Red Wagon Adult Motel
IMDb rating 5.84.0K votes
Near Dark1987as Motel Manager
IMDb rating 6.950K votes
Another You1991as Harry
IMDb rating 5.34.8K votes

Worked with

Billy Beck shares two films with Gene Wilder, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Gene Wilder

John Steadman

Lance Henriksen

Brian Cox

Anthony Hopkins

Stephen Tobolowsky

Wes CravenDirector, 2 films

Films together

Gene Wilder2 films together, 1984 to 1991
Gene Wilder's page
- Another You1991IMDb rating 5.3Beck as HarryWilder as George / Abe Fielding
- The Woman in Red1984IMDb rating 6.0Beck as BartenderWilder as Teddy Pierce
John Steadman2 films together, 1978 to 1982
John Steadman's page
- Things Are Tough All Over1982IMDb rating 5.8Beck as Pop, Manager Red Wagon Adult MotelSteadman as Oldtimer
- Stranger in Our House1978IMDb rating 5.5Beck as SheriffSteadman as Vet
Lance Henriksen1 film together, 1987
Lance Henriksen's page
- Near Dark1987IMDb rating 6.9Beck as Motel ManagerHenriksen as Jesse Hooker
Brian Cox1 film together, 1998
Brian Cox's page
- Poodle Springs1998IMDb rating 6.0Beck as Old Man in JailCox as Clayton Blackstone
Anthony Hopkins1 film together, 1980
Anthony Hopkins's page
- A Change of Seasons1980IMDb rating 5.2Beck as Older ManHopkins as Adam Evans
Stephen Tobolowsky1 film together, 1988
Stephen Tobolowsky's page
- Checking Out1988IMDb rating 4.8Beck as Father CarmodyTobolowsky as Pharmacist
Wes CravenDirector, 2 films, 1978 to 1984
All films by Wes Craven
- Invitation to Hell1984IMDb rating 5.1Beck as Mover
- Stranger in Our House1978IMDb rating 5.5Beck as Sheriff

Box office

What Billy Beck's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$196 million

9 of the 17 films have a worldwide figure.

9Worldwide figure
3US gross only
4Never in cinemas
1Figure not found

Top grosser

Just Like Heaven2005Mr. Clarke$103 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Just Like Heaven2005as Mr. Clarke
$103M52.4% of the total
2
The Woman in Red1984as Bartender
$25M12.9% of the total
3
Things Are Tough All Over1982as Pop, Manager Red Wagon Adult Motel
$21M10.8% of the total
4
House1985as Priest
$19M9.9% of the total
5
Moving Violations1985as Grandfather
$11M5.4% of the total
6
The Blob1988as The Can Man
$8.2M4.2% of the total
7
Near Dark1987as Motel Manager
$3.4M1.7% of the total
8
Another You1991as Harry
$2.9M1.5% of the total