# Billy Beck

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 | 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 | |