Beau Billingslea

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**John "Beau" Billingslea** (born December 18, 1944) is an American actor and voice actor, known as the voice of Jet Black in the popular anime *Cowboy Bebop*, Ogremon in *Digimon* and Homura and Ay, the Fourth Raikage in *Naruto Shippuden*. In addition to voice acting, he appeared in many television shows and some films including *North and South Book II: Love and War*, *Just Jordan*, *The Hannah Montana Movie*, and *Star Trek: Into Darkness*.

## Biography

### Early life and career

Billingslea was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father was from Macon, Georgia and his mother was from Malensis, South Carolina near Charleston. His family moved to Meriden, Connecticut, where he grew up. At Maloney High School, he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball, and was offered a contract with the Kansas City Athletics, but at the advice of his father, went to University of Connecticut, where he played football and co-captained in his senior year. He graduated with a Bachelor's in Political Science in 1966. He was involved in ROTC and had to turn down entering the NFL in order to fulfill his military service, however, his commitment was deferred so that he could attend UConn Law School, where he graduated and passed the Connecticut bar in 1969. He became an officer in the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps, and had tours in Germany and Europe, working on a number of cases. In Germany, he also taught criminal law for the University of Maryland's extension program.

### Acting career

While in college, Billingslea was encouraged by his fraternity brother to perform the lead role in a production of *The Emperor Jones*. This inspired him to go into acting, and he started getting involved professionally while he was in law school. After moving to Los Angeles, he was involved in a number of action shows, including *TJ Hooker*, *Hunter*, *The Fall Guy*, and *The A-Team*. Billingslea mentioned in an interview that it was probably because of his military background that he was often cast as an officer. He portrayed Ezra in the TV miniseries *North and South*, and was involved in a number of shows including *Who's the Boss?*, *Murphy Brown*, and *Married... with Children*. On the Nick series *Just Jordan* he played Jordan's maternal grandfather Grant. In the TV sitcom *Franklin & Bash* he portrayed Judge Douglas. He also acted in films such as *Night Shift*, *The American President*, *Hannah Montana: The Movie*, *Halloween H2O*, and a remake of *The Blob*. In 2013, he portrayed Captain Abbot of the Starship *Bradbury* in the feature film *Star Trek: Into Darkness*. He continues to act in stage plays such as *Driving Miss Daisy* where he was nominated for a Los Angeles Ovation Award in 2005.

### Voice-over career

Billingslea's voice-over work started with radio spots for various businesses and organizations, including Honda, Hood, and California Highway Patrol. He worked on several cartoons and anime, his most notable being Jet Black in *Cowboy Bebop*, which was broadcast on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block. He also voiced starring characters Captain Michael Heartland in *Argento Soma*; Oji Tanaka in *The Legend of Black Heaven*, which was broadcast on International Channel; and was the voice of Ogremon and various "mons" in *Digimon*. In *Naruto*, he voices Homura and Ay, the Fourth Raikage. He attended several anime conventions, including the 2016 Anime Expo, which united the *Cowboy Bebop* English voice cast. He has also been involved in narrating shows on The History Channel including *Hero Ships*, *Modern Marvels*, and *Suicide Missions*.

## Personal life

Billingslea lives in the Los Angeles area. He is married to Cecelia Billingslea; they have a son and a daughter together. In 1987, Billingslea was inducted into the Meriden Hall of Fame. In 2014, he gave the keynote address at a UConn Law School reunion.

## Filmography

### Voice-over filmography

#### Feature films

List of voice performances in feature films

#### Video games

List of voice performances in video games

## References

### Citations

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 "Beau Billingslea biography". *UConn Law School Reunion*. https://www.law.uconn.edu/sites/default/files/content-page/Beau%20Billingslea%20Law%20School%20Reunion%20Bio.pdf. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Inductees". *meridenhalloffame.org*. http://www.meridenhalloffame.org/Inductees/Year.asp?InductionYear=1987. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 "Beau Billingslea Interview at DVD Vision Japan". *DVD Vision*. October 11, 2004. Archived from the original on October 11, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041011083337/http://www.dvdvisionjapan.com/beau.html. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
4. ↑ "UConn Football Captains Named" (February 9, 1965), p. 21. Retrieved on September 7, 2016.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Voice Actor and Film Star, Beau Billingslea, "elated to join the Star Trek family" - Voice Over Times - Voice Over Times". *voiceovertimes.com*. http://www.voiceovertimes.com/2013/05/21/beau-billingslea-elated-to-join-the-star-trek-family/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lee, Felicia R. (January 5, 2007). "Travails of Adolescence? He's Been There". *The New York Times*. https://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured\_articles/20070105friday.html. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
7. ↑ "Los Angeles Ovation Awards Presented at Nov. 14 Ceremony; Ann Magnuson Hosts - Playbill". http://www.playbill.com/article/los-angeles-ovation-awards-presented-at-nov-14-ceremony-ann-magnuson-hosts-com-129178. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
8. ↑ LLC, DesignFluxx (June 10, 2016). "Introducing The Cowboy Bebop Jazz Cat Experience! - Anime Expo®". *anime-expo.org*. http://www.anime-expo.org/introducing-cowboy-bebop-jazz-cat-experience/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 "Dragoncon". *dragoncon.org*. http://www.dragoncon.org/?q=featured\_details\_page/3726. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Actor Beau Billingslea '69 Delivers the Keynote Address During Reunion 2014 - UConn School of Law". *uconn.edu*. https://www.law.uconn.edu/about/press-room/actor-beau-billingslea-69-delivers-keynote-address-during-reunion-2014. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
11. ↑ "Hunter: The Hot Grounder (1984) - Bill Duke - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/hunter-the-hot-grounder-v419467/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
12. ↑ "Hunter: The Shooter (1985) - Michael Lange - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/hunter-the-shooter-v419473/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
13. ↑ "Hunter: Flashpoint (1987) - Michael Preece - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/hunter-flashpoint-v424302/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
14. ↑ EVERETT, TODD (May 14, 1992). "THEATER REVIEWS : 'DRIVING MISS DAISY' : Awake at the Wheel : The Santa Susana Repertory Company offers a fine production in the former Simi Valley Courthouse.". http://articles.latimes.com/1992-05-14/news/vl-2959\_1\_miss-daisy. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
15. ↑ "The Atlanta Child Murders (1985) - John Erman - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-atlanta-child-murders-v123787/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Template:Harvnb
17. ↑ "The A-Team: Incident at Crystal Lake (1985) - Tony Mordente - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-a-team-incident-at-crystal-lake-v356027/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
18. ↑ "The A-Team: Family Reunion (1986) - James Darren - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-a-team-family-reunion-v358384/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
19. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
20. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
21. ↑ "MacGyver". *tvguide.com*. http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/macgyver/episode-12-season-2/family-matter/194506/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
22. ↑ "Murder, She Wrote: Three Strikes, You're Out (1989) - Seymour Robbie - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/murder-she-wrote-three-strikes-youre-out-v351827/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
23. ↑ "Line of Fire: The Morris Dees Story (1991) - John Korty - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/line-of-fire-the-morris-dees-story-v127042/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
24. ↑ "NYPD Blue: Oscar, Meyer, Weiner (1993) - Brad Silberling - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/nypd-blue-oscar-meyer-weiner-v282626/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
25. ↑ "Married...With Children". *tvguide.com*. http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/marriedwith-children/episode-5-season-8/banking-on-marcy/100284/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
26. ↑ Template:Harvnb
27. ↑ Carl, Andreas. "Bundyology - Episode "A Bundy Thanksgiving"". *bundyology.com*. http://www.bundyology.com/hpg/1111.html. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
28. ↑ "Murphy Brown: Hero Today, Gone Tomorrow (1997) - Peter Bonerz - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/murphy-brown-hero-today-gone-tomorrow-v355099/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
29. ↑ "Mad About You: The Birth, Part 2 (1997) - Gordon Hunt - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/mad-about-you-the-birth-part-2-v281181/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
30. ↑ Template:Harvnb
31. ↑ Template:Harvnb
32. ↑ "NYPD Blue: Hit the Road, Clark (2001) - Jake Paltrow - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/nypd-blue-hit-the-road-clark-v286116/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
33. ↑ Template:Harvnb
34. ↑ Template:Harvnb
35. ↑ Template:Harvnb
36. ↑ Template:Cite book
37. ↑ Template:Harvnb
38. ↑ "History Channel: Hero Ships". April 29, 2008. https://www.amazon.com/History-Channel-Ships-Beau-Billingslea/dp/B001H29FBU. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
39. ↑ Template:Harvnb
40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 40.5 40.6 40.7 Iacovino, Kayla (April 8, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: Into Darkness Actor Beau Billingslea Co-Starring in Star Trek Continues Episode VII "Embracing the Winds"". *trekmovie.com*. http://trekmovie.com/2016/04/08/exclusive-into-darkness-actor-beau-billingslea-co-starring-in-star-trek-continues-episode-vii-embracing-the-winds/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
41. ↑ Template:Cite book
42. ↑ "Night Shift (1982) - Ron Howard - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/night-shift-v35246/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
43. ↑ "10 to Midnight (1983) - J. Lee Thompson - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/10-to-midnight-v49039/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
44. ↑ "Real Genius (1985) - Martha Coolidge - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/real-genius-v40548/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
45. ↑ "The Blob (1988) - Chuck Russell - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-blob-v6069/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
46. ↑ "In the Army Now (1994) - Daniel Petrie, Jr.,Cyrus Yavneh - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/in-the-army-now-v133726/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
47. ↑ "The American President (1995) - Rob Reiner - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-american-president-v135601/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
48. ↑ "Final Justice". http://www.tvguide.com/movies/final-justice/review/131973/. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
49. ↑ Template:Cite book
50. ↑ "Rebound (2005) - Steve Carr - Cast and Crew - AllMovie". *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/rebound-v290096/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
51. ↑ "Hannah Montana: The Movie". *popmatters.com*. http://www.popmatters.com/review/72910-hannah-montana-the-movie/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
52. ↑ Clifford, Jane (April 17, 2009). "Movie Review: 'Hannah Montana, The Movie' - Miley delivers feel-good message". *Bend Weekly News*. Endeavours. http://www.bendweekly.com/news/17549.html. "To complicate matters, there's a tabloid reporter, ably played by Peter Gunn, who follows Miley to Tennessee, trying to figure out her secret. And there are comedic turns by Barry Bostwick as the bad guy who wants to change the town by adding a mall, and the mayor, played by Beau Billingslea, who wants things to stay the same."
53. ↑ "Beau Billingslea - IMDB". https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0082507/.
54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 54.4 54.5 54.6 54.7 "Beau Billingslea". *Behind The Voice Actors*. http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Beau-Billingslea/. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
55. ↑ Aficionados Chris (December 15, 2014). "Aficionados Internet Radio - Beau Billingslea (Voice of Jet Black)". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8JlIfi6H1c. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
56. ↑ "Review: "Cowboy Bebop" Blu-ray Yields Big Bang for Your Buck - ToonZone News". *toonzone.net*. http://www.toonzone.net/review-cowboy-bebop-bang-buck/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
57. ↑ "Anime Expo Hosts Studio Trigger's Sushio, Mai Yoneyama". *animenewsnetwork.com*. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-06-26/anime-expo-hosts-studio-trigger-sushio-mai-yoneyama/.103636. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
58. ↑ "Legend of Black Heaven - Space Trucking". December 26, 2000. https://www.amazon.com/Legend-Black-Heaven-Space-Trucking/dp/B00005094L. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
59. ↑ Template:Cite episode
60. ↑ "Rave Master [Anime Series (2001) - - Cast and Crew - AllMovie"]. *allmovie.com*. http://www.allmovie.com/movie/rave-master-anime-series-v325854/cast-crew. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
61. ↑ Template:Harvnb
62. ↑ "Gungrave: Fully Loaded Collector's Set". December 26, 2005. https://www.amazon.com/Gungrave-Fully-Loaded-Collectors-Set/dp/B000CC1TK6. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
63. ↑ "Beau Billingslea on Facebook". Beau Billingslea. March 25, 2019. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story\_fbid=10156891448242180&id=93646027179&comment\_id=10157043180777180&notif\_id=1553547815781148&notif\_t=comment\_mention. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
64. ↑ "Beau BILLINGSLEA - Anime News Network". https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=4331.
65. ↑ "Tiger & Bunny English Dub Main Cast List". Facebook. August 15, 2012. https://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny/posts/276214479158152. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
66. ↑ Template:Cite episode
67. ↑ "Meet the English Dub cast for Re:Zero!". https://www.funimation.com/blog/2018/03/06/meet-english-dub-cast-rezero/. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
68. ↑ Last Hope (TV series)#Characters)
69. ↑ "'Stakes' The 'Adventure Time' Spin-Off New Updates On Eight-Part Series". *movienewsguide.com*. October 27, 2015. http://www.movienewsguide.com/stakes-adventure-time-spin-off-new-updates-eight-part-series/111859. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
70. ↑ "'Adventure Time' Marceline Gets Eight-Part Special". *animationmagazine.net*. October 26, 2015. http://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/adventure-time-marceline-gets-eight-part-special/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
71. ↑ https://www.bubbleblabber.com/review-toonami-the-forge-episode-2/
72. ↑ "Cowboy Bebop: The Movie English Cast Announced". *animenewsnetwork.com*. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2002-07-16/cowboy-bebop-the-movie-english-cast-announced. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
73. ↑ Solomon, Charles (April 4, 2003). "A space cowboy who doesn't pull his punches". http://articles.latimes.com/2003/apr/04/entertainment/et-solomon4. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
74. ↑ "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Dub Cast". *animenewsnetwork.com*. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2006-02-13/final-fantasy-vii-advent-children-dub-cast. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
75. ↑ "Tiger & Bunny The Movie: The Rising 'New Driver' English Dub Clip Streamed". February 22, 2015. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-02-22/tiger-and-bunny-the-movie-the-rising-new-driver-english-dub-clip-streamed/.85283. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
76. ↑ "2015 BTVA Anime Dub Awards". *behindthevoiceactors.com*. http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/btva-anime-awards/2015/movies/. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
77. ↑ "War Of The Worlds : Goliath". *wotw-goliath.com*. http://www.wotw-goliath.com. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
78. ↑ Harvey, Dennis (March 7, 2014). "Film Review: 'War of the Worlds: Goliath'". *variety.com*. https://variety.com/2014/film/global/film-review-war-of-the-worlds-goliath-1201127522/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
79. ↑ Tripod Entertainment (March 7, 2014). "Hello from Beau Billingslea (War of the Worlds: Goliath)". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS-2ZaEVSxA. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
80. ↑ LLC, DesignFluxx (June 24, 2016). "Cowboy Bebop English Voice Cast coming to AX 2016!". *Anime Expo*. http://www.anime-expo.org/voice-actor-guests-cowboy-bebop-jazz-cat-experience-announced/. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
81. ↑ Template:Cite video game

### Book sources

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## External links

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* Beau Billingslea at Crystal Acids Voice Actor Database
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