Billy Gray (actor)

Summary

William Thomas Gray (born January 13, 1938)[1] is an American actor, competitive motorcycle racer and inventor, known for his role as Bud on the television series Father Knows Best (1954-1960).[2]

Billy Gray
Gray in 1977
Born
William Thomas Gray

(1938-01-13) January 13, 1938 (age 86)
Occupation(s)Actor, businessman
Years active1943–1980
Spouses
(m. 1967; div. 1969)
(m. 1977; div. 1981)
Websitewww.billygray.com

Personal life edit

Gray was born in Los Angeles, to William H. and Beatrice Gray. His mother was an actress, and both had appeared in Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (in separated scenes), a 1949 horror comedy.[3] He acted in more than 200 movies. He acted with stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Doris Day, Bob Hope, William Holden, Michael Rennie, Judith Anderson, Pat O'Brien and Barbara Stanwyck.[4] He did not attend school and was educated by teachers hired by the film studios, often having class in tents set up on studio lots.[5] He portrayed a young Jim Thorpe in Jim Thorpe – All-American and starred in the science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still. He portrayed Tagg "Bull's Eye" Oakley, younger brother of Annie Oakley in the pilot episode of Annie Oakley.[6] He starred in the television series Father Knows Best and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. His father died when he was 16, while he was working on the show.[7] He was cast as Plato in Rebel Without a Cause but because a delay in shooting interfered with his commitment to Father Knows Best he had to give up the role. He was arrested for marijuana possession in 1962 and served 45 days in jail, which effectively ended his acting career.[8] From 1970 to 1995 he was a Class A motorcycle speedway racer and race promoter.[9][10] He then turned to inventing and entrepreneurship, having invented the F-1 guitar pick. He is also a motorcycle collector and businessman.[11] Gray was married to and divorced from Helena Kallianiotes (1967–1969) and Donna Wilkes (1977–1981).[citation needed] As of July 2020, Gray lives in Topanga, California in the same house he bought in 1957 while working on Father Knows Best.[12]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1948 Fighting Father Dunne Chip
1950 Father Is a Bachelor Feb Chalotte
1950 Singing Guns Albert
1950 In a Lonely Place Boy seeking autograph Uncredited
1950 Mister 880 Mickey Uncredited
1951 Jim Thorpe – All-American Jim Thorpe (young)
1951 On Moonlight Bay Wesley Winfield
1951 The Day the Earth Stood Still Bobby Benson
1952 Talk About a Stranger Robert 'Bud' Fontaine Jr.
1953 All I Desire Ted Murdoch
1953 [[By the Light of the Silvery Moon Wesley Winfield
1953 The Girl Next Door Joe
1954 The Outlaw Stallion Danny Saunders
1955 The Seven Little Foys Bryan Lincoln Foy
1961 The Explosive Generation Bobby Herman Jr.
1966 The Navy vs. the Night Monsters CPO Fred Twining
1971 Dusty and Sweets McGee City Life
1971 Werewolves on Wheels Pill
1980 Porklips Now Dullard

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1950 The Gene Autry Show (TV series) Jimmy Foster Episode: "The Star Toter"
1953 Adventures of Superman Young Alan Harper Episode: "Shot in the Dark"
1954-1960 Father Knows Best James "Bud" Anderson Jr. 200 episodes
1957 The Thin Man Mike Edwards Episode: "Come Back Darling Asta"
1960 Stagecoach West 'Frankie Niles' Episode: "Dark Return"
1960 Peter Gunn 'Eric Thorwald' Episode: "S2 E34 The Semi-Private Eye"
1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Perry Hatch Season 7 Episode 1: “The Hat Box”
1965 Rawhide Lindsay McCullers Episode: "Moment in the Sun"
1977 The Father Knows Best Reunion James "Bud" Anderson Jr. Television film
1977 Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas James "Bud" Anderson Jr. Television film

References edit

  1. ^ Rose, Mike (January 13, 2023). "Today's famous birthdays list for January 13, 2023 includes celebrities Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Trace Adkins". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 13, 2023. Actor Billy Gray ("Father Knows Best") is 85
  2. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (17 February 2021). "'Father Knows Best' star Billy Gray reflects on child stardom, 1962 pot bust: 'I don't have time for regrets'". Fox News. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  3. ^ Edward Torchy Smith. "Billy Grey, better known as Bud from Father Knows Best" (Podcast). Baby Boomers Talk Radio. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  4. ^ "Billy Gray". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  5. ^ Tom Goldrup, Jim Goldrup (2015). Growing Up on the Set: Interviews with 39 Former Child Actors of Classic Film and Television. McFarland. pp. 101–102. ISBN 9781476613703.
  6. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 49.
  7. ^ Eskenazi, Gerald (15 May 1977). "Keeping Up With 'Father Knows Best'". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  8. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (17 February 2021). "'Father Knows Best' star Billy Gray reflects on child stardom, 1962 pot bust: 'I don't have time for regrets'". Fox News. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  9. ^ Eskenazi, Gerald (15 May 1977). "Keeping Up With 'Father Knows Best'". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  10. ^ Nolasco, Stephanie (17 February 2021). "'Father Knows Best' star Billy Gray reflects on child stardom, 1962 pot bust: 'I don't have time for regrets'". Fox News. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Ken Hall, "Billy Gray, Bud from Father Knows Best. Collects Racing Motorcycles"". go-star.com. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
  12. ^ Uhler, Steve (July 23, 2020). "My Visit With Bud From 'Father Knows Best'". nextavenue.org. Retrieved February 26, 2021.

Bibliography edit

  • Goldrup, Tom and Jim (2002). Growing Up on the Set: Interviews with 39 Former Child Actors of Film and Television. McFarland & Co. pp. 94–102. ISBN 1476613702.
  • Holmstrom, John (1996). The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia from 1895 to 1995. Norwich: Michael Russell, pp. 206–207.

External links edit