Billy Bevan

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

199

Gender

Male

Birthday

1887-09-29

Day of death

1957-11-26 (70 years old)

Place of Birth

Orange, New South Wales, Australia

Billy Bevan

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Billy Bevan (born William Bevan Harris, 29 September 1887 – 26 November 1957) was an Australian-born vaudevillian, who became an American film actor. He appeared in 254 American films between 1916 and 1950. Bevan was born in the country town of Orange, New South Wales, Australia. He went on the stage at an early age, traveled to Sydney and spent eight years in Australian light opera, performing as Willie Bevan. He sailed to America with the Pollard’s Lilliputian Opera Company in 1912 and later toured Canada. Bevan broke into films with the Sigmund Lubin studio in 1916. When the company disbanded, Bevan became a supporting actor in Mack Sennett movie comedies. An expressive pantomimist, Bevan's quiet scene-stealing attracted attention, and by 1922 Bevan was a Sennett star. He supplemented his income, however, by establishing a citrus and avocado farm at Escondido, California. Usually filmed wearing a derby hat and a drooping mustache, Bevan may not have possessed an indelible screen character like Charlie Chaplin but he had a friendly, funny presence in the frantic Sennett comedies. Much of the comedy depended on Bevan's skilled timing and reactions; the famous "oyster" routine performed on film by Curly Howard, Lou Costello, and Huntz Hall—in which a bowl of "fresh oyster stew" shows alarming signs of life and battles the guy trying to eat it—was originated on film decades earlier by Bevan in the short film Wandering Willies. By the mid-1920s Bevan was often teamed with Andy Clyde; Clyde soon graduated to his own starring series. The late 1920s found Bevan playing in wild marital farces for Sennett. The advent of talking pictures took their toll on the careers of many silent stars, including Billy Bevan. Bevan began a second career in "talkies" as a character actor and bit player in roles such as that of a bus driver in the 1929 film High Voltage, a hotel employee in the Mae Murray film Peacock Alley, and the supporting role of Second Lieutenant Trotter in Journey's End in 1930. His starring roles had come to an end, however, and for the next 20 years he often would play rowdy Cockneys (as in Pack Up Your Troubles with The Ritz Brothers), and affable Englishmen (as in Tin Pan Alley and Terror by Night). He played a friendly bus conductor opposite Greer Garson in one of the opening scenes of Mrs. Miniver. Bevan died in 1957 in Escondido, California, just before new audiences discovered him in Robert Youngson's silent-comedy compilations. (The Youngson films mispronounce his name as "Be-VAN"; Bevan himself offered the proper pronunciation in a Voice of Hollywood reel in 1930.)

Known For

  • The Ed Sullivan Show

    The Ed Sullivan Show

  • The Earl of Chicago

    The Earl of Chicago

  • The Cannon Ball Express

    The Cannon Ball Express

  • Let Freedom Ring

    Let Freedom Ring

  • Jane Eyre

    Jane Eyre

  • Butter Fingers

    Butter Fingers

  • Cured in the Excitement

    Cured in the Excitement

  • The Picture of Dorian Gray

    The Picture of Dorian Gray

  • A Tale of Two Cities

    A Tale of Two Cities

  • The Lion's Whiskers

    The Lion's Whiskers

  • The Silent Witness

    The Silent Witness

  • Devotion

    Devotion

  • Thundering Taxis

    Thundering Taxis

  • Terror by Night

    Terror by Night

  • High Voltage

    High Voltage

  • Are Married Policemen Safe?

    Are Married Policemen Safe?

  • Suspicion

    Suspicion

  • Mrs. Miniver

    Mrs. Miniver

  • Shining Victory

    Shining Victory

  • The Young in Heart

    The Young in Heart

  • Lizzies of the Field

    Lizzies of the Field

  • From Rags to Britches

    From Rags to Britches

  • Little Robinson Corkscrew

    Little Robinson Corkscrew

  • Song and Dance Man

    Song and Dance Man

  • Personal Property

    Personal Property

  • Riley the Cop

    Riley the Cop

  • Slave Ship

    Slave Ship

  • A Christmas Carol

    A Christmas Carol

  • Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back

    Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back

  • National Velvet

    National Velvet

  • The Sky Hawk

    The Sky Hawk

  • Shock

    Shock

  • Cavalcade

    Cavalcade

  • The Lodger

    The Lodger

  • Masked Mamas

    Masked Mamas

  • Hoboken to Hollywood

    Hoboken to Hollywood

  • Lloyd's of London

    Lloyd's of London

  • Rebecca

    Rebecca

  • Limehouse Blues

    Limehouse Blues

  • The Sheik Steps Out

    The Sheik Steps Out

  • The Long Voyage Home

    The Long Voyage Home

  • Wandering Waistlines

    Wandering Waistlines

  • Captain Fury

    Captain Fury

  • Rogues of Sherwood Forest

    Rogues of Sherwood Forest

  • Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies

    Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies

  • The Return of the Vampire

    The Return of the Vampire

  • The Invisible Man's Revenge

    The Invisible Man's Revenge

  • Journey's End

    Journey's End

  • Champagne Charlie

    Champagne Charlie

  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

  • Hans Christian Andersen

    Hans Christian Andersen

  • The Black Arrow

    The Black Arrow

  • For the Love o' Lil

    For the Love o' Lil

  • The White Sin

    The White Sin

  • The Bull Fighter

    The Bull Fighter

  • I Married a Witch

    I Married a Witch

  • The Iron Nag

    The Iron Nag

  • The Secret Garden

    The Secret Garden

  • Three Secrets

    Three Secrets

  • Happy Times and Jolly Moments

    Happy Times and Jolly Moments

  • Sky Devils

    Sky Devils

  • Counter-Espionage

    Counter-Espionage

  • Astray from the Steerage

    Astray from the Steerage

  • A Study in Scarlet

    A Study in Scarlet

  • Forever and a Day

    Forever and a Day

  • Trimmed in Gold

    Trimmed in Gold

  • Wall Street Blues

    Wall Street Blues

  • Born to Love

    Born to Love

  • Waterloo Bridge

    Waterloo Bridge

  • Three Foolish Weeks

    Three Foolish Weeks

  • Cluny Brown

    Cluny Brown

  • Me and My Gal

    Me and My Gal

  • Piccadilly Jim

    Piccadilly Jim

  • A Sea Dog's Tale

    A Sea Dog's Tale

  • The Man Who Wouldn't Die

    The Man Who Wouldn't Die

  • Private Number

    Private Number

  • Penny Serenade

    Penny Serenade

  • Pitfalls of a Big City

    Pitfalls of a Big City

  • Black Sheep

    Black Sheep

  • Musclebound Music

    Musclebound Music

  • Calling Hubby's Bluff

    Calling Hubby's Bluff

  • Bright Eyes

    Bright Eyes

  • Gold Digger of Weepah

    Gold Digger of Weepah

  • Dracula's Daughter

    Dracula's Daughter

  • Motorboat Mamas

    Motorboat Mamas

  • Over Thereabouts

    Over Thereabouts

  • Inbad the Sailor

    Inbad the Sailor

  • Tin Pan Alley

    Tin Pan Alley

  • 30 Years of Fun

    30 Years of Fun

  • Be Reasonable

    Be Reasonable

  • The Duck Hunter

    The Duck Hunter

  • The Swordsman

    The Swordsman

  • Arrest Bulldog Drummond

    Arrest Bulldog Drummond

  • God's Country and the Woman

    God's Country and the Woman

  • Confirm or Deny

    Confirm or Deny

  • Gymnasium Jim

    Gymnasium Jim

  • Payment Deferred

    Payment Deferred

  • The Pearl of Death

    The Pearl of Death

  • Shadows Over Shanghai

    Shadows Over Shanghai

  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

    Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

  • On Patrol

    On Patrol

  • Bringing Up Baby

    Bringing Up Baby

  • Vanity Fair

    Vanity Fair

  • Looking Forward

    Looking Forward

  • The Widow from Monte Carlo

    The Widow from Monte Carlo

  • The Best Man

    The Best Man

  • Tonight and Every Night

    Tonight and Every Night

  • Somebody's Widow

    Somebody's Widow

  • A Small Town Idol

    A Small Town Idol

  • Let's Live a Little

    Let's Live a Little

  • Too Much Harmony

    Too Much Harmony

  • The Girl of the Golden West

    The Girl of the Golden West

  • Transatlantic

    Transatlantic

  • Tell It to the Judge

    Tell It to the Judge

  • Alice in Wonderland

    Alice in Wonderland

  • The Wrong Road

    The Wrong Road

  • We Are Not Alone

    We Are Not Alone

  • Monte Carlo

    Monte Carlo

  • One Spooky Night

    One Spooky Night

  • The Quack Doctor

    The Quack Doctor

  • Scotch

    Scotch

  • The Beach Club

    The Beach Club

  • Mysterious Mr. Moto

    Mysterious Mr. Moto

  • Honeymoon Hardships

    Honeymoon Hardships

  • Vanessa: Her Love Story

    Vanessa: Her Love Story

  • The Golden Age of Comedy

    The Golden Age of Comedy

  • Moss Rose

    Moss Rose

  • Nip and Tuck

    Nip and Tuck

  • The Way to Love

    The Way to Love

  • The Girl from Nowhere

    The Girl from Nowhere

  • Chances

    Chances

  • Stingaree

    Stingaree

  • Caravan

    Caravan

  • London Blackout Murders

    London Blackout Murders

  • When Summer Comes

    When Summer Comes

  • One More River

    One More River

  • Giddap!

    Giddap!

  • Hubby’s Quiet Little Game

    Hubby’s Quiet Little Game

  • The Invisible Man Returns

    The Invisible Man Returns

  • The Secret Of St. Ives

    The Secret Of St. Ives

  • Honeymoon Beach

    Honeymoon Beach

  • Flirty Four-Flushers

    Flirty Four-Flushers

  • Whispering Whiskers

    Whispering Whiskers

  • The Trespasser

    The Trespasser

  • It Had to Be You

    It Had to Be You

  • One Cylinder Love

    One Cylinder Love

  • Galloping Bungalows

    Galloping Bungalows

  • Circus Today

    Circus Today

  • Luxury Liner

    Luxury Liner

  • Fight Night

    Fight Night

  • The Last Outpost

    The Last Outpost

  • The Lost Patrol

    The Lost Patrol

  • The Girl from Everywhere

    The Girl from Everywhere

  • Fortunes of Captain Blood

    Fortunes of Captain Blood

  • Distilled Love

    Distilled Love

  • Techno-Crazy

    Techno-Crazy

  • Don't Get Jealous

    Don't Get Jealous

  • Sneezing Beezers

    Sneezing Beezers

  • His New Stenographer

    His New Stenographer

  • Hubby's Weekend Trip

    Hubby's Weekend Trip

  • The Crossroads of New York

    The Crossroads of New York

  • Her Rustic Romeo

    Her Rustic Romeo

  • Temptation

    Temptation

  • This Above All

    This Above All

  • The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

    The Slappiest Days of Our Lives

  • Uncle Jake

    Uncle Jake

  • The Bicycle Flirt

    The Bicycle Flirt

  • His Unlucky Night

    His Unlucky Night

  • Peg o' My Heart

    Peg o' My Heart

  • The Hollywood Kid

    The Hollywood Kid

  • A Small Town Princess

    A Small Town Princess

  • The Golf Nut

    The Golf Nut

  • Weak But Willing

    Weak But Willing

  • The Extra Girl

    The Extra Girl

  • Easy Pickings

    Easy Pickings

  • Pack Up Your Troubles

    Pack Up Your Troubles

  • Mystery Woman

    Mystery Woman

  • Off His Trolley

    Off His Trolley

  • Blond Cheat

    Blond Cheat

  • Love and Doughnuts

    Love and Doughnuts

  • Wandering Willies

    Wandering Willies

  • Bombs and Bandits

    Bombs and Bandits

  • Another Dawn

    Another Dawn

  • Should Sleepwalkers Marry?

    Should Sleepwalkers Marry?

  • Pop's Pal

    Pop's Pal

  • The Big Squeal

    The Big Squeal

  • Ice Cold Cocos

    Ice Cold Cocos

  • East of the Water Plug

    East of the Water Plug

  • Peaches and Plumbers

    Peaches and Plumbers

  • Hayfoot, Strawfoot?

    Hayfoot, Strawfoot?

  • Peacock Alley

    Peacock Alley

  • Pirates of the Air

    Pirates of the Air

  • Cupid In Quarantine

    Cupid In Quarantine

  • Pink Pajamas

    Pink Pajamas

  • Who's Who in the Zoo

    Who's Who in the Zoo

  • Should Husbands Marry?

    Should Husbands Marry?

  • Around the Town: British Film Stars and Studios

    Around the Town: British Film Stars and Studios

  • She Whoops To Conquer

    She Whoops To Conquer

  • Gertie's Gasoline Glide

    Gertie's Gasoline Glide