Billy Bevan
Acting
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
Acting202
movie30 Years of Fun
1963
(archive footage)
movieThe Golden Age of Comedy
1957
archive footage
movieHans Christian Andersen
1952
Town Councilman (uncredited)
movieThe Slappiest Days of Our Lives
1951
(archive footage)
movieThree Secrets
1950
Ed Jackson (uncredited)
movieRogues of Sherwood Forest
1950
Will Scarlet
movieFortunes of Captain Blood
1950
Billy Bragg
movieTell It to the Judge
1949
Winston, Kitty's Butler (uncredited)
The Secret Of St. Ives
1949
Douglas (uncredited)
movieThe Black Arrow
1948
Dungeon Keeper
movieThe Swordsman
1948
Old Andrew
movieMoss Rose
1947
Harry, Cab Driver (uncredited)
movieCluny Brown
1946
Uncle Arn Porritt
movieDevotion
1946
Mr. Ames (uncredited)
movieTerror by Night
1946
Conductor Taking Tickets
movieThe Picture of Dorian Gray
1945
Malvolio Jones
movieNational Velvet
1945
Constable (uncredited)
movieTonight and Every Night
1945
Cabbie (uncredited)
movieThe Pearl of Death
1944
Constable With Food Tray (uncredited)
movieThe Invisible Man's Revenge
1944
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
movieJane Eyre
1943
Bookie (uncredited)
movieThe Return of the Vampire
1943
Horace (uncredited)
movieForever and a Day
1943
Wartime Cabby
movieLondon Blackout Murders
1943
Air Raid Warden
movieHappy Times and Jolly Moments
1943
(archive footage)
movieI Married a Witch
1942
Puritan Vendor (uncredited)
movieCounter-Espionage
1942
George Barrow
movieMrs. Miniver
1942
Bus Conductor (uncredited)
movieThis Above All
1942
Farmer
movieConfirm or Deny
1941
Mr. Bindle
movieSuspicion
1941
Ticket Taker (uncredited)
movieDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1941
Mr. Weller
movieShining Victory
1941
Chivers
moviePenny Serenade
1941
McDougal (uncredited)
movieTin Pan Alley
1940
Stage Doorman
movieRebecca
1940
Policeman (uncredited)
movieThe Invisible Man Returns
1940
Jim (uncredited)
movieThe Earl of Chicago
1940
Castle Guide
movieWe Are Not Alone
1939
Mr. Jones
moviePack Up Your Troubles
1939
British Sergeant
movieLet Freedom Ring
1939
Cockney (uncredited)
movieA Christmas Carol
1938
Street Watch Leader
movieArrest Bulldog Drummond
1938
Aquarium Guard
movieShadows Over Shanghai
1938
Gallicuddy
movieMysterious Mr. Moto
1938
Customs Official
movieThe Young in Heart
1938
Kennel Man (uncredited)
movieBlond Cheat
1938
Bartender (uncredited)
movieBringing Up Baby
1938
Joe (uncredited)
movieThe Wrong Road
1937
McLean
movieAnother Dawn
1937
Pvt. Hawkins
movieSlave Ship
1937
Atkins
moviePersonal Property
1937
Frank (uncredited)
movieLloyd's of London
1936
Innkeeper
moviePiccadilly Jim
1936
Taxi Driver
moviePrivate Number
1936
Frederick
movieChampagne Charlie
1936
Mr. Boswick
movieMr. Deeds Goes to Town
1936
Cabby (uncredited)
movieA Tale of Two Cities
1935
Jerry Cruncher
movieThe Widow from Monte Carlo
1935
Officer Watkins
movieThe Last Outpost
1935
Private Foster
movieBlack Sheep
1935
Alfred
movieVanessa: Her Love Story
1935
Horse Auctioneer
movieMystery Woman
1935
Jepson
movieCaravan
1934
Police Sergeant
movieBulldog Drummond Strikes Back
1934
Man in Hotel Room
movieOne More River
1934
Cloakroom Attendant
movieShock
1934
Meadows
Pop's Pal
1933
Grandpa
movieAlice in Wonderland
1933
Two of Spades (uncredited)
movieThe Way to Love
1933
M. Prial
movieToo Much Harmony
1933
Stage Director
The Big Squeal
1933
Jake Burke
Thundering Taxis
1933
One of the Taxi Boys
moviePeg o' My Heart
1933
Detective #2 (uncredited)
movieA Study in Scarlet
1933
Will Swallow
movieUncle Jake
1933
Uncle Jake
movieLooking Forward
1933
Mr. Barker
Techno-Crazy
1933
Mary's Father - the Mayor
movieCavalcade
1933
George Grainger
movieLuxury Liner
1933
Schultz
movieMe and My Gal
1932
Ashley, Arguing Drunk (uncredited)
moviePayment Deferred
1932
Charlie Hammond
Honeymoon Beach
1932
Billy Bevan
The Spot on the Rug
1932
Gerald J. Fitzgerald
movieVanity Fair
1932
Joseph Sedley
movieSky Devils
1932
Colonel
movieThe Silent Witness
1932
Horace Ward
movieWaterloo Bridge
1931
Soldier on the Make (uncredited)
movieTransatlantic
1931
Hodgkins
movieChances
1931
Cuthbert (uncredited)
movieBorn to Love
1931
Departing British Soldier (uncredited)
movieFor the Love o' Lil
1930
Edward O. Walker
movieMonte Carlo
1930
Train Conductor (uncredited)
movieJourney's End
1930
Trotter
movieScotch
1930
Gilbert - Addie's Brother
moviePeacock Alley
1930
Walter
movieWeak But Willing
1929
George Downing
movieThe Trespasser
1929
Reporter (uncredited)
movieHigh Voltage
1929
Gus Jones
Don't Get Jealous
1929
Billy Blake
moviePink Pajamas
1929
Billy Brooks
movieCalling Hubby's Bluff
1929
Billy Barton
movieThe Sky Hawk
1929
Tom Berry
movieHis New Stenographer
1928
Billy Brooks
movieRiley the Cop
1928
Paris Cabman
movieMotorboat Mamas
1928
Billy Bender
movieHis Unlucky Night
1928
Billy Trotter
movieThe Girl from Nowhere
1928
Constable Billy Barnes
movieThe Bicycle Flirt
1928
Doty Bassett - the Bicycle Flirt
movieThe Best Man
1928
Best Man
movieThe Girl from Everywhere
1927
Messenger
The Bull Fighter
1927
Pete De Tour
movieGold Digger of Weepah
1927
The Barber
movieThe Golf Nut
1927
Billy Divott
movieCured in the Excitement
1927
Professor Brawn
moviePeaches and Plumbers
1927
Bill the Plumber
Easy Pickings
1927
The Detective
movieFlirty Four-Flushers
1926
Jerry Connors / Archibald De Shyster
Masked Mamas
1926
Casey McCorkle
movieHoboken to Hollywood
1926
Billy Judkins
movieHubby’s Quiet Little Game
1926
Billy Foote
movieA Sea Dog's Tale
1926
Wilbur Watts
movieIce Cold Cocos
1926
Gus Gander
movieMusclebound Music
1926
Billy Hornby
movieFight Night
1926
Walter Moore
movieWandering Willies
1926
Percy Nudge
movieCircus Today
1926
Gus Barnum
Trimmed in Gold
1926
Otto Stropp
movieWhispering Whiskers
1926
The Drifter
movieFrom Rags to Britches
1925
Joe Bush
movieOver Thereabouts
1925
Joe Dobell
movieThe Iron Nag
1925
Joe Gobb
movieSneezing Beezers
1925
Joe Honck - Taxi Driver
movieSuper-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies
1925
Hiram Case
movieThe Lion's Whiskers
1925
Otto Klutch
Giddap!
1925
Gaspard De Brie
movieOff His Trolley
1924
The Traffic Cop
The Cannon Ball Express
1924
Adam Fargo - Baggage Master
movieGalloping Bungalows
1924
John Syrup Soother
movieWandering Waistlines
1924
Sandy Hook - Sailor
movieLittle Robinson Corkscrew
1924
The Sheriff
movieThree Foolish Weeks
1924
King of Anchovia
movieLizzies of the Field
1924
Bud Gasket
movieEast of the Water Plug
1924
The Sheriff
movieWall Street Blues
1924
The Janitor
movieThe Hollywood Kid
1924
Studio Organist
movieThe White Sin
1924
Travers Dale
movieOne Spooky Night
1924
A.J. Bird Jr.
Inbad the Sailor
1923
Jake aka Inbad the Sailor
One Cylinder Love
1923
The Bachelor's Butler / Chauffeur / Footman
movieThe Extra Girl
1923
Comedian
moviePitfalls of a Big City
1923
Barfly (uncredited)
movieNip and Tuck
1923
Sailor
movieWhen Summer Comes
1922
Lyons - the Tenderfoot
movieThe Crossroads of New York
1922
Press Agent
movieOn Patrol
1922
The Amateur Cop
movieThe Duck Hunter
1922
The Sportsman
movieBright Eyes
1921
The Nosey Butler
movieBe Reasonable
1921
A Rolling Stone
movieAstray from the Steerage
1921
A steerage passenger
movieA Small Town Idol
1921
Director
movieLove, Honor and Behave
1920
A Fake Lawyer
movieThe Quack Doctor
1920
The Hired Lady's Sweetheart
movieMarried Life
1920
Hospital Staff / Janitor (uncredited)
movieCupid In Quarantine
1918
The Father
movieSomebody's Widow
1918
Secretary
movieBombs and Bandits
1917
The Chief of Police
moviePirates of the Air
1916
The Bartender
movieGertie's Gasoline Glide
1916
The Minister
Directing1
movieThe Quack Doctor
1920
Director