Richard Beckinsale (1947 - 1979)

British actor, most noted for his comic roles. RADA trained, Beckinsale appeared in classic comedies such as “Rising Damp,” “Porridge,” and “Lovers.” He died of a heart attack in the middle of making the film “Bloomers.” His two daughters Kate (Pearl Harbour) and Samantha both followed their father into the acting profession. (bio by: Kieran […]

Terry Becker (1921 - 2014)

American Actor, Director and Producer. Born Solomon Becker, he was best known for his role as Chief Francis Ethelbert Sharkey in the television series, ‘Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’, for three seasons. He made his first TV appearance in 1952’s ‘Danger’ and had roles in ‘Perry Mason’, ‘Bonanza’, ‘Rawhide’, ‘The Asphalt Jungle’, ‘Gunsmoke’, […]

Thomas Beck (1909 - 1995)

Actor. His first professional work began as a stage performer in a stock company and later as a Broadway head liner. In the 1930s, his work interested film executives and he went to Hollywood where he appeared in 28 films in his career. His most memorable roles were in the films “Charlie Chan in Paris” […]

Julian Beck (1925 - 1985)

Actor, Motion Picture Producer, Director. Known for his experimental and improvisatory approach. He was co-founder, with wife Judith Malina, of the influential “Living Theater”(1972). He was best known for his role in “Poltergeist II” as the evil Reverend Henry Kane. (bio by: Tomas)

James Beck (1929 - 1973)

British actor. Famed for his role as “Private Walker” in the legendary BBC comedy series “Dad’s Army”. Beck also appeared in “Love Thy Neighbour” and “Romany Jones”. A potentially highly rewarding career for Beck was sadly cut short in 1973 following a burst pancreas which caused his premature death. (bio by: Kieran Smith)

Jackson Beck (1912 - 2004)

Voice Actor, Narrator. A native of New York, New York, he is best remembered for his role as the voice of ‘Bluto’ or ‘Brutus’ in the early “Popeye” cartoon shorts from 1944 to 1956, and the animated television series of the same name from 1956 to 1963. Beck also did the voice of ‘Perry White’ […]

John C. Becher (1915 - 1986)

Actor. He was a veteran stage, film, and television actor whose career spanned 40 years. After graduating from high school, he attended Milwaukee State Teachers College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, graduating in 1938 with a Bachelor of Science Degree, followed by the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago, Illinois, graduating in 1941 with a Bachelor of […]

Richard Bebb (1927 - 2006)

British Actor.  A prolific performer in British theater, television, and radio, his career spanned five decades.  He is probably best remembered for his many roles in the “BBC Sunday-Night Theatre” television series that aired from 1950 to 1952, as well as the ‘Second Voice’ in the original 1954 BBC Radio broadcast of Dylan Thomas’s “Under […]

George Beban, Jr (1914 - 1977)

Actor. Son of Actor George Beban Sr., he appeared in “Hearts of Men,” (1919) as ‘Beppo Rosetti’ “The Fabulous Texan,” as ‘Dick Clayton’ (1947) “Duke of Chicago” as ‘Speedy’ (1949) and as ‘Bell Captain’ in Bad Boy. (Aka The Story of Danny Lester) (1949). (bio by: MC)

Maurice Beaupre (1907 - 1984)

French-Canadian actor. Beaupre appeared in film and television roles including, “A cause de mon oncle” (1977), “Le Grand Voyage” (1974), “The True Nature Of Bernadette” (1972), “Rope Around The Neck” (1965), “The Luck Of Ginger Coffey” (1964), “Rue de L’anse” (1963), “L’Heritage” (1959), “Le Maitre du Perou” (1958), “Les Belles histoires des Pays-d’en-Haut” (1956) and […]

Hugh Beaumont (1909 - 1982)

John A. Beattie (1926 - 1997)

Actor. American stage and motion picture figure. Veteran Air Force pilot. (bio by: A.J. Marik)

Aubrey Beattie (1970 - 1970)

Stage and Screen Actor. His silent films include “Motherhood” (1917), “Hedda Gabler” (1917) and “Life’s Greatest Problem” (1918). His performances on stage included “The Ninety and Nine” (1902), “Another Man’s Shoes”(1918), and “She Got What She Wanted” (1929).  (bio by: Ginny M)  Family links:  Spouse:  Zaida A. Wright Beattie (1872 – 1937)* *Calculated relationship

Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Jr (1925 - 1981)

Actor. A popular member of “The Little Rascals”, he played ‘Stymie’ in 36 “Our Gang” shorts from 1930 to 1935. One of 14 children born to a Los Angeles, California minister, in the summer of 1930 his parents brought him to an open call at Hal Roach Studios, where they were on a talent search […]

Bobby Beard (1930 - 1999)

Actor. Beard played the role of ‘Cotton’ in several of “The Little Rascal” comedies from 1932 to 1934. Some of the comedies include, “Birthday Blues” (1932), “A Lad An’ A Lamp” (1932), “Fish Hooky” (1933), “Forgotten Babies” (1933), and “Hi’-Neighbor!” (1934). Beard was the brother of fellow Our Gang members, Matthew “Stymie” Beard, Betty Jane […]

Royal Beal (1899 - 1969)

Actor. Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, he was best remembered for his role as Brigadier General Gordon on the TV series, “The Phil Silvers Show”. His other television credits include “Goodyear Television Playhouse”, “Kraft Television Theatre”, “The Philco Television Playhouse”, “Route 66” and “I Spy”. For feature films, he appeared in “Boomerang!” (1947), “Lost Boundaries” (1949), […]

Frank Beal (1862 - 1934)

Actor and Screenwriter. Beal appeared in 38 films, directed 29 and wrote screenplays for 4. Married to actresses Louise Lester and Mary Egan. (bio by: TLS)  Family links:  Parents:  Elisha Franklin Beal (1826 – 1880)  Mary Howe Rathbun Beal (1829 – 1887)  Spouses:  Louise Lester Kammerer Beal (1867 – 1952)*  Mary Egan Beal (1878 – […]

Gustl Bayrhammer (1922 - 1993)

Actor. Known as ‘Meister Eder’ from television series “Pumuckl.” Cause of death: Heart attack

Peter Baylis (1922 - 2002)

Motion Picture Producer. Produced films including “The Peaceful Years” (1948), starring Emlyn Williams) and “The Finest Hours” (1964), starring Patrick Wymark and Orson Welles. (bio by: David Conway)

Warner Baxter (1889 - 1951)

Actor. He is best remembered for his role of the Cisco Kid in the early talking movie “In Old Arizona,” (1929) which won him an Oscar for Best Actor that same year. It was his only Oscar. He reprised the role twice, for the films “The Cisco Kid” (1931) and “The Return of the Cisco […]

Dr Frank Condie Baxter (1896 - 1982)

Motion picture and television actor. He became the first star of Public Broadcasting Television, when he began hosting a series on Shakespeare’s Plays. He was the host of “The Telephone Bell Hour” (1957-1958), a television series that dealt in science fiction. Among his films are “About Time” (1962), “The Thread of Life” (1960), “The Unchained […]

Harry Baur (1880 - 1943)

Actor. Although he made his film debut in France as early as 1910 (as Shylock in a one-reel version of “The Merchant of Venice”), he did not become a star until the 1930’s, playing Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” (1934), the title characters in “Rothschild” (1933), “Taras Bulba” (1936),  “The Great Love of Beethoven” (1936), […]

Carlo Battisti (1882 - 1977)

Linguist, Actor. He is best remembered for having played the starring role in the film masterpiece of Italian neorealism “Umberto D” (1952) directed by Vittorio De Sica. A professor at University of Florence, he devoted himself to the study of Italian dialectology, toponymy and cartography topography, soon becoming one of the greatest Italian experts. Battisti […]

Rik Battaglia (1927 - 2015)

Italian Actor. Battaglia was discovered in a bar and was introduced to director Mario Soldati who cast him in Carlo Ponti’s ‘La Donna del Fiume’ (1955) with Sophia Loren. In a career that spanned five decades, he appeared in over 100 films, including several of Sergio Leone’s westerns. He starred alongside several of Hollywood’s leading […]

Guillermo Battaglia (1899 - 1988)

Actor. He participated in 96 movies throughout his long career. (bio by: 380W)

Ralph Bates (1940 - 1991)

Actor. Born in Bristol, England, he was the great grand nephew of Louis Pasteur. He attended the University of Dublin and studied at the Yale Drama School. His first noticeable role was as a critically acclaimed portrayal of Caligula in the BBC production of ‘The Caesars’ in 1968. In 1970, he was chosen by Hammer […]

Granville Bates (1882 - 1940)

Actor. He had roles in 88 motion pictures during his career, including “Woman in the Dark,” “The Plainsman,” “They Won’t Forget,” “Under Suspicion,” “Mannequin,” “Each Dawn I Die,” “Of Mice and Men,” “My Favorite Wife,” and “Flowing Gold.”

Pierre Batcheff (1901 - 1932)

Actor. He appeared in Abel Gance’s “Napoleon” (1927) and Rex Ingram’s “Baroud” (1931), but he is chiefly remembered as the twisted hero of Bunuel’s surrealistic classic “Un Chien Andalou” (1929). He committed suicide at 30. (bio by: Bobb Edwards)

Nikolai Batalov (1899 - 1937)

Actor. Charismatic Soviet star of stage and screen. From 1916 he was a fixture of the Moscow Art Theatre troupe, making a name for himself in its Second Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Chekhov. His greatest triumphs were in the long-running production of Vsevolod Ivanov’s “Armored Train 14-69” (1926) and in the title role […]

Albert Bassermann (1867 - 1952)

Actor. He was born in Mannheim, Germany. Bassermann is best remembered for his role as the diplomat Van Meer in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film “Foreign Correspondent”,  which won him an Oscar nomination. During his long career he also appeared in “Der Letzte Tag” (1913), “Lucrezia Borgia” (1922), “Christoph Columbus” (1923), “Dreyfus” (1930), “Desperate Journey”(1942), “The […]