Billy Bevan (born William Bevan Harris; 29 September 1887 – 26 November 1957) was an Australian-born

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatre, theatrical genre of variety show, variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comic ...

who became an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 American films from 1916 to 1952. He died 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: "Bevan" rhyming with "seven".

Career

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 Mack Sennett (born Michael Sinnott; January 17, 1880 – November 5, 1960) was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career. Born in Danville, Quebec, he started acting i ...

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 Escondido (Spanish language, Spanish for "Hidden") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States. Located in the North County (San Diego area), North County region, it was incorporated in 1888, and is one of the oldest cities in San ...

. Usually filmed wearing a derby hat and a drooping mustache, Bevan may not have possessed an indelible screen character like

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

but he had a friendly, funny presence in the frantic Sennett comedies. Much of the comedy depended on Bevan's skilled timing and reactions; he was the first to perform the familiar "oyster" routine—in which a bowl of "fresh oyster stew" shows alarming signs of life and battles the guy trying to eat it—in the Sennett comedy ''Wandering Willies'' (1926). The routine was later performed by

Curly Howard Jerome Lester Horwitz (October 22, 1903 – January 18, 1952), better known by his stage name Curly Howard, was an American comedian and actor. He was a member of The Three Stooges comedy team, which also featured his elder brothers Moe and ...

Lou Costello Louis Francis Cristillo (March 6, 1906 – March 3, 1959), better known as Lou Costello, was an American comedian, actor and producer. He was best known for his double act with Bud Abbott and their routine " Who's on First?". Abbott and Cos ...

, and

Huntz Hall Henry Richard "Huntz" Hall (August 15, 1920 – January 30, 1999) was an American radio, stage, and movie performer who appeared in the popular "Dead End Kids" movies, including ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938), and in the later "The Bowe ...

. By the mid-1920s Bevan was often teamed with

Andy Clyde Andrew Allan Clyde (March 25, 1892 – May 18, 1967), was a Scottish-born American film and television actor whose career spanned some 45 years. In 1921 he broke into silent films as a Mack Sennett comic, debuting in ''On a Summer Day''. H ...

; Clyde soon graduated to his own starring series. The late 1920s found Bevan playing in wild marital farces for Sennett. Bevan lost his starring berth when Sennett canceled all contracts to retool his studio for the new talking pictures; Bevan had already completed several silent shorts, which were released gradually through 1929. The advent of talkies took their toll on the careers of many silent stars, including Billy Bevan. Although he did co-star in a few talkie shorts, including the "Taxi Boys" comedy ''Thundering Taxis'' (1932) and the ZaSu Pitts short ''She Whoops to Conquer'' (1934), his starring roles had come to an end. He was still a resourceful actor, and in 1929 he began a second career as a character actor and bit player: a bus driver in ''

High Voltage High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant sp ...

'', a hotel employee in the

Mae Murray Mae Murray (born Marie Adrienne Koenig; May 10, 1885 – March 23, 1965) was an American actress, dancer, film producer, and screenwriter. Murray rose to fame during the silent film era and was known as "The Girl with the Bee-Stung Lips" and "Th ...

film '' Peacock Alley'', Second Lieutenant Trotter in '' Journey's End''. 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 Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

'' and '' Terror by Night'').Anthony Slide (2012), ''Hollywood Unknowns: A History of Extras, Bit Players, and Stand-Ins'' P.162, University Press of Mississippi. . Slide also notes this of Clyde Cook He played a friendly bus conductor opposite Greer Garson in one of the opening scenes of ''

Mrs. Miniver ''Mrs. Miniver'' is a 1942 American romantic war drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. Inspired by the 1940 novel '' Mrs. Miniver'' by Jan Struther, it shows how the life of an unassuming Britis ...

''. Billy Bevan died in 1957 in

Filmography

* ''

Salome vs. Shenandoah ''Salome vs. Shenandoah'' is a 1919 American silent film, silent film comedy short directed by Ray Grey, Erle C. Kenton, and Ray Hunt. It starred Ben Turpin, Charles Murray (American actor), Charles Murray, and Phyllis Haver. It was produced by M ...

'' (1919) * '' Distilled Love'' (1920, Short) * ''Married Life'' (1920) - Hospital Staff / Janitor (uncredited) * '' Love, Honor and Behave'' (1920) - A Fake Lawyer * '' A Small Town Idol'' (1921) - Director * ''Home Talent'' (1921) - Minor Role (uncredited) * ''On Patrol'' (1922) - star policeman then convict * '' The Crossroads of New York'' (1922) - Press Agent * '' The Extra Girl'' (1923) - Comedian * '' The White Sin'' (1924) - Travers Dale * ''One Spooky Night'' (1924) - Man in the Haunted House * '' Flirty Four-Flushers'' (1926, Short) - Jerry Connors / Archibald De Shyster * '' Easy Pickings'' (1927) - The Detective * ''The Golf Nut'' (1927) - Billy Divott * '' The Girl from Everywhere'' (1927) - Messenger * '' Riley the Cop'' (1928) - Paris Cabman (uncredited) * ''

'' (1929) - Gus (The Driver) * ''Weak But Willing'' (1929) - George Downing * ''

The Trespasser Trespasser is, in the law of tort, property law and criminal law, a person who commits the crime of trespassing on a property. Trespasser or ''variant'' may refer to: * Trespasser (video game), ''Trespasser'' (video game), a 1998 computer game ma ...

'' (1929) - Reporter (uncredited) * '' The Sky Hawk'' (1929) - Tom Berry * '' Peacock Alley'' (1930) - Walter - Bell Captain * '' Journey's End'' (1930) - 2nd Lt. Trotter * ''Temptation'' (1930) - Sam * '' For the Defense'' (1930) - Drunk (uncredited) * ''

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo ( ; ; or colloquially ; , ; ) is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the Ward (country subdivision), ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to ...

'' (1930) - Train Conductor (uncredited) * '' For the Love o' Lil'' (1930) - Edward O. Walker * '' Born to Love'' (1931) - Departing British Soldier (uncredited) * '' The Spy'' (1931) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Chances'' (1931) * '' Transatlantic'' (1931) - Hodgkins * ''

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge () is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges. Its name commemorates the victory of the British, Dutch and Prussians at the ...

'' (1931) - Soldier on the Make (uncredited) *'' The Silent Witness'' (1932) - Horace Ward * '' Sky Devils'' (1932) - The Colonel * '' Vanity Fair'' (1932) - Joseph Sedley * '' Payment Deferred'' (1932) - Hammond * '' Me and My Gal'' (1932) - Ashley (uncredited) * '' Cavalcade'' (1933) - George Grainger * '' Luxury Liner'' (1933) - Schultz * '' Looking Forward'' (1933) - Mr. Barker, Night Watchman * ''

A Study in Scarlet ''A Study in Scarlet'' is an 1887 Detective fiction, detective novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who would go on to become one of the most well-known detective ...

'' (1933) - Will Swallow * '' Peg o' My Heart'' (1933) - Detective #2 (uncredited) * '' Midnight Club'' (1933) - Detective (uncredited) * '' Too Much Harmony'' (1933) - Stage Director * '' The Way to Love'' (1933) - M. Prial * ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'' (1933) - Two of Spades (uncredited) * '' Caravan'' (1934) - Police Sergeant * '' The Lost Patrol'' (1934) - Hale * '' Stingaree'' (1934) - Mac * '' Shock'' (1934) - Meadows * '' One More River'' (1934) - Cloakroom Attendant * '' Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back'' (1934) - Man in Hotel Room (uncredited) * '' The Painted Veil'' (1934) - Bridegroom (scenes deleted) * '' Limehouse Blues'' (1934) - Herb * '' Mystery Woman'' (1935) - Jepson * '' Vanessa: Her Love Story'' (1935) - Horse Auctioneer (uncredited) * ''

Black Sheep In the English language, black sheep is an idiom that describes a member of a group who is different from the rest, especially a family member who does not fit in. The term stems from sheep whose fleece is colored black rather than the more comm ...

'' (1935) - Alfred * '' Dressed to Thrill'' (1935) - Canadian Soldier (uncredited) * '' The Last Outpost'' (1935) - Private Foster * ''

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by English author Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long impr ...

'' (1935) - Jerry Cruncher * '' The Widow from Monte Carlo'' (1935) - Police Officer Watkins (uncredited) * '' Song and Dance Man'' (1936) - Curtis * '' Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'' (1936) - Cabby (uncredited) * '' Champagne Charlie'' (1936) - Mr. Boswick - Ship Bartender (uncredited) * '' Dracula's Daughter'' (1936) - Albert * '' Private Number'' (1936) - Frederick * '' Piccadilly Jim'' (1936) - Taxi Driver * ''

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is a insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gover ...

'' (1936) - Innkeeper * '' God's Country and the Woman'' (1937) - Plug Hat * ''

Personal Property Personal property is property that is movable. In common law systems, personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. In civil law (legal system), civil law systems, personal property is often called movable property or movables—a ...

'' (1937) - Frank the Waiter (uncredited) * ''

Slave Ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting Slavery, slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea ( ...

'' (1937) - Atkins * '' Another Dawn'' (1937) - Pvt. Hawkins * '' The Sheik Steps Out'' (1937) - Munson * '' The Wrong Road'' (1937) - McLean * ''

Bringing Up Baby ''Bringing Up Baby'' is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pictures. The film tells the story of a paleontologist in a numb ...

'' (1938) - Johe - Bartender (uncredited) * '' The Girl of the Golden West'' (1938) - Nick * '' Blond Cheat'' (1938) - The Bartender (uncredited) * '' The Young in Heart'' (1938) - Kennel Man (uncredited) * '' Meet the Girls'' (1938) - Bartender (uncredited) * '' Mysterious Mr. Moto'' (1938) - Customs Official (uncredited) * '' Shadows Over Shanghai'' (1938) - Gallicuddy * '' Arrest Bulldog Drummond'' (1938) - Aquarium Guard (uncredited) * '' Up the River'' (1938) - Bartender (uncredited) * ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. It recounts the ...

'' (1938) - Street Watch Leader (uncredited) * '' Let Freedom Ring'' (1939) - Cockney (uncredited) * '' Captain Fury'' (1939) - Duffy * '' Grand Jury Secrets'' (1939) - Masseur (uncredited) * '' Pack Up Your Troubles'' (1939) - British Sergeant (uncredited) * '' We Are Not Alone'' (1939) - Mr. Jones * '' The Earl of Chicago'' (1940) - Guide * '' The Invisible Man Returns'' (1940) - Jim (uncredited) * ''

Rebecca Rebecca () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical tradition, Rebecca's father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. Rebecca's brother was Laban (Bi ...

'' (1940) - Policeman (uncredited) * '' The Long Voyage Home'' (1940) - Joe - Limehouse Barman (uncredited) * ''

'' (1940) - Stage Doorman * ''

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's London boroughs, 32 boroughs. Its name derives from the location of the original ...

'' (1941) - Porter (uncredited) * '' Penny Serenade'' (1941) - McDougal (uncredited) * '' One Night in Lisbon'' (1941) - Lord Fitzleigh's Aide (uncredited) * '' Shining Victory'' (1941) - Chivers * ''

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is an 1886 Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series ...

'' (1941) - Mr. Weller * '' Suspicion'' (1941) - Ticket Taker (uncredited) * '' Confirm or Deny'' (1941) - Mr. Bindle * '' The Man Who Wouldn't Die'' (1942) - Phillips - the Butler * '' This Above All'' (1942) - Farmer (uncredited) * ''

'' (1942) - Bus Conductor (uncredited) * '' Hi, Neighbor'' (1942) - Guest (uncredited) * ''

Counter-Espionage Counterintelligence (counter-intelligence) or counterespionage (counter-espionage) is any activity aimed at protecting an agency's intelligence program from an opposition's intelligence service. It includes gathering information and conducting ac ...

'' (1942) - George Barrow * '' A Yank at Eton'' (1942) - Tour Guide (uncredited) * '' I Married a Witch'' (1942) - Puritan Vendor (uncredited) * '' London Blackout Murders'' (1943) - Air Raid Warden * '' Forever and a Day'' (1943) - Wartime Cabby * '' Young and Willing'' (1943) - Phillips * '' Holy Matrimony'' (1943) - Cabby (uncredited) * '' The Return of the Vampire'' (1943) - Horace - Civil Defense Worker (uncredited) * ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

'' (1943) - Bookie (uncredited) * '' The Lodger'' (1944) - Bartender (uncredited) * ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 in storytelling in the English language and has started many narrative ...

'' (1944) - Patrol Cop-Driver (uncredited) * '' The Invisible Man's Revenge'' (1944) - Sergeant * '' The Pearl of Death'' (1944) - Constable (uncredited) * '' National Velvet'' (1944) - Constable (uncredited) * '' Tonight and Every Night'' (1945) - Cabbie (uncredited) * ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is an 1890 philosophical fiction and Gothic fiction, Gothic horror fiction, horror novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American period ...

'' (1945) - Malvolio Jones - Chairman * '' Scotland Yard Investigator'' (1945) - Porter (uncredited) * '' Terror by Night'' (1946) - Train Attendant * '' Devotion'' (1946) - Mr. Ames (uncredited) * '' Cluny Brown'' (1946) - Uncle Arn Porritt (uncredited) * '' Moss Rose'' (1947) - White Horse Cabby (uncredited) * '' Love from a Stranger'' (1947) - Taxi Driver (uncredited) * '' It Had to Be You'' (1947) - Evans - the Butler * '' The Swordsman'' (1948) - Old Andrew * '' The Black Arrow'' (1948) - Dungeon Keeper * '' Let's Live a Little'' (1948) - Morton (uncredited) * ''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in ''The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is seen as a classic of English c ...

'' (1949) - Barney * '' The Secret of St. Ives'' (1949) - Douglas (uncredited) * '' That Forsyte Woman'' (1949) - Porter (uncredited) * '' Tell It to the Judge'' (1949) - Winston - Kitty's Butler (uncredited) * '' Fortunes of Captain Blood'' (1950) - Billy Bragg * '' Rogues of Sherwood Forest'' (1950) - Will Scarlet * '' Three Secrets'' (1950) - Ed Jackson (uncredited) * ''

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fai ...

'' (1952) - Town Councilman (uncredited)

Gallery

Image:Billy Bevan (1).jpg, Billy Bevan and Mack Sennett Bathing Beauties, 1920s Image:Billy Bevan (2).jpg, Scene from ''Oh! Daddy!'', featuring Billy Bevan (bottom) and Mildred June (not shown), 1922

References

External links

*
Billy Bevan
at Virtual History {{DEFAULTSORT:Bevan, Billy 1887 births 1957 deaths Australian male silent film actors Silent film comedians People from Orange, New South Wales 20th-century Australian male actors 20th-century American comedians Australian emigrants to the United States Burials at Oak Hill Memorial Park (Escondido)