Billy Sands (January 6, 1911 – August 27, 1984) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

who appeared as a regular on '' The Phil Silvers Show'' (''Sgt Bilko'') as Pvt. Dino Papparelli and was a regular on '' McHale's Navy'' as Harrison "Tinker" Bell. He also made guest-starring roles on many other

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

, including '' Car 54, Where Are You?'', '' All in the Family'', ''

Here's Lucy ''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's thir ...

'', '' Happy Days,'' and ''

The Odd Couple Odd Couple may refer to: Neil Simon play and its adaptations * ''The Odd Couple'' (play), a 1965 stage play by Neil Simon ** ''The Odd Couple'' (film), a 1968 film based on the play *** ''The Odd Couple'' (1970 TV series), a 1970–1975 televisi ...

''. Sands also appears in one of the opening scenes of ''

Rocky ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess M ...

'' as a booker for the fighters.

Personal life and death

Born William F. Sands in

Bergen, New York Bergen is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeastern corner of the county. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 census. There is also a village of Bergen in the town. History Bergen is one of the mid-s ...

to Samuel & Henrietta Epstein, he began his professional career in 1946 when he appeared on Broadway with

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

Robert E. Sherwood Robert Emmet Sherwood (April 4, 1896 – November 14, 1955) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He is the author of ''Waterloo Bridge, Idiot's Delight, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Rebecca, There Shall Be No Night, The Best Years of Our L ...

's ''Rugged Path''. Sands died of

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...

at age 73 at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, on August 27, 1984, and was buried at

Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery The Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary is a Jewish cemetery located at 6001 West Centinela Avenue, in Culver City, California. Many Jews from the entertainment industry are buried here. The cemetery is known for Al Jolson's elaborate tomb (design ...

Culver City, California Culver City is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,779. Founded in 1917 as a "whites only" sundown town, it is now an ethnically diverse city with what was called the "third-most d ...

. He was survived by his wife Marsha, daughter Susan, son Eugene, two sisters and a brother.

Partial filmography

*'' McHale's Navy'' (1964) - Motor Machinist Mate Harrison Bell *''

McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force ''McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force'' is a 1965 film based upon the television 1962–1966 sitcom ''McHale's Navy''. Series supporting players Joe Flynn and Tim Conway are the leads for this sequel to the first film made in 1964, also named ...

'' (1965) - Motor Machinist Mate Harrison Bell *''

The Reluctant Astronaut ''The Reluctant Astronaut'' is a 1967 American comedy film produced and directed by Edward Montagne and starring Don Knotts in a story about a carnival ride operator who is hired as a janitor at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston and is even ...

'' (1967) - Airport Announcer / Man Mopping Floor in Film (uncredited) *'' P.J.'' (1968) - Barber (uncredited) *''

The Love God? ''The Love God?'' is a 1969 American comedy film starring Don Knotts and Edmond O'Brien. It was written and directed by Nat Hiken, who died between the completion of shooting and the film's release. ''The Love God?'' marked a change of pace for Kn ...

'' (1969) - Barber (uncredited) *''

How to Frame a Figg ''How to Frame a Figg'' is a 1971 comedy film about a bookkeeper's bungling assistant, Hollis Alexander Figg (played by Don Knotts), in the Dalton city hall, who finds himself framed for embezzlement. Plot Hollis Figg is an earnest if not too ...

'' (1971) - Bowling Alley Manager *''

Another Nice Mess ''Another Nice Mess'' is a 1972 comedy film written and directed by Bob Einstein and starring Rich Little as Richard Nixon and Herb Voland as Spiro Agnew. Plot The film is presented in the style of a Laurel and Hardy comedy, with Nixon in the ...

'' (1972) - Interpreter *''

The Harrad Experiment ''The Harrad Experiment'' is a 1973 coming-of-age film about a fictional school called Harrad College where the students learn about sexuality and experiment with each other. Based on the 1966 novel of the same name by Robert Rimmer, this film d ...

'' (1973) - Jack *''

'' (1976) - Club Fight Announcer *'' The World's Greatest Lover'' (1977) - Guard *''

High Anxiety ''High Anxiety'' is a 1977 American satirical comedy film produced and directed by Mel Brooks, who also plays the lead. This is Brooks' first film as a producer and first speaking lead role (his first lead role was in ''Silent Movie''). Veteran ...

'' (1977) - Customer *'' Serial'' (1980) - Bartender

References

External links

* * * *
Rotten Tomatoes profile
1911 births 1984 deaths American male television actors 20th-century American male actors Burials at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery Deaths from lung cancer in California Jewish American male actors People from Bergen, New York Male actors from New York (state) 20th-century American Jews {{US-tv-actor-1910s-stub