Patrick Paul Billingsley (May 3, 1925 – April 22, 2011) was an American mathematician and stage and screen actor, noted for his books in advanced

probability theory Probability theory is the branch of mathematics concerned with probability. Although there are several different probability interpretations, probability theory treats the concept in a rigorous mathematical manner by expressing it through a set o ...

and

statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ''wikt:Statistik#German, Statistik'', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of ...

. He was born and raised in

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up ...

, and graduated from the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

in 1946.

Academic career

After earning a Ph.D. in mathematics at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

in 1955, he was attached to the

NSA The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collectio ...

until his discharge from the Navy in 1957. In 1958 he became a professor of mathematics and statistics at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

, where he served as chair of the Department of Statistics from 1980 to 1983, and retired in 1994. In 1964–65 he was a

Fulbright Fellow The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

and visiting professor at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

. In 1971–72 he was a

Guggenheim Fellow Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the ar ...

and visiting professor at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

(

Peterhouse Peterhouse is the oldest constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England, founded in 1284 by Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely. Today, Peterhouse has 254 undergraduates, 116 full-time graduate students and 54 fellows. It is quite o ...

). From 1976 to 1979 he edited the

Annals of Probability The ''Annals of Probability'' is a leading peer-reviewed probability journal published by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, which is the main international society for researchers in the areas probability and statistics. The journal was sta ...

. In 1983 he was

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the

Institute of Mathematical Statistics The Institute of Mathematical Statistics is an international professional and scholarly society devoted to the development, dissemination, and application of statistics and probability. The Institute currently has about 4,000 members in all parts o ...

. He was given the

Lester R. Ford Award Lester is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname and given name. Notable people and characters with the name include: People Given name * Lester Bangs (1948–1982), American music critic * Lester W. Bentley (1908–1972), American artist from Wisc ...

for his article "

Prime Number A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...

s and

Brownian Motion Brownian motion, or pedesis (from grc, πήδησις "leaping"), is the random motion of particles suspended in a medium (a liquid or a gas). This pattern of motion typically consists of random fluctuations in a particle's position insi ...

." He was elected a Fellow of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...

in 1986. He starred in a number of plays at Court Theatre and

Body Politic Theatre Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ...

in Chicago and appeared in at least nine films. In ''

Young Men and Fire ''Young Men and Fire'' is a 1992 non-fiction book written by Norman Maclean. It is an account of Norman Maclean's research of the Mann Gulch fire of 1949 and the 13 men who died there. The fire occurred in Mann Gulch in the Gates of the Mountain ...

'', fellow University of Chicago professor

Norman Maclean Norman Fitzroy Maclean (December 23, 1902August 2, 1990) was a Scottish-American professor at the University of Chicago who became, following his retirement, a major figure in American literature. Maclean is best known for his collection of no ...

wrote about Billingsley that "he is a distinguished statistician and one of the best amateur actors I have ever seen".

Books

* ''Statistical Inference for Markov Processes'' (1961) * ''Ergodic Theory and Information'' (1965) * ''

Convergence of Probability Measures ''Convergence of Probability Measures'' is a graduate textbook in the field of mathematical probability theory. It was written by Patrick Billingsley and published by Wiley in 1968. A second edition in 1999 both simplified its treatment of previ ...

'' (1st Edition 1968, 2nd Edition 1999) * ''The Elements of Statistical Inference'' (with David L. Huntsberger, 1986) * ''Probability and Measure'' (1st Edition 1976, 2nd Edition 1986, 3rd Edition, 1995, Anniversary Edition 2012 )

Stage plays

* ''Three Magic Keys'', Taliesin (1964) * ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 ...

'', Pirate (1966) * ''Read Me a Story'' (1966) * ''Clue of the Circus Clowns'', Circus Master (1968) * ''

Finian's Rainbow ''Finian's Rainbow'' is a musical with a book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane, produced by Lee Sabinson. The original 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances, while a film version was re ...

'', Buzz Collins (1968) * ''Beadle-Levi Show'' (parody of ''The Homecoming'') (1968) * ''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also bo ...

'', Arvide Abernathy (1969) * ''We Bombed in New Haven'' (Court Theatre, 1970) * ''Victorian Children'' (1970) * ''Vaudeville Show'', singer (1970) * ''

The Threepenny Opera ''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a "play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, ''The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with music ...

'', street singer (1970) * ''Four Plays of Fantasy and the Unusual'' (1970) * ''Moulin Rouge'' (1971) * ''

Oh, What a Lovely War! ''Oh, What a Lovely War!'' is an epic musical developed by Joan Littlewood and her ensemble at the Theatre Workshop in 1963. It is a satire on World War I, and by extension on war in general. The title is derived from the "somewhat satirical" ...

'' (1973) * ''

Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

'', Theseus (Court Theatre, 1973) * ''

The Caretaker ''The Caretaker'' is a play in three acts by Harold Pinter. Although it was the sixth of his major works for stage and television, this psychological study of the confluence of power, allegiance, innocence, and corruption among two brothers an ...

'', Aston (Court Theatre, 1973) * ''The Father'', The Captain (1974) * ''

Murder in the Cathedral ''Murder in the Cathedral'' is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot, first performed in 1935, that portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. Eliot drew heavily on the wri ...

'', First Knight (1974) * ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

'', Feste (Court Theatre, 1974) * ''The Same Room'', Tom Ferris (1975) * ''

Dracula ''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...

'', Dr. Seward (1975) * ''

Much Ado about Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

'', Balthazar and Friar Frances (Court Theatre, 1975) * ''Exits and Entrances'' (1976) * ''

Trifles ''Trifles'' is a one-act play by Susan Glaspell. It was first performed by the Provincetown Players at the Wharf Theatre in Provincetown, Massachusetts, on August 8, 1916. In the original performance, Glaspell played the role of Mrs. Hale. The pl ...

'', Sheriff Peters (1976) * '' The Lover'', Richard-Max (Court Theatre, 1977) * '' The Tempest'', Alonzo (Court Theatre, 1977) * ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays from the 18th ...

'', Mr. Hardcastle (Court Theatre, 1978) * ''

Measure for Measure ''Measure for Measure'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and first performed in 1604, according to available records. It was published in the ''First Folio'' of 1623. The play's plot features its ...

'', The Duke (Court Theatre, 1979) * ''

Mrs. Warren's Profession ''Mrs. Warren's Profession'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. The play is about a former prostitute, now a madam (brothel proprietor), who attempts to come to terms with her disapproving ...

'', Rev. Samuel Gardiner (Court Theatre, 1980) * '' Equus'', Dr. Dysart (Court Theatre, 1980) * ''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' ( rus, Ча́йка, r=Cháyka, links=no) is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 and first produced in 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatises t ...

'', Sorin (Court Theatre, 1981) * ''

'', Anotnio (Body Politic Theatre, 1981) * ''

Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. A film version, ''Under Milk Wood'' directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released in 1972, and another adaptation of ...

'', Rev. Eli Jenkins et al. (Court Theatre, 1982) * ''

The First Night of Pygmalion ''The First Night of Pygmalion'' is a play by Richard Huggett, first performed in 1968. It depicts backstage events during the first British production of George Bernard Shaw's play '' Pygmalion''. It depicts the backstage tensions between Shaw, ...

'', Beerbohm-Tree et al. (Court Theatre, 1982) * ''

'', Peter Quince (Court Theatre, 1983) * ''

'', Leonato (Court Theatre, 1984) * ''

Heartbreak House ''Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1919 and first played at the Garrick Theatre in November 1920. According to A. C. Ward, the work argues that "cul ...

'', Mazzini Dunn (Court Theatre, 1985) * '' Every Good Boy Deserves Favor'', KGB colonel (Court Theatre, 1985) * '' The Birthday Party'', Petey (1978 and 1985) * ''

Arms and the Man ''Arms and the Man'' is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw, whose title comes from the opening words of Virgil's ''Aeneid'', in Latin: ''Arma virumque cano'' ("Of arms and the man I sing"). The play was first produced on 21 April 1894 at the Aven ...

'', Major Petkoff (Court Theatre, 1985) * ''Moonlight Daring Us to Go Insane'', J. Earl Sheets (Body Politic Theatre, 1987) * ''

Coastal Disturbances ''Coastal Disturbances'' is a play by Tina Howe, which premiered Off-Broadway in 1986 and transferred to Broadway. It received a Tony Award nomination as Best Play. The play takes place on a beach in Massachusetts. Background Howe said that she "r ...

'', R. Hamilton Adams (Body Politic Theatre, 1987)

Films

* '' The Fury'' (1978) - CIA agent Lander * ''

My Bodyguard ''My Bodyguard'' is a 1980 American family comedy drama film directed by Tony Bill (his directorial debut), and written by Alan Ormsby. The film stars Chris Makepeace, Adam Baldwin (in his first film role), Matt Dillon, Martin Mull, and Ruth Gor ...

'' (1980) - Biology Teacher * '' Somewhere in Time'' (1980) - Professor * '' One More Saturday Night'' (1985) - Mr. McGrath * ''

The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...

'' (1987) - Bailiff #2

Television

* '' Dummy'' (1978, TV Movie) - Dr. Morris * ''Flesh and Blood'' (1978) - Boxing official * ''

The Children Nobody Wanted ''The Children Nobody Wanted'' is a 1981 American made-for-television drama film based on the true story of child advocate Tom Butterfield (1940–1982), the youngest bachelor to become a legal foster parent in the state of Missouri, and his creati ...

'' (1981) - Preacher * ''

The Dollmaker ''The Dollmaker'' is a 1984 American made-for-television drama film starring Jane Fonda and based on the 1954 novel of the same title written by Harriette Arnow. It was originally broadcast on ABC on May 13, 1984. Fonda was awarded the Pr ...

'' (1983) - Cooper * ''The Last Leaf – A Parable of Easter'' (1983, Short) - Dr. Winchester * ''The Private Eye'' (1983) - Guard * ''

Murder Ordained ''Murder Ordained'' is a television film that originally aired for CBS in 1987, starring Keith Carradine, JoBeth Williams, and Kathy Bates. It was co-written and directed by Mike Robe. Based on actual events that occurred in Emporia, Kansas, in 19 ...

'' (1986) - Ray Call * ''

Jack and Mike ''Jack and Mike'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Sara Davidson that aired on ABC from September 16, 1986, until March 24, 1987. Premise Shelley Hack plays Jackie, a newspaper columnist for the fictional ''Chicago Mirror'' ...

'' (episode) (1986) - Judge * ''

Sable The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...

'' (1987) - Sullivan * '' The Father Clements Story'' (1987, TV Movie) - Father Donovan (final film role)

Death

He died in 2011, aged 85, in his

Hyde Park, Chicago Hyde Park is the 41st of the 77 community areas of Chicago. It is located on the South Side, near the shore of Lake Michigan south of the Loop. Hyde Park's official boundaries are 51st Street/Hyde Park Boulevard on the north, the Midway Pla ...

home. He was survived by his children,

Franny Franny is a given name. It is generally a masculine name used as a nickname for Francis. The feminine form is Frannie. Notable people with the name include: * Franny Armstrong (born 1972), British documentary film director * Franny Beecher (1921– ...

, Patty, Julie, Marty and Paul, and his companion, Florence Weisblatt. His wife of nearly 50 years, social activist Ruth Billingsley, died in 2000.

References

External links

*
Obituary
in the

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

Patrick Billingsley, probability theorist and actor, 1925–2011
{{DEFAULTSORT:Billingsley, Patrick 1925 births 2011 deaths Male actors from South Dakota American male stage actors American male film actors 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American mathematicians 21st-century American mathematicians Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Writers from Sioux Falls, South Dakota Presidents of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics Princeton University alumni Probability theorists University of Chicago faculty American textbook writers United States Naval Academy alumni Annals of Probability editors