Billy Hughes (actor)
Billy Hughes (November 28, 1948 – December 20, 2005) was an American actor best known for various television and film roles he played during the 1960s. His Hollywood lineage included both his father (Bill Hughes) and uncle (Whitey Hughes), who were both stunt men. While in Alma, Arkansas in 2005, he apparently died in his sleep.
Television Roles
Between 1960 and 1964 Hughes appeared in over a dozen television programs, beginning with Robert Taylor's Detectives, where he played the role of Bobby Marx in the episode "The Little Witness". Other TV shows he appeared in include The Shirley Temple Show, Leave It to Beaver, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Dr. Kildare, Wagon Train, and Lassie.
Hughes appeared in three different episodes of Gunsmoke between 1961 and '62, playing the roles of Joey Glover, Timmy, and Tommy. From 1961 to 1964 he also had three appearances on Wagon Train (playing Adam Bancroft as a Boy, Mark Basham, and Matt). Two of his three appearances on Lassie were in the role of Billy Joe (in the 1961 episodes "Cracker Jack" and "Yochim's Christmas"), while in 1964 he played Ricky Sutton in the episode "Climb the Mountain Slowly".
Hughes also appeared in three episodes of The Rifleman: Long Gun From Tucson, Day of Reckoning, and Sidewinder. In Sidewinder he played the role of 13-year-old Gridley Maule Jr., a young gunman seeking vengeance for his father's death. Filmed while he was still only thirteen years old, Hughes displayed remarkable talent at handling a Colt revolver. According to a close friend of Hughes, this was one of his favorite roles.
Filmography
- ole Rex (1961) - The runaway boy
- Stakeout! (1962) - Joey Dasco, Jr.
- Posse from Hell (1961) - Jackie Hutchins (uncredited role)
- My Six Loves (1963) - Leo
- Gone with the West (1975) - Mimmo's Man
- Smoke in the Wind (1975) - Till Mondier
- Convoy (1978) - Pack Rat
- I Wish I Was Denny Crane (2006) - not Denny Crane
- The Rifleman ('The Sidewinder' Episode 158~4/26/60) - ('Long Gun from Tucson' Episode 121~12/11/61) - ('The Prodigal' Episode 71~4/26/60)
Billy Hughes also had an uncredited stunt role in the 1969 film The Wild Bunch. He is sometimes mistakenly credited with a role in Gone With The West (1975) but this was likely a token appearance by his father Billy Hughes Sr.
Trivia
According to IMDb Billy Hughes was also credited as Billy E. Hughes, Billy E. Hughes Jr. and Billy Hughes Jr. during his career.
In "My Six Loves" Hughes played the eldest of six castoff siblings; impoverished, they are found to be living in Debbie Reynolds' garden shed. Despite their destitute circumstances, Hughes can clearly be seen wearing a gold ring in many scenes of the film - certainly personal jewelry which nobody thought to have him remove for the filming.