Editing Billy Halop

{{Short description|American actor (1920–1976)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Billy Halop
| image              = Billy Halop in They Made Me a Criminal (1939).jpg
| caption            = Halop in ''[[They Made Me a Criminal]]'' (1939)
| birth_name         = William Halop
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|1920|02|11|mf=yes}}
| birth_place        = [[Jamaica, Queens]], [[New York City]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|1976|11|09|1920|02|11|mf=yes}}
| death_place        = [[Brentwood, Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| resting_place      = [[Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery]]
| resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline}} -->
| occupation         = {{hlist|Actor|registered nurse}}
| years_active       = 1931&ndash;1976
| spouse             = {{Plainlist|
* {{marriage|Helen Tupper|1946|1947|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Barbara Hoon|1948|1958|reason=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Suzanne Roe|1960|1967|reason=divorced}}
}}
}}

'''William Halop''' (February 11, 1920 – November 9, 1976) was an American actor.

==Early life==
Halop was born to Benjamin Cohen Halop and Lucille Elizabeth Halop on February 11, 1920.
Halop came from a theatrical family; his mother was a dancer, and his sister, [[Florence Halop]],<ref name="BDE">{{cite news |title=On This Day in History, February 11: Leader of the Dead End Kids |url=https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2012/02/10/on-this-day-in-history-february-11-leader-of-the-dead-end-kids/ |access-date=August 2, 2020 |work=Brooklyn Daily Eagle |date=February 10, 2012}}</ref> was an actress who worked on radio and in television. Additionally, he had a much younger brother, Joel Tucker Halop (1934-2006).<ref name="NYT">{{cite news |title=Billy Halop, 56, Dies; Led Dead End Kids |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/11/11/archives/billy-halop-56-dies-led-dead-end-kids-actor-in-the-kingsley-drama.html |access-date=2 August 2020 |work=The New York Times |page=44 |date=11 November 1976}}</ref>

==Acting career==
In 1933, he was given the lead as Bobby Benson in the popular new radio show ''[[Bobby Benson and the B-Bar-B Riders|The H-Bar-O Rangers]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.otrsite.com/articles/artjf002.html|title=Bobby Benson|website=www.otrsite.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Barnouw|first=Erik|title=Media Marathon|publisher=Duke University Press|year=1996|pages=47–58}}</ref> From 1934 to 1937, he starred in one of his first radio series, playing Dick Kent, the son of Fred and Lucy Kent, in "Home Sweet Home".<ref>{{citation |last=Cox |first=Jim |title= The A to Z of American Radio Soap Operas|date=17 July 2009 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ll_N4vRK6tcC&pg=PA103 | page=103|isbn=9780810863491 }}</ref>

While studying at the Professional Children's School<ref name="NYT" /> in New York, he was cast as Tommy Gordon in the 1935 Broadway production of [[Sidney Kingsley]]'s ''Dead End''<ref>{{citation |title= The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama, Volume 1| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qYfH1tOwsHcC&pg=PA334 | page=334|isbn = 9780231144223|last1 = Cody|first1 = Gabrielle H.|last2 = Sprinchorn|first2 = Evert|year = 2007}}</ref> and traveled to Hollywood with the rest of the [[Dead End Kids]] when [[Samuel Goldwyn]] produced a [[Dead End (1937 film)|film version of the play]] in 1937. Usually called Tommy in the films, he had the recurring role of a gang leader in a series of films that featured the [[Dead End Kids]], later billed the [[Little Tough Guys]]. 

In his later years, he claimed that he was paid more than the other Dead End actors, which had contributed to bad feelings in the group, and that he was tired of the name "Dead End Kids". He played with [[James Cagney]] in ''[[Angels with Dirty Faces]]'' (1938). He played the bully [[Harry Flashman]], speaking with an English accent, in the 1940 film ''[[Tom Brown's School Days (1940 film)|Tom Brown's School Days]]'' opposite [[Cedric Hardwicke]] and [[Freddie Bartholomew]].

After serving in [[World War II]] in the US Army Signal Corps, he found that he had grown too old to be effective in the roles that had brought him fame. At one point, he was reduced to starring in a cheap [[East Side Kids]] imitation at PRC studios, ''[[Gas House Kids]]'' (1946), at age 26. Diminishing film work, marital difficulties, and a drinking problem eventually ate away at his show business career.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

In the 1970s, Halop enjoyed a career resurgence playing the character Bert Munson, cab driver and close friend to Archie Bunker on the television series ''[[All in the Family]]''. He appeared in 10 episodes from 1971 to 1975, including the famed "Sammy's Visit" episode from the second season in 1972 starring [[Sammy Davis Jr.]]

==Personal life==
Halop was married at least four times, according to interviews given near the end of his life. Helen Tupper was his first wife from 1946 until their divorce in 1947. On Valentine's Day, 1948, he married Barbara Hoon. Their marriage lasted ten years until their divorce in 1958. His third marriage in 1960 to Suzanne Roe, who had multiple sclerosis, lasted until their divorce in 1967.

The nursing skills he learned while taking care of his third wife led him to steady work as a registered nurse at St. John's Hospital in [[Santa Monica, California]]. His fourth marriage, to a nurse coworker, whose name has not been publicized, was quickly annulled after she allegedly attacked him. He later moved back in with his second wife Barbara, but they chose not to remarry. {{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}

Following two [[myocardial infarction|heart attacks]], Halop underwent open-heart surgery in the fall of 1971.<ref name=BDE />

He died of a heart attack on November 9, 1976, in Hollywood at the age of 56.<ref name="NYT"/> He is interred at [[Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery]] in [[Los Angeles, California]].

==Filmography==
===Films (partial)===
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
*''[[Dead End (1937 film)|Dead End]]'' (1937) as Tommy
*''[[Crime School]]'' (1938) as Frankie Warren
*''[[Little Tough Guy]]'' (1938) as Johnny Boylan
*''[[Angels with Dirty Faces]]'' (1938) as Soapy
*''[[They Made Me a Criminal]]'' (1939) as Tommy
*''[[You Can't Get Away with Murder]]'' (1939) as Johnny Stone
*''[[Hell's Kitchen (1939 film)|Hell's Kitchen]]'' (1939) as Tony
*''[[The Angels Wash Their Faces]]'' (1939) as Billy Shafter
*''[[Dust Be My Destiny]]'' (1939) as Hank Glenn
*''[[On Dress Parade]]'' (1939) as Cadet Maj. Rollins
*''[[Call a Messenger]]'' (1939) as Jimmy Hogan
*''[[Tom Brown's School Days (1940 film)|Tom Brown's School Days]]'' (1940) as Flashman
*''[[You're Not So Tough]]'' (1940) as Tommy Abraham Lincoln
*''[[Junior G-Men (serial)|Junior G-Men]]'' (1940, serial) as Billy Barton
*''[[Give Us Wings]]'' (1940) as Tom
*''[[Sky Raiders]]'' (1941, serial) as Tim Bryant
*''[[Hit the Road (1941 film)|Hit the Road]]'' (1941) as Tom
*''[[Mob Town (1941 film)|Mob Town]]'' (1941) as Tom Barker
*''[[Sea Raiders]]'' (1941, serial) as Billy Adams
*''[[Blues in the Night (film)|Blues In The Night]]'' (1941) as Peppi
*''[[Junior G-Men of the Air]]'' (1942, Serial) as Billy 'Ace' Holden
*''[[Tough As They Come]]'' (1942) as Tommy Clark
*''[[Junior Army]]'' (1942) as James 'Jimmie' Fletcher
*''[[Mug Town]]'' (1942) as Tommy Davis
*''[[Gas House Kids]]'' (1946) as Tony Albertini
*''[[Dangerous Years]]'' (1947) as Danny Jones 
*''[[Challenge of the Range]]'' (1949) as Reb Matson
*''[[Too Late for Tears]]'' (1949) as Boat Attendant (uncredited)
*''[[Air Strike (1955 film)|Air Strike]]'' (1955) as Lt. Cmdr. Orville Swanson
*''[[Boys' Night Out (film)|Boys' Night Out]]'' (1962) as Elevator Operator (uncredited)
*''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (film)|The Courtship of Eddie's Father]]'' (1963) as Milkman (uncredited)
*''[[For Love or Money (1963 film)|For Love or Money]]'' (1963) as Elevator Operator
*''[[The Wheeler Dealers]]'' (1963) as Subpoena Server (uncredited)
*''[[A Global Affair]]'' (1964) as Cab Driver
*''[[Mister Buddwing]]'' (1966) as Fredrick Calabrese 2nd Cab Driver
*''[[Fitzwilly]]'' (1967) as Restaurant Owner (uncredited)
{{div col end}}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Series !! Role !! Notes 
|- 
| 1951 || ''[[The Bigelow Theatre]]'' || Unknown || Episode ''Crossroad''
|-
| 1952 || ''[[Racket Squad]]'' || Salesman || Episode ''Accidentally on Purpose''
|-
| 1952 || ''[[The Unexpected (TV series)|The Unexpected]]'' || Anthony 'Tony' O'Brien || Episode ''Born Again''
|-
| 1953 || ''[[Boston Blackie#Television|Boston Blackie]]'' || Johnny Evans || Episode ''The Heist Job''
|-
| 1953 || ''[[The Cisco Kid (TV series)|The Cisco Kid]]'' || Dr. Jerome Alpers / Cass Rankin || 2 episodes
|-
| 1953-1954 || ''[[Your Favorite Story]]'' || Randy Warren / Pidge || 3 episodes
|-
| 1954 || ''[[Robert Montgomery Presents]]'' || Unknown || Episode ''The Pale Blond of Sand Street''
|-
| 1954 || ''[[The Jack Benny Program]]'' || Call Boy / Delivery Man || 2 episodes
|-
| 1955 || ''[[Big Town#Television|Big Town]]'' || Marty "Killer" Craig || Episode ''Egomaniac''
|-
| 1956 || ''[[Steve Donovan, Western Marshal ]]'' || Fred Rowe || Episode ''Stone River''
|-
| 1957 || ''[[Telephone Time]]'' || Chaplain Raymond Hall || Episode ''Jumping Parson''
|-
| 1958 || ''[[Playhouse 90]]'' || Fourth Counsellor || Episode ''Free Weekend''
|-
| 1959 || ''[[The Thin Man (TV series)|The Thin Man]]'' || Al || Episode ''The Perfect Servant''
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Colonel Humphrey Flack]]'' || Ambros || Episode ''West of the Weirdos''
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Richard Diamond, Private Detective]]'' || Charlie Cole || Episode ''Two for Paradise''
|-
| 1959 || ''[[Highway Patrol (American TV series)|Highway Patrol]]'' || Steve Dorn || Episode ''Desperate Men''
|-
| 1960 || ''[[Wanted: Dead or Alive (TV series)|Wanted: Dead or Alive]]'' || Cashier || Episode ''Mental Lapse''
|-
| 1961 || ''[[77 Sunset Strip]]'' || Tim Acton || Episode ''The Space Caper''
|-
| 1961 || ''[[87th Precinct (TV series)|87th Precinct]]'' || Richard Samuelson || Episode ''Lady Killer''
|-
| 1961 || ''Outlaws'' || Grady || Episode ''The Verdict''
|-
| 1962 || ''[[Wagon Train]]'' || Mr. Brewster || Episode ''The Jeff Hartfield Story ''
|-
| 1962 || ''[[The New Breed (TV series)|The New Breed]]'' || Unknown || Episode ''Walk this Street Lightly''
|-
| 1962-1964 || ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'' || Barman / Man / Corbett || 3 episodes
|-
| 1963 || ''[[I'm Dickens, He's Fenster]]'' || Attendant || Episode ''Mr. Takeover''
|-
| 1963 || ''[[The Courtship of Eddie's Father (film)|The Courtship of Eddie's Father]]'' || Milkman || 
|-
| 1963 || ''[[Going My Way (TV series)|Going My Way]]'' || Mr. Thompson || Episode ''A Tough Act to Follow''
|-
| 1963 || ''[[Glynis (TV series)|Glynis]]'' || Riley || Episode '"Ten Cents a Dance''
|-
| 1963 || ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]'' || Mike || Episode ''Terror at High Point''
|-
| 1963, 1965 || ''[[The Andy Griffith Show]]'' || Tiny / Charlie || 2 episodes
|-
| 1963 || ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]'' || Mike || Episode ''Terror At High Point''
|-
| 1963-1964 || ''[[The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet]]'' || Drive-in ticket clerk / Newspaper Man / Pool Hall Manager || 3 episodes
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Vacation Playhouse]]'' || Soldier #2 || Episode ''Papa G.I.''
|-
| 1965 || ''[[The F.B.I. (TV series)|The F.B.I.]]'' || Manager || Episode ''To Free My Enemy''
|-
| 1965, 1968 || ''[[Gomer Pyle: USMC]]'' || Attendant / Hawkins || 2 episodes
|-
| 1966-1967 || ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' || Bartender / Barney ||3 episodes
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Adam-12]]'' || Judge George Perkins || Episode ''Log 123: Courtroom''
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Land of the Giants]]'' || Bartender Harry || Episode ''Our Man O'Reilly''
|-
| 1970 || ''[[Julia (1968 TV series)|Julia]]'' || Security Guard || Episode ''Ready, Aim, Fired''
|-
| 1970 || ''[[Bracken's World]]'' || Pat, the projectionist || 2 episodes
|-
| 1971-1976 || ''[[All in the Family]]'' || Bert Munson || 10 episodes
|-
| 1971 || ''[[O'Hara, U.S. Treasury]]'' || Bart || Episode ''Operation: Bandera''
|-
| 1974 ||''[[The Phantom of Hollywood]]'' || Studio Engineer || TV film

|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|id= 0356890 |name=Billy Halop}}
*{{IBDB name}}
* {{Find a Grave|5162}}
* [http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/W%20Series/Whatever%20Became%20Of/Whatever%20Became%20Of%20xx-xx-xx%20Dead%20End%20Kids%20-%20Billy%20Halop.mp3 Radio interview with Billy Halop] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220043/http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/W%20Series/Whatever%20Became%20Of/Whatever%20Became%20Of%20xx-xx-xx%20Dead%20End%20Kids%20-%20Billy%20Halop.mp3 |date=March 3, 2016 }}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Halop, Billy}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1976 deaths]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male radio actors]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:American nurses]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Jewish American male actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Queens, New York]]
[[Category:Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:Male nurses]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]