Billy Halop

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, was an actress who worked on radio and in television. Additionally, he had a much younger brother, Joel Tucker Halop (1934-2006).

Acting career In 1933, he was given the lead as Bobby Benson in the popular new radio show The H-Bar-O Rangers. 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".

While studying at the Professional Children's School and traveled to Hollywood with the rest of the Dead End Kids when Samuel Goldwyn produced a 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 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.

In the 1970s, Halop enjoyed a career resurgence playing the character Bert Munson, cab driver and close friend and neighborhood bar owner 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.

Following two heart attacks, Halop underwent open-heart surgery in the fall of 1971.

He died of a heart attack on November 9, 1976, in Hollywood at the age of 56. He is interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Filmography Films (partial)

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) 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) as Flashman You're Not So Tough (1940) as Tommy Abraham Lincoln 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) as Tom Mob Town (1941) as Tom Barker Sea Raiders (1941, serial) as Billy Adams 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) as Lt. Cmdr. Orville Swanson Boys' Night Out (1962) as Elevator Operator (uncredited) The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963) as Milkman (uncredited) 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)

Television Year Series Role Notes 1951 The Bigelow Theatre Unknown Episode Crossroad 1952 Racket Squad Salesman Episode Accidentally on Purpose 1952 The Unexpected Anthony 'Tony' O'Brien Episode Born Again 1953 Boston Blackie Johnny Evans Episode The Heist Job 1953 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 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 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 Steve Dorn Episode Desperate Men 1960 Wanted: Dead or Alive Cashier Episode Mental Lapse 1961 77 Sunset Strip Tim Acton Episode The Space Caper 1961 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 Unknown Episode Walk this Street Lightly 1962–1964 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 Milkman 1963 Going My Way Mr. Thompson Episode A Tough Act to Follow 1963 Glynis Riley Episode "Ten Cents a Dance" 1963 The Fugitive Mike Episode Terror at High Point 1963, 1965 The Andy Griffith Show Tiny / Charlie 2 episodes 1963 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. 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 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