Billy Drago facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Billy Drago
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| Born |
William Eugene Burrows
November 30, 1945 Hugoton, Kansas, U.S.
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| Died | June 24, 2019 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1979–2014 |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2, including Darren E. Burrows |
William Eugene Burrows (born November 30, 1945 – died June 24, 2019), known as Billy Drago, was an American actor. He was famous for playing villains in movies and TV shows. You might remember him from films like Pale Rider and The Untouchables. He also had important roles in TV series such as The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and Charmed.
His Early Life
Billy Drago was born William Eugene Burrows in Hugoton, Kansas. His birthday was November 30, 1945. His father was William Franklin Burrows Jr., and his mother was Gladys Marie Wilcox. Billy's family had roots from the Romani people and Native American groups. He later chose "Drago" as his stage name. This was his grandmother's maiden name. He used it so people wouldn't confuse him with another actor. When he was a kid, his parents often dropped him off at the movie theater. This was a fun thing to do in their small town.
After high school, Billy first worked as a journalist for the Associated Press. Then, he became a popular voice on the radio. This job took him to Canada and then to New York City. He also spent some time as a stuntman at Boot Hill in Dodge City, Kansas. After that, he went to the University of Kansas. Once he finished college, he joined an acting group. This was the start of his acting career.
Becoming an Actor
Billy Drago started acting in 1979. Some of his first movies included No Other Love and Windwalker. He also appeared in Cutter's Way, which starred Jeff Bridges. He then appeared as a guest star in many TV shows. These included Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting, and Trapper John, M.D..
His most famous role was playing the gangster Frank Nitti in the 1987 movie The Untouchables. This movie was a huge hit. After that, Billy Drago was in many more films and TV shows. He appeared in The X-Files. He also had a recurring role as the outlaw John Bly in The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr..
In 1999, he started playing the demon Barbas in the TV series Charmed. Barbas was supposed to be in only one episode. But fans loved him so much that he appeared in five of the show's eight seasons.
Billy Drago also appeared in Michael Jackson's music video for "You Rock My World" in 2001. He played a mysterious person in the Mike + The Mechanics music video for "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)". Other notable projects include the 2004 film Mysterious Skin, Pale Rider, and the 2006 version of The Hills Have Eyes. He also starred in an episode of Masters of Horror called "Imprint".
His Family and Later Life
Billy Drago was married to actress Silvana Gallardo. They were married from 1980 until her death in 2012. He had two sons, Derrick Burrows and Darren E. Burrows. Darren is also an actor.
Billy Drago passed away on June 24, 2019, in Los Angeles. He was 73 years old. He died from problems after having a stroke.
See also
In Spanish: Billy Drago para niños
