Billy Gray Net Worth

What is Billy Gray's Net Worth?

Billy Gray is an American former actor who has a net worth of $1.5 million. Billy Gray is best known for playing Bud Anderson on the 1950s television sitcom "Father Knows Best." He also appeared in many films, including "Singing Guns," "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "All I Desire," and "Dusty and Sweets McGee."

Early Life and Education

Billy Gray was born on January 13, 1938 in Los Angeles, California to Beatrice, an actress, and William. Because he began acting when he was just four years of age, he received his education through teachers who were hired by the film studios where he worked.

Film Career

Before he even turned five, Gray made his film debut in the 1943 crime film "Man of Courage." Later in the decade, he appeared in the biopic "Fighting Father Dunne" and the Western "Bad Men of Tombstone." Gray began the 1950s with roles in "Father is a Bachelor," "Singing Guns," and "Sierra Passage." He also had an uncredited but memorable part in Nicholas Ray's film noir "In a Lonely Place," opposite Humphrey Bogart. Gray went on to appear in Michael Curtiz's 1951 sports biopic "Jim Thorpe – All-American," playing the younger version of the titular athlete, portrayed by Burt Lancaster as an adult. The same year, Gray played Bobby Benson in the science-fiction classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and Wesley Winfield in the musical romantic comedy "On Moonlight Bay." He would go on to reprise the latter role in the 1953 sequel "By the Light of the Silvery Moon." Before that, Gray starred in the film noir "Talk About a Stranger" and played the son of Barbara Stanwyck's main character in Douglas Sirk's "All I Desire." Among his subsequent credits was the musical comedy "The Girl Next Door."

In 1954, Gray starred alongside Philip Carey and Dorothy Patrick in the Western "The Outlaw Stallion." The following year, he portrayed film producer and director Bryan Foy in the biographical musical "The Seven Little Foys," starring Bob Hope as famed entertainer Eddie Foy. Gray mostly focused on television in the years after that; he didn't appear on the big screen again until 1961, with a supporting part in "The Explosive Generation." He continued to act sporadically in films for the rest of his career. In 1966, Gray played CPO Fred Twining in the science-fiction monster film "The Navy vs. the Night Monsters." His credits in the 1970s included the drama "Dusty and Sweets McGee," the exploitation film "Werewolves on Wheels," and the action crime film "Love and Bullets," starring Charles Bronson. Gray's final film credit was the 1980 short comedy film "Porklips Now," a parody of Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now."

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Television Career

Gray made his first appearances on television in 1950, playing two different characters in episodes of the CBS series "The Gene Autry Show." In 1953, he played the young Alan Harper in an episode of "Adventures of Superman." Gray began his most famous role the next year, as Bud Anderson on the sitcom "Father Knows Best." His character was the middle child and only son of Margaret Anderson, played by Jane Wyatt, and Jim Anderson, played by Robert Young. Bud's sisters, Kathy and Betty, were played by Lauren Chapin and Elinor Donahue, respectively. "Father Knows Best" ran for six total seasons through 1960, and earned Gray an Emmy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1959.

After the end of "Father Knows Best," Gray mostly appeared on television in guest roles. In the early 1960s, he was in episodes of the Western series "Stagecoach West," the private eye series "Peter Gunn," the sitcom "Bachelor Father," the anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and the Western "The Deputy," among other shows. After those, Gray had guest roles on "The Greatest Show on Earth," "Arrest and Trial," "Rawhide," "Combat!," and "Custer." At the start of the 1970s, he appeared in an episode of the short-lived NBC crime drama "The Bold Ones: The Protectors." Gray mostly quit acting on television after that, although he did return in 1977 to reprise his best-known role, as Bud Anderson, in the television films "The Father Knows Best Reunion" and "Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas."

Other Activities

Stepping away from full-time acting, Gray did competitive motorcycle speedway racing from 1970 to 1995. He also served as a race promoter. After that, Gray dabbled in entrepreneurship and invented the F-1 guitar pick.

Personal Life

Gray married his first wife, actress Helena Kallianiotes, in 1967. They divorced in 1969. In 1977, he married actress Donna Wilkes; they divorced in 1981.

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