Spider-Man' Actor Jack Betts Dies At 96
Los Angeles: Veteran actor Jack Betts, best known for his role in 'Spider-Man', has died. He was 96. As per Bett's nephew, Dean Sullivan, Hollywood actor breathed his last on Thursday at home in Los Osos, California, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
A member of The Actors Studio, Betts portrayed Llanview Hospital doctor Ivan Kipling on ABC's One Life to Live from 1979-85, and his soap opera resume also included stints on General Hospital, The Edge of Night, The Doctors, Another World, All My Children, Search for Tomorrow, Guiding Light, Loving and Generations. Betts bluffed his way into starring as the avenging title character in Franco Giraldi's Sugar Colt (1966), where he was billed as Hunt Powers for the first time. The film kicked off a run of about 15 spaghetti Westerns for him through 1973 but left him without the fame enjoyed by another American star of similar Italian fare. He made his big-screen debut in The Bloody Brood (1959), starring Peter Falk, then joined Anthony George, Sebastian Cabot and Doug McClure in 1961 to play detective Chris Devlin on the second and last season of CBS' Checkmate, created by Eric Ambler. Betts appeared four times on CBS' Perry Mason from 1961-66 before he met Giraldi about starring in Sugar Colt. He told the director that he could ride a horse and had just won a shooting contest -- of course, he had never been on a horse or handled a gun -- but he spent the next three weeks learning those skills at John Wayne's ranch before reporting for duty at Cinecitta in Rome.
He is survived by his nephew Dean, his nieces, Lynne and Gail, and his sister, Joan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Spider-Man vs. antihero Punisher? Marvel's newest crossover might be its most intense yet; everything to know
No matter how much superhero fatigue is out there, Spider-Man always seems to swing above the noise. Tom Holland's take on the web-slinger remains a fan favourite, and now with Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially on the horizon, Marvel and Sony have dropped a major update. There's a new villain in town, and he's a familiar face. Spider-Man and the Punisher Enter: Jon Bernthal. Best known for playing Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, Bernthal has officially joined the upcoming Spider-Man movie, which begins shooting in England this summer and is set to release on July 31, 2026. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) is directing, and the film will see the return of Zendaya as MJ as well as Jacob Batalon as Ned. Also joining the mix is Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink. Having Bernthal's Punisher in the mix immediately hints at a grittier tone for the film. Known for his brutal, no-nonsense vigilante justice — fists, knives, and guns over gadgets and spells — the Punisher brings a raw intensity that could challenge Peter Parker in ways we haven't seen on screen before. As one fan said on X, 'There is so much they could do with this! Love to see a fight with Frank combating Peter's superhuman abilities with his tactical knowledge and planning.' Bernthal's Frank Castle first appeared in Netflix's Daredevil before headlining his own two-season series. He recently reprised the role in Daredevil: Born Again, and this new casting puts him squarely back in the MCU spotlight. The internet, of course, has lost it. 'I literally screamed. Best news I've heard in a while,' one fan wrote. Another added, 'Can't believe we're finally going to see the Punisher on screen alongside Spider-Man. It's been a long time coming.' So far, Brand New Day is shaping up to be anything but business as usual. The two stars will also be seen together in Christopher Nolan's upcoming movie adaptation of The Odyssey, which is due to release in July, 2026.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
This 1 hour 50 minute suspense thriller has no hero, no villain, yet it will thrill you till the end, has 7.6 rating on IMDb, film is…, lead actors are…
A film doesn't always require a huge budget or a star-studded cast to become a superhit. Sometimes, compelling storytelling, a strong script and the talent of skilled actors are all that you need to make the film work. Today we will be discussing a low-budget film with no 'big hero' that is regarded as one of the best suspense thrillers. 2018's Psychological Thriller Awe Here we are talking about the psychological thriller Awe, Released seven years ago. Released in 2018, Awe features 9 actors including Nani, Ravi Teja, Kajal Aggarwal, Nithya Menen, Regina Cassandra, Eesha Rebba, Srinivas Avasarala, Priyadarshi Pullikonda, Murli Sharma and more. When such talented group of actors comes together, it's natural that the audience expects nothing less than gold. The film is directed by Hanu-Man fame director, Prasanth Varma and bankrolled by actor Nani under his production house, Wall Poster Cinema. Awe In Terms of Storytelling Exploring Different Shades The film is the story of a girl named Kali. Kali's character is played by pan India actress Kajal Aggarwal. Kali suffers from multiple personality disorder. Kali suffers from memory loss. The film begins with a man who builds a time travel machine and wants to go back and meet his parents whom he has never met before. Similarly, there is a woman named Meera who is a drug addict. The story of the film is related to mental illness, abuse, sex and sexuality. The concept of homosexuality is also shown in the film. This is the first film made in Telugu, which shows the love and relationship of two women in such a beautiful way. 'Awe' shows different and surprising stories of characters named Moksh, Radha, Meera, Krish, Naal, Shiv, Yogi and Parvati. But in the climax, it is revealed that all these were mere dark imaginations. Awe received recognition at the 66th National Film Awards, clinching awards for Best Special Effects and Best Make-Up. It surpassed other thrilling films such as Kahaani and Drishyam in IMDb ratings, it has rating of 7.6, which is available for streaming on Netflix.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Veteran actor Jack Betts, known for Spider-Man, dies at 96
Jack Betts, best known for his roles in spaghetti Westerns and as Henry Balkan in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' (2002), died peacefully in his sleep on June 19 at his home in Los Osos, California. He was 96. The news was confirmed by his nephew, Dean a career spanning over six decades, Betts left an indelible mark on stage, film, and television. A lifelong admirer of Laurence Olivier - whose performance in 'Wuthering Heights' inspired his pursuit of acting - Betts studied theatre at the University of Miami before making his Broadway debut in Richard III. He later headlined Dracula on Broadway for three years, beginning in the 1960s, Betts became a familiar face in Italian Westerns, notably starring in 'Sugar Colt' (1966), directed by Franco Giraldi. On television, he made memorable appearances in popular series like 'Seinfeld', 'Frasier', 'Friends', 'My Name Is Earl', and 'Everybody Loves Raymond'. In more recent years, Betts continued acting with roles in shows like Recovery Road and Good Trouble (2019), proving his enduring presence on screen. His performance as Henry Balkan in 'Spider-Man', opposite Willem Dafoe, remains one of his most recognised Betts is survived by his nephew Dean, nieces Lynee and Gail, and his sister Joan.
