John "Beau" Billingslea (born December 18, 1944) is an American actor
and voice actor, known as the voice of Jet Black in the critically
acclaimed anime Cowboy Bebop, Ogremon in Digimon and Homura and Ay,
the Fourth Raikage in Naruto Shippuden. In addition to voice acting,
he appeared in many television shows and some films including North
and South Book II: Love and War, Just Jordan, The Hannah Montana Movie
and Star Trek Into Darkness.Billingslea was born in Charleston, South
Carolina. His mother was from Malensis, South Carolina, near
Charleston, and his father was from Macon, Georgia. His family moved
to Meriden, Connecticut, where he grew up. At Maloney High School, he
lettered in football, basketball and baseball and was offered a
contract with the Kansas City Athletics, but at the advice of his
father, went to University of Connecticut, where he played football
and co-captained in his senior year. He graduated with a Bachelor's in
Political Science in 1966. He was involved in ROTC and had to turn
down entering the NFL in order to fulfill his military service,
however, his commitment was deferred so that he could attend UConn Law
School, where he graduated and passed the Connecticut bar in 1969. He
became an officer in the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps and had
tours in Germany and Europe, working on a number of cases. In Germany,
he also taught criminal law for the University of Maryland's extension
program.While in college, Billingslea was encouraged by his fraternity
brother to perform the lead role in a production of The Emperor Jones.
This inspired him to go into acting, and he started getting involved
professionally while he was in law school. After moving to Los
Angeles, he was involved in a number of action shows, including TJ
Hooker, Hunter, The Fall Guy and The A-Team. Billingslea mentioned in
an interview that it was probably because of his military background
that he was often cast as an officer. He portrayed Ezra in the TV
miniseries North and South and was involved in a number of shows
including Who's the Boss?, Murphy Brown and Married... with Children.
On the Nick series Just Jordan he played Jordan's maternal grandfather
Grant. In the TV sitcom Franklin & Bash he portrayed Judge Douglas. He
also acted in films such as Night Shift, The American President,
Hannah Montana: The Movie, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and a remake
of The Blob. In 2013, he portrayed Captain Abbot of the Starship
Bradbury in the feature film Star Trek Into Darkness. He continues to
act in stage plays such as Driving Miss Daisy where he was nominated
for a Los Angeles Ovation Award in 2005.
and voice actor, known as the voice of Jet Black in the critically
acclaimed anime Cowboy Bebop, Ogremon in Digimon and Homura and Ay,
the Fourth Raikage in Naruto Shippuden. In addition to voice acting,
he appeared in many television shows and some films including North
and South Book II: Love and War, Just Jordan, The Hannah Montana Movie
and Star Trek Into Darkness.Billingslea was born in Charleston, South
Carolina. His mother was from Malensis, South Carolina, near
Charleston, and his father was from Macon, Georgia. His family moved
to Meriden, Connecticut, where he grew up. At Maloney High School, he
lettered in football, basketball and baseball and was offered a
contract with the Kansas City Athletics, but at the advice of his
father, went to University of Connecticut, where he played football
and co-captained in his senior year. He graduated with a Bachelor's in
Political Science in 1966. He was involved in ROTC and had to turn
down entering the NFL in order to fulfill his military service,
however, his commitment was deferred so that he could attend UConn Law
School, where he graduated and passed the Connecticut bar in 1969. He
became an officer in the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps and had
tours in Germany and Europe, working on a number of cases. In Germany,
he also taught criminal law for the University of Maryland's extension
program.While in college, Billingslea was encouraged by his fraternity
brother to perform the lead role in a production of The Emperor Jones.
This inspired him to go into acting, and he started getting involved
professionally while he was in law school. After moving to Los
Angeles, he was involved in a number of action shows, including TJ
Hooker, Hunter, The Fall Guy and The A-Team. Billingslea mentioned in
an interview that it was probably because of his military background
that he was often cast as an officer. He portrayed Ezra in the TV
miniseries North and South and was involved in a number of shows
including Who's the Boss?, Murphy Brown and Married... with Children.
On the Nick series Just Jordan he played Jordan's maternal grandfather
Grant. In the TV sitcom Franklin & Bash he portrayed Judge Douglas. He
also acted in films such as Night Shift, The American President,
Hannah Montana: The Movie, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and a remake
of The Blob. In 2013, he portrayed Captain Abbot of the Starship
Bradbury in the feature film Star Trek Into Darkness. He continues to
act in stage plays such as Driving Miss Daisy where he was nominated
for a Los Angeles Ovation Award in 2005.
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