---
name: "Billy Kearns"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/billy-kearns"
fi1m_id: "billy-kearns"
imdb_id: "nm0443985"
tmdb_id: 35958
wikidata_id: "Q2903658"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 February 1923"
died: "28 November 1992"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 81
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T04:34:36.881161+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Billy Kearns

## Identity

Billy Kearns

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/billy-kearns
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** billy-kearns
- **IMDb ID:** nm0443985
- **TMDB ID:** 35958
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2903658
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Kearns, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2903658, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0443985/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/35958

Actor. Born 17 February 1923 in Seattle, Washington, USA. Died 28 November 1992.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 February 1923, Seattle, Washington, USA
- **Died:** 28 November 1992
- **Active:** 1960–1976
- **Also known as:** William R. Kearns, Bill Kearns, Билли Кирнс, William Byron "Billy" Kearns, William Byron Kearns
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 3 acting, 1 other
- **Average Fi1m score:** 81, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 85 (2), 1970s 78 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 81 to 72 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Crime 2, Drama 2, Thriller 2, Comedy 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $22m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Kearns, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2903658, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0443985/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/35958

## Biography

Billy Kearns (born William Byron Kearns) was an American actor. He served in the US Army's 10th Mountain Division during the Second World War. His acting career was based almost entirely in France, where he frequently played American or British characters in supporting roles in films and television.

Kearns appeared in *Purple Noon* (1960) as Freddy Miles, *PlayTime* (1967) as Mr Schulz, *The Trial* (1962) as the First Assistant Inspector, *Marathon Man* (1976) as part of the tourist couple, and *Bed and Board* (1970) as Mr Max. He is also known for portraying Bill Ballantine in the French television series *Bob Morane* (1964–1965). His final film role was in *Génération oxygène* (1991). He died in Château-d'Œx, Switzerland, in November 1992.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (3) — the average rests on these

- *Marathon Man* (1976), Fi1m 74, as Tourist Couple — [page](https://film.one/film/marathon-man.md)
- *PlayTime* (1967), Fi1m 88, as Mr. Schulz, the American businessman — [page](https://film.one/film/playtime.md)
- *Purple Noon* (1960), Fi1m 82, as Freddy Miles — [page](https://film.one/film/purple-noon.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Patton* (1970), Fi1m 82, as Officer Callagher (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/patton.md)

## Complete filmography (47)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Man Who Lived at the Ritz* (1988), as Uncle Gerard
- *Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun* (1988), as Farmer
- *Reunion at Fairborough* (1985), Actor
- *Dempsey and Makepeace* (1985), series, as O'Grady — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/dempsey-and-makepeace.md)
- *Just the Way You Are* (1984), as Earl Cooper
- *Enigma* (1982), Actor
- *Qu'est-ce qui fait craquer les filles...* (1982), as Customer with cigar
- *The Hostage Tower* (1980), as General Hornbecker
- *Les Borsalini* (1980), as Le boss
- *Marathon Man* (1976), as Tourist Couple — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/marathon-man.md)
- *Le Cœur sous le paillasson* (1976), as Wydmark
- *Nick Verlaine ou Comment voler la tour Eiffel* (1976), series, as Crowder
- *Holy Year* (1976), as Pilot of the plane
- *La Mort d'un touriste* (1975), series, as Martin Corwell
- *The Dangerous Mission* (1975), as L'officier américain
- *Gross Paris* (1974), Actor
- *Too Small My Friend* (1971), as Wannassee
- *Qu'est-ce qui fait courir les crocodiles ?* (1971), as Sitting
- *Supergirl* (1971), as Billy Kearns
- *The Married Couple of the Year Two* (1971), as le beau-père
- *The Love Mates* (1970), as L'acheteur américain
- *Them* (1970), as Wesley
- *Atlantic Wall* (1970), as Training camp commander
- *Et qu'ça saute !* (1970), Actor
- *Bed and Board* (1970), as Mr. Max
- *The Time to Die* (1970), as Helmut
- *Patton* (1970), as Officer Callagher (uncredited) — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/patton.md)
- *PlayTime* (1967), as Mr. Schulz, the American businessman — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/film/playtime.md)
- *The Exchange Student* (1967), as Driver of the coach
- *Shock Troops* (1967), as Hoffer
- *O.S.S. 117: Mission to Tokyo* (1966), as Mr. Smith
- *The Gendarme in New York* (1965), as Le lieutenant de police
- *How to Keep the Red Lamp Burning* (1965), as Le client Texan (sketch "Le Procès") (non crédité)
- *Killer Spy* (1965), as American spy
- *Bob Morane* (1965), series, as Bill Ballantine
- *Blague dans le coin* (1963), as Lieutenant Smith
- *Symphony for a Massacre* (1963), as American customer (uncredited)
- *The Day and the Hour* (1963), as Pat Riley
- *The Trial* (1962), as Assistant Inspector #1
- *The Fourth Sex* (1962), as (uncredited)
- *Rue du Havre* (1962), Actor
- *Three Faces of Sin* (1961), as Client
- *No Time for Ecstasy* (1961), as Kunk
- *Purple Noon* (1960), as Freddy Miles — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/purple-noon.md)
- *Robinson et le triporteur* (1960), Actor
- *Two Men in Manhattan* (1959), as Security man at Ridgewood Tavern
- *Witness in the City* (1959), as American soldier

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/billy-kearns