Billy West | |
---|---|
![]() West in 1917 | |
Born | Roy Benjamin Weisberg (or Weissberg) September 22, 1892 Russia |
Died | July 21, 1975 Hollywood, California, US | (aged 82)
Billy West (September 22, 1892 – July 21, 1975) was a silent film actor, producer, and director. Active during the silent film era, he is best known as the premier Charlie Chaplin impersonator. He was a star in his own right, appearing in more than 100 films for nine different companies. Beyond acting, he also directed short comedies in the 1910s and '20s, and produced films. West retired as an actor in 1935,[1] but remained in the employ of Columbia Pictures into the 1950s.