BILLY DRAGO

'Billy Drago' (born September 18, 1949) is an American actor. He changed his last name to ''Drago'' to avoid being confused with ''Naked Lunch'' author William S. Burroughs.

Contents

Biography

Career

Trivia

Selected filmography

External links

Biography

Born 'Billy Eugene Burrows' in Hugoton, Kansas to William and Gladys Burrows. His father was part Apache while his mother was part Bohemian. He took his mother's maiden name as his stage name to keep from being confused with another actor.
After high school he worked as an stuntman at Boot Hill in Dodge City, KS. From there Billy went on to the University of Kansas. After finishing college he was a radio host for a time before joining an acting company taking him first to Canada then on to New York City.
Billy is the father of actor Darren E. Burrows of ''Northern Exposure''.

Career

Drago began his acting career in 1979. His early works were in such films as, ''No Other Love'', ''Windwalker'' and the Jeff Bridges vehicle ''Cutter's Way''. He moved forward and appeared in guest starring roles in numerous television series; including: ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Moonlighting'' and ''Trapper John, M.D''.
Drago is perhaps best known for the role of Al Capone's henchman Frank Nitti in Brian De Palma's 1987 film ''The Untouchables''. Since that point he has appeared in numerous films and television roles; his more recent television résumé includes ''The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.'', ''Charmed'' and ''The X-Files''.
His ongoing film resume includes: '', and '' and ''Pale Rider'', as a hired hitman. He also was featured in Michael Jackson's 2001 short film/music video "You Rock My World". Drago also played a mysterious stranger who gave a boy a special key in the Mike and the Mechanics music video for "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" in 1985. Drago's latest movie roles were in Gregg Araki's 2004 film ''Mysterious Skin'', the horror remake ''The Hills Have Eyes'', and a rare leading role in Takashi Miike's ''Masters of Horror'' episode "Imprint", which Showtime pulled from the air due to "disturbing content". The episode has been released on DVD.

Trivia

His son is actor Darren E. Burrows, and his wife is actress Silvana Gallardo.

Selected filmography

★ ''The Hills Have Eyes'' (2006)

★ ''Demon Hunter''

★ ''Mysterious Skin'' (2004)

★ '' (2004) (V)

★ '' (1999)

★ ''Mad Dog Time'' (1996)

★ ''Cyborg 2'' (1993)

★ ''Guncrazy'' (1992)

★ '' (1990)

★ ''Hero and the Terror'' (1988)

★ ''The Untouchables'' (1987)

★ ''North and South, Book II'' (1986) (mini)

★ ''Vamp'' (1986)

★ ''Pale Rider'' (1985)

★ ''Invasion U.S.A.'' (1985)

★ ''Cutter's Way'' (1981)

External links

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★ TV.com - Billy Drago information