Jack Betts, remembered for his role as Henry Balkan in Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man’ (2002) and his extensive work in spaghetti Westerns and theater, passed away in his sleep on June 19 at the age of 96. His nephew, Dean Sullivan, confirmed his passing.
Born in New Jersey and raised in Miami, Betts was inspired to pursue acting after seeing the film ‘Wuthering Heights’ in 1939. He studied theater at the University of Miami and later trained at the renowned Actors Studio in New York. He launched his acting career on Broadway with ‘Richard III’ and went on to star in numerous stage productions and films, including a three-year run in the play ‘Dracula’.
In the 1960s, Betts appeared in numerous popular Italian Western films such as ‘Sugar Colt’. He later made appearances on American television shows like ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Friends,’ ‘Frasier,’ and ‘Everybody Loves Raymond.’
Betts’s final screen credits include roles in ‘My Name Is Earl,’ ‘Recovery Road,’ and ‘Good Trouble’ (2019).
The Beverly Hills Playhouse paid tribute to Betts, stating in an emotional post, “Our beloved Jack Betts passed away peacefully at home. There was only ever one like this, and we are the richer for having his presence in our theatre. Rest in peace, Jack.”