William Eugene "Billy " Burrows, Jr. (born November 30, 1945), better known by his stage name Billy Drago , is an American actor known for his roles as villains in television and motion pictures. Among his more well known films are Clint Eastwood 's western Pale Rider Brian De Palma 's The Untouchables
Born William Eugene Burrows, Jr., in Hugoton, Kansas , the son of actor/director William Eugene Burrows, Sr. (1914–1999), and Gladys Burrows (1917–1993), he took his grandmother's maiden name as his stage name to keep from being confused with another actor. His father was of Chiricahua Apache ancestry and his mother Romany. After high school he worked as a stuntman at Boot Hill in Dodge City, Kansas . From there he went on to the University of Kansas. After finishing college he was a radio host for a time before joining an acting company that took him first to Canada then New York City .
Drago is the father of actor Darren E. Burrows . He was married to actress Silvana Gallardo.
Drago began his acting career in 1979. His early films include No Other Love , Windwalker and the Jeff Bridges vehicle Cutter's Way . He went on to guest star in numerous television series including: Hill Street Blues Moonlighting Walker Texas Ranger 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 The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. and The X-Files
In 1999 he played the demon Barbas in the WB series Charmed
His ongoing film resume includes Delta Force 2 , Tremors 4: The Legend Begins Pale Rider Michael Jackson 's 2001 music video "You Rock My World ". Drago also played a mysterious stranger who gave a boy a special key in the Mike + The Mechanics music video for "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)" in 1985.
Other film roles include Gregg Araki 's 2004 film Mysterious Skin , the remake of horror film The Hills Have Eyes Children of the Corn: Genesis Takashi Miike 's Masters of Horror Imprint Showtime pulled from the air due to "disturbing content."
Actor
2014
The Dance as
The Stranger
2013
Black Asylum (Short) as
Leonard Gorman
2012
Birth of an Outlaw (Short) as
Boss
2012
Night of the Templar as
Shauna the Chef
2011
Balls to the Wall as
Belthagor
2011
Children of the Corn: Genesis as
Preacher
2010
The Fallen Angel (Short) as
Lucifer
2009
The Ritual as
The Man in Black
2009
Ghost Town (TV Movie) as
Reb Halland
2009
Dark Moon Rising as
Thibodeaux
2008
Copperhead (TV Movie) as
Jesse Evans
2008
Supernatural (TV Series) as
Doc Benton
- Time Is on My Side (2008) - Doc Benton
2008
3 Stories About Evil (Short) as
Mr. Harris
2007
Zombie Hunters as
Dr. Frankfurt
2007
Revamped (Video) as
Vladimus
2007
Moving McAllister as
The Lady
2007
The Dead One as
The Old Indian
2006
Lime Salted Love as
Zephyr's Stepdad
2006
13 Graves (TV Movie) as
Red Maines
2006
The Hills Have Eyes as
Papa Jupiter
2006
Masters of Horror (TV Series) as
Christopher
- Imprint (2006) - Christopher
2005
Blood Relic (Video) as
Harry
2004
Worn Like a Tattoo (Short)
2004
Somewhere in the Middle (Short) as
Father
1999
Charmed (TV Series) as
Barbas
- A Call to Arms (2004) - Barbas
- It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World: Part 2 (2004) - Barbas
- It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World: Part 1 (2004) - Barbas
- Crimes & Witch Demeanors (2004) - Barbas
- Sympathy for the Demon (2002) - Barbas
- Ms. Hellfire (2000) - Barbas
- From Fear to Eternity (1999) - Barbas
2004
Fort Doom (Video) as
Mr. Fallow
2004
Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (Video) as
Black Hand Kelly
2003
All for Money (Short)
2002
Welcome to America as
Crazy Old Man
2001
Death Game as
Shakes Montrose
2001
Michael Jackson: You Rock My World (Music Video short) as
Thug
2000
Mirror Mirror 4: Reflections as
Frederick Champion
2000
Strike Zone (Video) as
Alex Goddard
2000
The X-Files (TV Series) as
Orel Peattie
- Theef (2000) - Orel Peattie
1999
Nash Bridges (TV Series) as
Lou Grissom
- Vendetta (1999) - Lou Grissom
1999
Lima: Breaking the Silence as
General Monticito Frantacino
1999
Soccer Dog: The Movie (Damon Fleming) The Dog Catcher
1998
Monkey Business as
Branson
1997
A Doll in the Dark as
Keith
1997
Assault on Devil's Island (TV Movie) as
Carlos Gallindo
1996
Blue Devil, Blue Devil as
Macintower
1996
Sci-fighters (Video) as
Adrian Dunn
1996
Blood Money as
Agent Pierce
1995
Drifting School as
Thomas King
1995
Mirror Mirror 3: The Voyeur as
Anthony
1995
Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series) as
Running Wolf
- Evil in the Night (1995) - Running Wolf
1994
The Takeover (Video) as
Daniel Stein
1994
Never Say Die as
Reverend James
1993
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (TV Series) as
John Bly
- Bye Bly (1994) - John Bly
- Fountain of Youth (1994) - John Bly
- Crystal Hawks (1993) - John Bly
- Senior Spirit (1993) - John Bly
- The Orb Scholar (1993) - John Bly
- Pilot (1993) - John Bly
1993
Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow (Video) as
Danny Bench
1993
Deadly Heroes as
Jose Maria Carlos
1993
The Outfit as
Lucky Luciano
1992
Death Ring (Video) as
Danton Vachs
1992
Secret Games (Video) as
Mark Langford
1991
Martial Law II: Undercover (Video) as
Captain Krantz
1991
Diplomatic Immunity as
Cowboy
1990
Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection as
Ramon Cota
1989
Mike + The Mechanics: A Closer Look (Video) as
Mysterious Stranger (video 'Silent Running')
1989
Gwang tin lung fo wooi as
Scalia
1989
Monsters (TV Series) as
Richard
- Cocoon (1989) - Richard
1989
True Blood as
Billy 'Spider' Masters
1988
Friday the 13th: The Series (TV Series) as
Edgar Van Horne
- Read My Lips (1988) - Edgar Van Horne
1988
Dark Before Dawn as
Cabalista Leader
1988
Freeway as
Edward Anthony Heller
1988
Hero and the Terror as
Dr. Highwater
1987
The Untouchables as
Nitti
1987
In Self Defense (TV Movie) as
Edward Reeves
1987
The Wizard (TV Series) as
Tonio
- Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves (1987) - Tonio
1983
T.J. Hooker (TV Series) as
Angelo Dupree / Carl Malek
- Into the Night (1986) - Angelo Dupree
- Carnal Express (1983) - Carl Malek
1986
North and South, Book II (TV Mini Series) as
Rat
- May 1864 - Late Autumn 1864 (1986) - Rat
1986
The Fall Guy (TV Series) as
Freddie
- The Bigger They Are (1986) - Freddie
1986
Hill Street Blues (TV Series) as
Leo
- Scales of Justice (1986) - Leo
1984
Hunter (TV Series) as
Le Claire / Rosco Ganther
- War Zone (1986) - Le Claire
- Pen Pals (1984) - Rosco Ganther
1985
Mike & the Mechanics: Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (Music Video) as
Mysterious Man
1985
Moonlighting (TV Series) as
Gangster in Leather Coat
- My Fair David (1985) - Gangster in Leather Coat
1985
Trapper John, M.D. (TV Series) as
Snakebite
- Just Around the Coroner (1985) - Snakebite
1985
Invasion U.S.A. as
Mickey
1985
Pale Rider as
Deputy Mather
1985
Hardcastle and McCormick (TV Series) - You Don't Hear the One That Gets You (1985)
1984
Partners in Crime (TV Series) as
Man in White Suit
- Celebrity (1984) - Man in White Suit
1984
The Sheriff and the Astronaut (TV Movie) as
Danny
1984
Automan (TV Series) as
Chico Fuentes
- Renegade Run (1984) - Chico Fuentes
1983
Cutter to Houston (TV Series) - The Life You Save (1983)
1982
Gavilan (TV Series) as
Billy Joe
- A Drop in the Ocean (1982) - Billy Joe
1982
Johnny Belinda (TV Movie) as
Cutter
1981
Strike Force (TV Series) as
Ernie
- Strike Force (1981) - Ernie
1981
Cutter's Way as
Garbage Man
1979
The Chisholms (TV Series) as
Teetontah / Teetonkah
- Chapter IV (1979) - Teetontah
- Chapter III (1979) - Teetonkah
1979
No Other Love (TV Movie) as
Brian
Producer
-
Sandy (Documentary) (executive producer) (completed)
2009
Dark Moon Rising (co-producer)
2005
Blood Relic (Video) (associate producer)
1995
Mirror Mirror 3: The Voyeur (associate producer)
Writer
Self
-
Sandy (Documentary) (completed)
2016
One of Those Nights: The Making of 'Vamp' (Video documentary short) as
Self
2016
The Making of the Mob (TV Series documentary) as
Self - 'Frank Nitti', The Untouchables
- Chicago: New Blood (2016) - Self - 'Frank Nitti', The Untouchables
2014
The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films (Documentary) as
Self
2011
Underground Entertainment: The Movie (Documentary) as
Spankin' Bill
2009
Fading to Zero (Documentary) as
Self
2006
I Am the Film Director of Love: An Interview with Takashi Miike (Video documentary short) as
Self
2006
Imprinting: The Making of 'Imprint' (Video documentary) as
Self
2006
Surviving the Hills: Making of 'the Hills Have Eyes' (Video documentary) as
Self
2006
Demons Among Us (Video documentary short) as
Self
2005
The Making of 'Seven Mummies' (Video) as
Self
2004
Michael Jackson: The One (TV Movie documentary) as
Self - video 'You Rock My World'
2004
You're on the Set of 'Tremors 4: The Legend Begins' (Video documentary short) as
Self
Archive Footage
2019
Remembering 2019: In Memoriam (TV Special) as
Self / actor
2006
The History of Brisco County, Jr. (Video documentary short) as
John Bly
2003
Michael Jackson: Number Ones (Video documentary) as
Thug (segment "You Rock My World")
1994
Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater (TV Series) as
Diego
- Episode dated 17 September 1994 (1994) - Diego
1987
The Untouchables: Featurette (Video documentary short) as
Frank Nitti
1980
The Chisholms (TV Series) as
Teetontah
- Siege (1980) - Teetontah (uncredited)
