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Billy Gray

Billy Gray

Actor · Born January 13, 1938 (88) · Los Angeles, California, USA

Billy Gray (born January 13, 1938) is an American actor best known for his role as Bud Anderson on the classic television sitcom *Father Knows Best* (1954–1960). His career spans both film and television, and he became a prominent figure in 1950s and 1960s American entertainment. Billy Gray was born in Los Angeles, California. He began his acting career at a young age, appearing in commercials and small roles on television. His early experiences in the entertainment industry led to more significant roles in both film and television. Gray’s big break came when he was cast as Bud Anderson, the teenage son of Jim and Margaret Anderson, on *Father Knows Best*. The show, which ran for six seasons, was a family-oriented sitcom that became one of the most beloved TV shows of its time. As Bud, Gray portrayed the typical all-American teen of the 1950s, and his performance made him a household name. His portrayal of the character earned him recognition and a lasting place in the hearts of TV viewers. In addition to his work on *Father Knows Best*, Billy Gray appeared in a variety of other television series and films. His film career included roles in movies such as *The Day the Earth Stood Still* (1951), *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955), and *The Lone Ranger* (1956). He also appeared in several TV dramas and variety shows, showcasing his versatility as an actor. Following the end of *Father Knows Best* in 1960, Gray’s acting career slowed down. While he appeared in occasional roles on TV shows and films, he transitioned into a variety of other professions, including running a successful business. Billy Gray's personal life was relatively low-key. He had a passion for motorcycles and racing, which he pursued after his acting career began to wind down. Gray also became involved in the antique business, eventually opening his own store specializing in rare and collectible items. As of now, Billy Gray is still alive and living a quiet life, away from the public eye. He occasionally makes appearances at fan conventions and has expressed gratitude for his time on *Father Knows Best* and his place in TV history.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 13, 1938 (88)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 61 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 7% in 30 days

What are Billy Gray's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 82nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 7th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
47%
Survival
19%
Self
12%
Society
10%
Power
5%
Morality
3%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 3 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 6 · Intense 0

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 7
Trickster
2 of 7
Herald
1 of 7
Shadow
1 of 7
Hero
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
7
Joyful
5
Tense
4
Romantic
3
Melancholic
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Feel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Billy Gray's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Billy Gray's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

61 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Vampyre Wars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Majordomo

  • Porklips Now (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Dullard

  • Love and Bullets(1979)

    as Officer Durant

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Bud Anderson

  • The Father Knows Best Reunion(1977)

    as James Anderson Jr.

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Werewolves on Wheels(1971)

    as Pill

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Dusty and Sweets McGee(1971)

    as City Life

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Ping-Pong Match (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Ping Pong Player

  • The Navy vs. the Night Monsters(1966)

    as CPO Fred Twining

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • That Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Greatest Show on Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Nick

  • Arrest and Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Colin Martin

  • Two for the Seesaw(1962)

    as Monsieur Jacoby

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Stagecoach West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Frankie Niles

  • The Scarlet Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Tom Rycker

  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Perry Hatch

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Seven Little Foys(1955)

    as Bryan Lincoln Foy

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Father Knows Best(1954)

    Show 203 episodes · as Bud Anderson

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Outlaw Stallion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Danny Saunders

  • All I Desire(1953)

    as Ted Murdoch

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Girl Next Door(1953)

    as Joe Carter

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • By the Light of the Silvery Moon(1953)

    as Wesley Winfield

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Adventures of Superman(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Alan Harper

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Talk About a Stranger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Robert 'Bud' Fontaine Jr.

  • The Day the Earth Stood Still(1951)

    as Bobby Benson

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Guy Who Came Back(1951)

    as Willy Joplin

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • On Moonlight Bay(1951)

    as Wesley Winfield

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Racket Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Her First Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Boy at Camp Barracks (uncredited)

  • So You Want to Be a Cowboy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Little Boy Movie Patron with Lollipop

  • Gene Autry and the Mounties(1951)

    as Ned (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Sierra Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Young Johnny Yorke

  • The Killer That Stalked New York(1950)

    as Pinkie (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Between Midnight and Dawn(1950)

    as Peter J. 'Petey' Conklin (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Mister 880(1950)

    as Mickey (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Gene Autry Show(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Eddie Baker · as Jimmy Foster

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • In a Lonely Place(1950)

    as Young Boy Seeking Autograph (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Kill the Umpire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Boy Playing Baseball (uncredited)

  • The Good Humor Man(1950)

    as Junior (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Singing Guns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Actor

  • Father Is a Bachelor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Feb Chalotte

  • Abandoned (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Tough Kid in Park (uncredited)

  • The House Across the Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Boy (uncredited)

  • Lust for Gold(1949)

    as Boy

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff(1949)

    as Boy With Bow and Arrow (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Parlor, Bedroom and Wrath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Actor

  • Fighting Father Dunne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Chip

  • The Judge Steps Out(1948)

    as Boy at Birthday Party (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Gangster(1947)

    as Little Boy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Curley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Sandy

  • Backlash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Denny

  • The Strange Woman(1946)

    as Boy on Bridge (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Rendezvous with Annie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Little Boy (uncredited)

  • Specter of the Rose(1946)

    as Jack Jones

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Suspense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Small Boy at Zoo (uncredited)

  • Our Old Car (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Boy (uncredited)

  • Cluny Brown(1946)

    as Richard Watkins

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • To Each His Own(1946)

    as Billy Ingham

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Adventures of Rusty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Harry (uncredited)

  • The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry(1945)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • A Present with a Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Billy (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 92nd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 61 titles from 1943 to 1996; peak year 1962.

Biggest box office

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

$651 worldwide

Highest rated

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Father Knows Best (1954)

Film career

19431996

Peak 1962 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting61 of 61: 61 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score67th

By decade

1940s20 · acting1950s27 · acting1960s7 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s1 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 14 roles
4550

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Billy Gray's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Werewolves on Wheels (1971)

67th percentile spread · 57% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Billy Gray work with?

People who share at least 2 of Billy Gray's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jack Rose shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Composers

Producers