Billy Green Bush

Amiable and exceptional character actor Billy Green Bush appeared in a handful of offbeat and enduring cult classic features made in the early '70s. Tall, handsome and rangy, Bush often portrayed engaging good ol' boy types, rugged cowboys and stern police officers. He was born as William Warren Bush in 1935. Billy was terrific as lazy hillbilly oil rig worker Elton in Bob Rafelson's wonderful Five Easy Pieces (1970). He was likewise excellent as cop Robert Blake's affably dimwitted partner Zipper in the splendid Electra Glide in Blue (1973). Bush gave another outstanding performance as tough-as-nails trail boss Frank Culpepper in the superbly gritty Western The Culpepper Cattle Co. (1972). Other memorable roles include a hard-nosed sheriff in Welcome Home, Soldier Boys (1971), no-nonsense Warden Earl Gulliver in the powerful made-for-TV movie The Jericho Mile (1979), gruff state trooper Donner in The Hitcher (1986), and resolute farmer Jay Brown in the immensely enjoyable creature fea