Billy Sands

Billy Sands (January 6, 1911 – August 27, 1984) was an American character actor who appeared as a regular on The Phil Silvers Show (Sgt Bilko) as Pvt. Dino Papparelli and was a regular on McHale's Navy as Harrison "Tinker" Bell. He also made guest-starring roles on many other television series, including Car 54, Where Are You?, All in the Family, Here's Lucy, Happy Days, and The Odd Couple. Sands also appears in one of the opening scenes of Rocky as a booker for the fighters. 2Personal life and death Born William F. Sands in Bergen, New York to John F. and Dana Alice (nee Warboys) Sands, he began his professional career in 1946 when he appeared on Broadway with Spencer Tracy in Robert E. Sherwood's Rugged Path. Sands died of lung cancer at the age of 73 while at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on August 27, 1984. He is buried at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. 2Partial filmography McHale's Navy (1964) - Motor Machinist Mate Harrison Bell McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965) - Motor Machinist Mate Harrison Bell The Reluctant Astronaut (1967) - Airport Announcer / Man Mopping Floor in Film (uncredited) P.J. (1968) - Barber (uncredited) The Love Go