Actor. He is best known for playing a variety of different roles including freaks, thugs, townsman, inmates, barflys, jurors, and sailors in several classic horror, western, and historical films. He will be best remembered for his role as the 'Witch' in the fantasy film drama, "The Babes In The Woods" (1917). The film which was directed by Chester M. Franklin, and Sidney Franklin, was based on the Jacob Grimm and Wilheim Grimm classic fairy tale, "Hansel and Gretel" and which also starred Francis Carpenter, Virginia Lee Corbin, Violet Radcliffe, Carmen De Rue, and Herschel Mayall, tells the story of a millionaire named John Hamilton who in order to test his wife's fidelity, disappears after stipulating in his will that his money will go to his two children, Roland and Rose. Through the butler, Hamilton learns that his wife and brother Mason are contemplating killing the children in order to inherit the Hamilton millions. To protect his little son and daughter, Hamilton returns and tells them the story of Hansel and Gretel as a warning. Hansel and Gretel, taken to the woods to be killed, are rescued by The Good Fairy. Later, out of hunger, they find the gingerbread house belonging to the witch. They are captured, but Gretel pushes the old witch into the oven and the two escape. The Bad Prince, who has been after the two children, catches them at last, but they are again saved by The Good Fairy. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hamilton, who has overheard the story, is so touched that she realizes the evil she was planning and the family is reunited. He was born as Theodore Billings in London, England, on April 7, 1880. He made his actual film debut playing the role of 'Sullivan' in the fantasy film, "Aladdin And His Magic Lamp" (1917). Besides, "Babes In The Woods" (1917), and "Aladdin And His Magic Lamp" (1917), his many other film credits include, "Rip Van Winkle" (1921, also prop man), "The Prisoner Of Zenda" (1922), "The Flaming Hour" (1922, also prop man), "Robin Hood" (1922), "All The Brothers Were Valiant" (1923), "The Devil's Apple Tree" (1929, also prop man), "On With The Show!" (1929), "Disraeli" (1929), "The Fall Guy" (1930), "Moby Dick" (1930), "Frankenstein" (1931), "Safe In Hell" (1931), "Murders In The Rue Morgue" (1932), "The Impatient Maiden" (1932), "Devil's Lottery" (1932), "The Rider Of Death Valley" (1932), "Heroes Of The West" (1932), "The Texas Bad Man" (1932), "Sherlock Holmes" (1932), "Women Won't Tell" (1932), "Cynara" (1932), "Cavalcade" (1933), "Laughter In Hell" (1933), "The Vampire Bat" (1933), "Hallelujah I'm A Bum" (1933), "Pick-Up" (1933), "The Kiss Before The Mirror" (1933), "The Eagle And The Hawk" (1933), "Voltaire" (1933), "The Invisible Man" (1933), "The Mystery Of Mr. X" (1934), "Wharf Angel" (1934), "City Park" (1934), "Smoking Guns" (1934), "Whom The Gods Destroy" (1934), "The Red Rider" (1934), "Limehouse Blues" (1934), "The Man Who Reclaimed His Head" (1934), "The Little Minister" (1934), "Rustlers Of Red Dog" (1935), "The Good Fairy" (1935), "Transient Lady" (1935), "Storm Over The Andes" (1935), "The Bride Of Frankenstein" (1935), "Bonnie Scotland" (1935), "Condemned To Live" (1935), "Tailspin Tommy In The Great Air Mystery" (1935),"Remember Last Night?" (1935), "The Calling Of Dan Matthews" (1935), "Captain Blood" (1935), "The Invisible Ray" (1936), "Road Gang" (1936), "Dodsworth" (1936), "Hopalong Cassidy Returns" (1936), "The Prince And The Pauper" (1937), "North Of The Rio Grande" (1937), "Soak The Poor" (1937), "The Trigger Trio" (1937), "Boy Of The Streets" (1937), "Mr. Boggs Steps Out" (1938), "The Goldwyn Follies" (1938), "Reckless Living" (1938), "Flaming Frontiers" (1938), "Panamint's Bad Man" (1938), "Sunset Trail" (1938), "If I Were King" (1938), "A Christmas Carol" (1938), "Pacific Liner" (1939), "The Thundering West" (1939), "Mr. Moto's Last Warning" (1939), "Stagecoach" (1939), "Undercover Agent" (1939), "The Man In The Iron Mask" (1939), "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame" (1939), "The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes" (1939), "Rio" (1939), "Tower Of London" (1939), "The Earl Of Chicago" (1940), "Abe Lincoln In Illinois" (1940), "The Showdown" (1940), "The Light Of Western Stars" (1940), "In Old Missouri" (1940), "Captain Caution" (1940), "North West Mounted Police" (1940), "Seven Spinners" (1940), "Tin Pan Alley" (1940), "The Son Of Monte Cristo" (1940), "Horror Island" (1941), "The Lady From Cheyenne" (1941), "The Flame Of New Orleans" (1941), "Man Hunt" (1941), "Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde" (1941), "How Green Was My Valley" (1941), "Confirm Or Deny" (1941), "Shadow Of The Thin Man" (1941), "Sullivan's Travels" (1941), "Sealed Lips" (1942), "Juke Girl" (1942), "Mrs. Miniver" (1942), "The Gay Sisters" (1942), "Tales Of Manhattan" (1942), "Sherlock Holmes And The Voice Of Terror" (1942), "Pittsburgh" (1942), "Sherlock Holmes And The Secret Weapon" (1942), "Immortal Sergeant" (1943), "The Powers Girl" (1943), "Mission To Moscow" (1943), "Lady Of Burlesque" (1943), "The Man From Down Under" (1943), "The Kansan" (1943), "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943), "Flesh And Fantasy" (1943), "Jack London" (1943), "The Song Of Bernadette" (1943), "Jane Eyre" (1943), "A Guy Named Joe" (1943), "The Woman Of The Town" (1943), "The Lodger" (1944), "Shine On Harvest Moon" (1944), "The Scarlet Claw" (1944), "Meet The People" (1944), "Song Of The Open Road" (1944), "The Invisible Man's Revenge" (1944), "The Mask Of Dimitrios" (1944), "None But The Lonely Heart" (1944), "The Princess And The Pirate" (1944), "Nothing But Trouble" (1944), "National Velvet" (1944), "Belle Of The Yukon" (1945), "The Man In Half Moon Street" (1945), "Jungle Queen" (1945), "Hangover Square" (1945), "The Body Snatcher" (1945), "Salome, Where She Danced" (1945), "The Great John L." (1945), "Secret Agent X-9" (1945), "The Fatal Witness" (1945), "Scotland Yard Investigator" (1945), "Frontier Gal" (1945), "Scarlet Street" (1945), "Two Years Before The Mast" (1946), "Tarzan And The Leopard Woman" (1946), "Renegades" (1946), "Bedlam" (1946), "Two Sisters From Boston" (1946), "Dressed To Kill" (1946), "Of Human Bondage" (1946), "Two Guys From Milwaukee" (1946), "The Missing Lady" (1946), "Dangerous Money" (1946), "Nobody Lives Forever" (1946), "The Razor's Edge" (1946), "The Imperfect Lady" (1946), "The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty" (1947), and his last film, "Forever Amber" (1947). He was married to Margaret Hennessey Ludwick Billings from February 19, 1920, until her death on January 12, 1939. He was the stepfather of child actors Richard Billings and Elmo Billings. His stepson was actor Ben Ludwick Billings who appeared in silent pictures including the classic, "The Birth Of Nation" (1915).