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 feature Critters (1986). Among the TV shows Bush has done guest spots on are Hill Street Blues (1981), The A-Team (1983), CHiPs (1977), The Incredible Hulk (1977), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979), Starsky and Hutch (1975), Baretta (1975), M*A*S*H (1972), Gunsmoke (1955), Banyon (1971), Bonanza (1959), The Outer Limits (1963), and Renegade (1992). Bush also played the sheriff in the ninth installment of the slasher series, ‘Friday the 13th’, entitled Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993). He has since retired from acting. Billy is the father of actor Clay Greenbush and twin actresses Sidney Greenbush and Rachel Lindsay Greenbush.
