Hollywood Character Actor Jack Betts, Star of Spaghetti Westerns and 'Spider-Man,' Dead at 96

Jack Betts, a charismatic character actor who left a lasting mark on the world of cinema and television, has passed away at the age of 96, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Known for his roles in spaghetti Westerns and his appearance in popular films like Spider-Man and Gods and Monsters, Betts died in his sleep at his home in Los Osos, California, on Thursday, June 19, as confirmed by his nephew, Dean Sullivan.

Betts’ career spanned several decades, during which he became recognized within Hollywood, despite not achieving the monumental fame of some of his contemporaries.

The actor was particularly known for his deep camaraderie with fellow actress Doris Roberts, with whom he shared both a home and significant life events since the late 1980s.

Roberts, who starred in Everybody Loves Raymond, remained a source of companionship for Betts until her death in April 2016.

Having emerged from the iconic Actors Studio, Betts portrayed the role of Dr. Ivan Kipling on ABC’s highly popular soap opera One Life to Live from 1979 to 1985.

Additionally, his impressive soap opera résumé included guest appearances on General Hospital, The Edge of Night, Another World, and several other notable series. His versatility in acting catapulted him into various roles that left audiences captivated.

Born Jack Fillmore Betts on April 11, 1929, in Jersey City, New Jersey, his dreams of acting ignited when he witnessed Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights at the tender age of ten.

A graduate of Miami Senior High School, he later studied theater at the University of Miami, where he made significant strides in the arts and graduated before moving to New York City. There, he made his Broadway debut in 1953 in a production of Richard III, introduced by the acclaimed actor José Ferrer.

Betts began his career with a rather humble job in a lamp factory. A fateful encounter during a friend's audition led him to The Actors Studio, where he won a three-year scholarship through the recognition of the esteemed Lee Strasberg. Subsequently, he built an impressive career characterized by various diverse roles on both stage and screen.

Betts' journey in the film industry began in a rather unconventional manner. He dictated his initial foray into spaghetti Westerns by bluffing his way into the lead role of Franco Giraldi's Sugar Colt (1966).

Marking his first appearance as Hunt Powers, this venture kicked off a series of approximately 15 spaghetti Westerns that sustained his career until 1973. Yet, despite his prolific output, he said, "But while his films had distribution all over the world, my films were distributed [everywhere] except Canada and America."

His most recognized performance came in Sam Raimi's groundbreaking superhero film Spider-Man (2002), where he portrayed Henry Balkan.

In a pivotal scene, he famously confronted Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn with the declaration, "You're out, Norman." Later in the film, he would go on to become one of the first victims of the Green Goblin.