Friends and Spider-Man star Jack Betts dies aged 96
The actor died in his sleep at his home in Los Osos, California, on Thursday.
His nephew, Dean Sullivan, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.
He had previously shared a home with Everybody Loves Raymond star Doris Roberts, to whom he was a great friend.
She invited him to move from New York into an appartment with her in the Hollywood Hills, where he escorted her to high-profile events from the late 80s until 2016 when she died.
After Roberts died, Betts said they were 'best friends to the very end' and praised the 'wonderful times' they shared.
Betts, born in Miami, Florida, in 1929, was most famous for appearing as Henry Balkan in the 2002 Spider-Man film alongside Tobey Maguire.
His other film roles included a cameo in 1995's Batman Forever, plus one in Batman & Robin two years later. More Trending
TV-wise, he appeared in Seinfeld, Frasier, and Power Rangers.
Betts also popped up in Friends in 2001, playing Tom in The One with Joey's New Brain.
He enjoyed an incredibly successful and varied career, which was kick-started on Broadway in an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Richard III.
However, things rocketed when he played Hunt Powers across the Italian Spaghetti Western films.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
For more stories like this, check our entertainment page.
Follow Metro.co.uk Entertainment on Twitter and Facebook for the latest celeb and entertainment updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.
MORE: Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez 'feud' reignited after fans spot social media move
MORE: Hee Haw actor Gailard Sartain 'dies aged 78' weeks after co-star
MORE: Fat Joe sued for $20,000,000 over claims of underage sex with minors
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
42 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
David Schwimmer looks somber as 'Ketamine Queen' drug dealer pleads guilty to supplying Matthew Perry's fatal dose
looked downcast as he attended the opening night for Broadway show Take A Banana For The Ride in NYC on Tuesday. The actor, 58, made his red carpet appearance as his former co-star Matthew Perry's 'Ketamine Queen' drug dealer took a plea deal for supplying the star's fatal dose. Jasveen Sangha made a guilty plea deal in connection with the October 2023 drug overdose death of Matthew at 54. A source close to the case exclusively told The Daily Mail that prior to the deal Sangha was initially facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Under the plea agreement, that mandatory minimum has been lifted, allowing Sangha to potentially receive a sentence of less than 10 years. David and Matthew worked together for ten years on hit sitcom Friends. Matthew was found dead face down in his jacuzzi on October 29, 2023, leaving Hollywood shaken to its core after he bravely shared details of his addiction struggles with the public to dissuade others from following a similar path. Months later, a medical examiner determined that the actor - who had battled substance abuse issues throughout his life - had died of the 'acute effects of ketamine.' Legal analyst and federal criminal defense attorney Lou Shapiro told the Daily Mail he wasn't surprised Sangha decided to take the plea deal, especially since her co-defendants had done so earlier. The attorney said: 'When you look at the overwhelming evidence against her and what they found at her place alone - the drugs, the manufacturing equipment and the money - and tons of it, she was basically toast. 'There was nowhere for her to go. It wasn't if she was going to take the deal, it was a matter of just when.' Shapiro added: 'Even if you don't intentionally try to harm somebody or cause them great bodily injury or death, the mere fact that you are engaging in a conduct that is very likely going to result in death, you're going to be held accountable for it.' Shapiro argued that any arguments presented would have quickly crumbled under legal scrutiny and added: 'You can't look the other way and say, "I was just selling it. I was doing him a favor," That is not going to fly. 'This also sends a big message to the medical industry that doctors will be held fully accountable for death to bodily injury that results in their patients when they are merely prescribing drugs. 'These doctors knew what was going on and they fully participated in supplying Matthew Perry with as much ketamine as he wanted.' Shapiro cited court records in which the doctors themselves marveled at the extent of Perry's addiction and lengths he was willing to go to in his quest to get his next fix. He said: 'They even called him an 'idiot' at one point in their text messages,' Shapiro said. 'I think the medical community also will look at this as a tragedy for the loss of life but also, they are people who worked hard to become medical professionals. 'Instead, these doctors threw all of that away for greed.'
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
I saw Chicago the musical at Glasgow's King's Theatre
50 years ago, theatre audiences were introduced to the world of temptress Roxie Hart, 1920s Chicago and a soundtrack that is unforgettable. Today Chicago the Musical is still in a class of its own. Its Broadway debut was in 1973, and despite the passage of time, this show still sizzles with its stylish and sultry choreography. The latest production of Chicago packed with plenty of Charleston moves kicked off its King's Theatre run on Monday night. (Image: CHICAGO 2025. Janette Manrara (Roxie Hart). Photo Becky Lee Brun (2)) The incredible Janette Manrara, known for her stint in Strictly Come Dancing, took on the role of Roxie who finds herself in a bit of trouble after shooting her lover. In jail she meets Velma Kelly (Djalenga Scott) and both of them become rivals as they vie for the attention of slick lawyer Billy Flynn (Darren Day) who is working to ensure they avoid the death penalty. My favourite thing about this show was seeing the orchestra - for once - take centre stage. Musical director Neil MacDonald was in his element as he brought to life iconic songs All That Jazz, Cell Block Tango, We Both Reached for The Gun and Roxie. His and the band's enthusiasm and energy had the audience grinning from ear to ear, it was infectious. (Image: Chicago the Musical at the King's Theatre) (Image: Chicago the Musical at the King's Theatre) The choreography, however, was the real star of the show with every single move made even more impressive given the staging area was smaller than usual to make way for the orchestra. Cell Block Tango and We Both Reached for The Gun was breathtaking to watch, it had the audience captivated especially when Day's character Billy manoeuvred Roxie (Janette Manrara) as a puppet. I can't single out one cast member because everyone impressed on this show. The well known names including eighties popstar Sinitta Malone who played Matron 'Mama' Morton were equally as entertaining as the ensemble cast who were skilful actors and dancers in their own right. READ NEXT: I saw Kinky Boots starring a Strictly star in Glasgow - my verdict READ NEXT: I saw Hairspray at Glasgow's King's Theatre - my verdict READ NEXT: I saw Now That's What I Call a Musical at the King's with this throwback popstar This show's soundtrack is amongst the best in musical theatre and for that reason alone, it should entice you to want to see this how. You will marvel at the choreography, laugh at the silliness and leaving the theatre still tapping your toe to that contagious jazz beat. Catch Chicago the Musical at the King's Theatre in Glasgow until Saturday.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Kim Kardashian channels Bianca Censori in sheer tights outfit and no underwear
Kim Kardashian has channelled her ex-husband Kanye West's new wife, Bianca Censori, in a daring new look. Snapped from the inside of a private jet, Kim, 44, posted a carousel of images on Instagram that showed off her travels to Korea with her sister Khloe Kardashian and friend La La Anthony. The trio wore fur coats, sunglasses, and Kim's controversial Skims facial shapewear wraps around their heads, appearing to be naked underneath their lavish get-up. Confirming her barely there look, Kim then shared a mirror selfie showing off that she was wearing nothing more than tights, pulled up over her breasts. The star ditched her underwear for this look, but used an editing app to add a quick black line across each nipple, shielding her modesty. The following snaps captured the luxury nature of the trip, with Khloe brandishing a bottle of champagne, and Kim posting a snap of the bejewelled YSL logo on her tights and the branding of her designer bag. The post was strikingly similar to the looks shared by Bianca, 30, who has regularly been seen out in outfits that leave very little to the imagination. The Skims mogul and controversial rapper, 47, were married from 2014 to 2022 and share children North, 11, Saint, eight, Chicago, six, and Psalm, five. After the pair split, Kanye went on to marry Bianca, an Australian architect, in 2022. Bianca has become known for her frequent tiny looks, often opting to pose nude on social media and even wearing daring looks publicly, leading to calls for 'public indecency arrest'. Her most recent eyebrow-raising look was her totally sheer Grammys dress, which caused a major stir and resulted in Bianca being splashed across every major news outlet. Concerns have been raised for her welfare, with the internet convinced that her husband, also known as Ye, is dictating what his spouse wears. This isn't the first time that the similarities between Kim and Bianca's wardrobes have been raised. More Trending Bianca looked just like Kim in a blurry snap, shared on her Instagram story in May, posing in nothing but a beige strapless bra top and red underwear, paired with patterned heels and knee-high socks. Bianca has also grown out her long dark hair and styled it in the past few months, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Kim's trademark locks. View More » In December 2024, Kim was also flooded with comments from fans pointing out her similarities with Bianca as she shared a skimpy snap on top of a motorbike. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Kim Kardashian breaks down in tears over Kanye West during explosive documentary trailer MORE: We asked a deliciously savage barista to rank the celebrity coffee orders you're copying MORE: Kim Kardashian flies to Mexico for 'game-changing' health treatment not approved in US
