Entertainment • Jun 21, 2025

Hollywood veteran Jack Betts dies at 96

Jack Betts, the veteran actor you might recognize from "Spider-Man" (he played Henry Balkan) and classic shows like "Friends," has died at 96.
He passed peacefully in his sleep on June 19, 2025, at home in Los Osos, California.
His long career took him from Broadway stages to Hollywood sets, leaving a mark across theater, TV, and film.

TL;DR

Betts's versatile career across theater, TV, and film

Inspired by Laurence Olivier's acting as a teen, Betts made his Broadway debut back in 1953.
Besides "Spider-Man," he popped up on favorites like "Everybody Loves Raymond" and was Dr. Ivan Kipling on "One Life to Live."
He also starred in soap operas like "General Hospital," tackled spaghetti Westerns, and even played Dracula on stage—showing just how versatile he was over the decades.