- In July 1998, he settled a libel suit he brought against noted film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, known for his annual guides on available movies and videos. In all guides from 1974-98, Maltin mistakenly listed Gray as a real-life drug addict and pusher in the critique of Dusty and Sweets McGee (1971); he appeared in the film only as an actor. Part of the settlement required that Maltin publicly apologize for the 27-year-long defamation of character. He did so during a press conference on the morning of July 18, 1998.
- Inventor of the F-1 guitar pick.
- Those who fondly recall him in the archetypal 1950s family sitcom Father Knows Best (1954) may be surprised to learn that when the series debuted in 1954, it did so poorly in the ratings that CBS canceled it in March of 1955. A flood of protests came from viewers insisting that the show be reinstated. It was moved to an earlier time, and it gradually became a hit.
- His resemblance to Martin Sheen was exploited in the film short Porklips Now (1980), a parody of Apocalypse Now (1979), where he played the character of Health Inspector Will Dullard, based on Sheen's performance of Capt. Benjamin L. Willard.
- Was just 12 years younger than Patricia Neal, who played his mother in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).
- Portrays Bryan Foy as a teen in The Seven Little Foys (1955).
- Has been involved in the sport of speedway motorcycle Racing as a competitor from the '70s to the '90s. His bike was known as the "Orange Crate Special", then later as the "Orange Blossom Special"--the name was given to his bike by the announcer at Irwindale Raceway (CA due to the solid orange rims that Billy used on the bike.
- Profiled in the 2016 book "X Child Stars: Where Are They Now?" by Kathy Garver and Fred Ascher.
- On Howard Stern's 1987 unaired Fox pilot, Billy won a contest against former TV stars for the worst hard-luck story, running against Grandpa Al Lewis and Mason Reese. The former two said they have great lives while Gray discussed being arrested for pot seeds in his car.
- No relation to Gary Gray with whom he appeared in a total of five movies.
- Son of Beatrice Gray.
- At age 12, Gray portrayed Native American athlete Jim Thorpe as a boy in the film "Jim Thorpe: All American". That film was released in 1951, the same year as "The Day The Earth Stood Still".
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content