Veteran actor and Spider-Man star Jack Betts has passed away at 96. Betts, who was said to have lived with Doris Roberts until her death in 2016, died on Thursday, June 19, 2025, at home in Los Osos, California.
The news was shared with The Hollywood Reporter by Betts’ nephew, Dean Sullivan that Betts had died peacefully in his sleep. Having acted in many spaghetti Western films, Betts was famous for his role in Spider-Man which premiered in 2002. He played Henry Balkan who was a 70s executive of Oscorp Technologies. He sat on the board alongside Maximilian Fargas and a wealthy company founder, Norman Osborn. Balkan was among the board members who voted to accept a buyout offer from Quest Aerospace, Oscorp’s competitor. He was later killed by Osborn who had become known as Green Goblin — an action that helped the latter regain control of his company.
Betts’ Spider-Man role was created for the film; it was originally not in the comics. He was also known for his roles in Gods and Monsters (1998), The Assassination of Trotsky (1972), Falling Down (1993), Batman Forever (1995), Batman & Robin (1997), 8MM (1999), Office Space (1999), and many spaghetti Westerns. He also wrote the play Screen Test: Take One, based on a soap opera and directed by his friend, Roberts.
Beverly Hills Playhouse Pays Tribute To Jack Betts
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Since Betts’ passing, fans, friends, and family have paid tribute to the veteran actor. One of which is Beverly Hills Playhouse, an acting school located in California where he taught. They shared a photo of the actor on their social media account, with a brief caption describing his impact on fellow actors.
Betts’ interest in acting sparked as early as 10. His family had just moved to Miami and he was opportuned to see Laurence Olivier in 1939’s Wuthering Heights as per The Hollywood Reporter. He went on to study theater at the University of Miami and kickstarted his career through a Broadway adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard III. From Broadway, he featured in several TV shows including Everybody Loves Raymond which Roberts co-starred in. Betts remained active well into his 90s, mentoring young actors at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. In a post they shared on Instagram, the acting school portrayed Betts as a passionate artist who left a lasting impact on young actors in the words:
“Our beloved Jack Betts passed away peacefully at home. It is a sad day for the BHP as we have enjoyed his presence for so many years. There are actors who credit him with not giving up because of his encouragement. We were so fortunate to have enjoyed his great spirit, passion and true dedication to the work.”
Betts’ last known series, Good Trouble is available to stream on Hulu.
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Good Trouble |
|---|---|
| Cast | Cierra Ramirez, Maia Mitchell, Zuri Adele, Sherry Cola, Emma Hunton, Tommy Martinez, Josh Pence, Beau Mirchoff, Bryan Craig, Priscilla Quintana, Booboo Stewart, Jack Betts |
| Release Date | Premiered January 8, 2019 |
| Stream On | Hulu |
| Directed by | Various (TV series) |
| Produced by | Freeform Studios, J.J. Productions, Blazing Elm Entertainment, Nuyorican Productions; Executives include Joanna Johnson, Peter Paige, Bradley Bredeweg, Jennifer Lopez |
| Based On | Spin-off of The Fosters created by Joanna Johnson, Bradley Bredeweg & Peter Paige |
| Plot Summary | Callie and Mariana Adams Foster move to LA and navigate career, relationships, and communal living while championing social justice and LGBTQ+ rights |
| Musical Elements | Theme song “Bel Ami” by Kim Bingham; background score by Michael Brook & Amanda Jones |
| Current Status | Concluded after five seasons (88 episodes); final episode aired March 5, 2024; series acclaimed for its diverse Gen Z representation |
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