326:, or other bands of the era were played in their entirety); the Librarian, an ancient bearded character who tried "to horrify you" with benign fairy tales from dusty old cobwebbed volumes, then would be disappointed when the unseen viewers were not horrified; Dr. Petvet, who would bring animals onto a set and talk about them (his catchphrase was "Pets are friends"); and the Oracle, who would give astrological readings, and answer fake letters from viewers while wearing a large headdress and speaking in a Peter Lorre voice.
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Billy Van wrote his autobiography "Second Banana," in 1997, which was published online on 11 August 2018. It is an entertaining, humorous and informative journey of his career. Second Banana is also an historical look at life in
Toronto in the 40's and 50's and the infancy of Canadian television; a
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as a singing act called the Van Evera
Brothers. After leaving his brothers and dropping "Evera" from his name, Van performed as a singer, leading the Billy Van Four and later the Billy Van Singers, and making frequent appearances on Canadian variety television shows such as
310:. It is this show for which he is best known, and it has developed a cult following. 130 episodes were produced, and Van played almost every lead character. The characters included the Count (Count Frightenstein, for which he put on a fake
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called Van "perhaps the most talented variety performer ever developed by the CBC." After the dispute became public, the CBC capitulated and Van continued on the show for its final season. Van appeared in a six-part spinoff series,
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Sorenson, Chris (9 January 2003). "Billy Van was able to see funny side of
Canadian TV ; Versatile comic dies at 68 after battle with cancer Returned home after '70s success on U.S. television".
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as a man sitting at a table waiting for a drink, unfazed by everything going on around him; Van starred in these commercials throughout the 60s and 70s, and won a
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teamed with Stacey Case and Van's two daughters, Robin
Edwards Mills and Tracy Van Evera, to see the publication of the biography,
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behind-the-scenes insight from a performer's perspective and reveals the often not-so-glamorous side of being an entertainer.
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One of Van's brothers, Jack Van Evera, also became an actor and appeared on many
Canadian television series such as
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in Grade 11 to pursue a career as an entertainer. Starting as a youth, he and his four brothers toured
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would play records, and dance to them, while wearing a werewolf costume (rock songs from
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was cancelled in May 1967. In the United States he appeared in many commercials for
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As a comedian, Van gained national attention in 1963 as a performer on
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Through the 1970s, Van was a regular member of the "home team" on the
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with promotional appearances from the awards' inception in 2000.
196:(11 August 1934 – 8 January 2003), known by the stage name
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This article is about the
Canadian actor. For the musician, see
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1961: "The Last
Sunrise" / "I Miss You" (Rodeo label, Canada)
419:, of which he died at age 68 on 8 January 2003 at Toronto's
480:", theme song of the 1967 Canadian-American animated series
964:"Veteran TV comic Billy Van dies of cancer in hospital"
941:"Veteran comic Billy Van dies of cancer at age 68".
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810:"Billy Van Four To Be Regulars on Fancy Free"
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856:"Thanks for nothing," Dennis Braithwaite,
494:(DuPont Canada/Chelsea Records) on 1 track
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1029:"Veteran Canadian actor Billy Van dies"
798:UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
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415:He was diagnosed in December 2001 with
612:The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show
485:Polydor Presents The Billy Van Singers
405:He had a triple heart bypass in 1998.
284:for one of these commercials in 1975.
23:. For the vaudeville entertainer, see
368:, who had been a writer-performer on
7:
577:The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
386:. Van narrated the animated program
364:, most of which were co-produced by
303:The Hilarious House of Frightenstein
1149:20th-century Canadian male singers
1061:"CHUM Hit Parade - March 27, 1961"
844:"CHUM Hit Parade - March 27, 1961"
14:
1189:Canadian television personalities
1169:Deaths from lung cancer in Canada
1144:20th-century Canadian male actors
1041:from the original on 3 April 2022
604:The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
348:The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
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1199:20th-century Canadian comedians
1159:Canadian male television actors
1000:Clark, Andrew (23 March 2005).
492:"Fall In" A Fun Fashion Musical
329:Van was a regular performer on
244:'s late-night satire programme
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1075:"RPM MOR CanCon - May 2, 1970"
831:The Chum Chart Book: 1957ā1983
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1184:Deaths from cancer in Ontario
951:. 9 January 2003. p. A8.
435:Adventures in Rainbow Country
204:comedian, actor, and singer.
751:The Trial of Red Riding Hood
739:The Hearst and Davies Affair
977:. 9 January 2003. p. 5
300:. In 1971, he began making
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862:, 6 September 1966, p. 25.
237:in Toronto in March 1961.
222:Bloor Collegiate Institute
96:Bloor Collegiate Institute
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16:Canadian actor (1934ā2003)
1194:Canadian sketch comedians
1154:Canadian male film actors
724:Stories From My Childhood
520:(with The Billy Van Four)
451:Who's The Man? Billy Van!
445:In December 2020, author
372:. In 1982, he co-hosted
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1174:Male actors from Toronto
899:"CH TV Hamilton History"
320:Sly and the Family Stone
703:(as robot (TVOntatrio))
634:The Sonny and Cher Show
268:, based on a recurring
194:William Allan Van Evera
80:8 January 2003 (age 68)
55:William Allan Van Evera
1164:Comedians from Toronto
497:1970: "Four Seasons",
410:Canadian Comedy Awards
1002:"Inductee: Billy Van"
626:The Bobby Vinton Show
354:The Bobby Vinton Show
220:, and dropped out of
173:Susan Dimitrakopoulos
1179:Singers from Toronto
560:Rollin' on the River
21:Billy Van (musician)
712:(TV Series) (voice)
694:I'll Take Manhattan
421:Sunnybrook Hospital
306:, also for CHCH in
278:Colt 45 Malt Liquor
1037:. 9 January 2003.
975:The Canadian Press
970:Nanaimo Daily News
949:The Canadian Press
905:on 29 January 2006
859:The Globe and Mail
619:Shh! It's the News
429:The Forest Rangers
408:Van supported the
362:Razzle Dazzle Show
260:The Globe and Mail
879:on 13 August 2013
745:A Deadly Business
732:Television movies
685:The Littlest Hobo
569:The First Edition
510:Television series
471:Billy Van Singers
417:esophageal cancer
308:Hamilton, Ontario
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114:Years active
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985:– via
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944:Sudbury Star
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927:Toronto Star
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149:Annette Fike
137:Patty Brooks
29:
25:Billy B. Van
1139:2003 deaths
1134:1934 births
815:10 November
706:1989ā1995:
623:1975ā1976:
601:1973ā1974:
592:1972ā1973:
549:1970ā1980:
543:Ray Stevens
531:1963ā1967:
523:1960ā1961:
505:Filmography
456:Discography
447:Greg Oliver
333:Ray Stevens
324:The Archies
312:Bela Lugosi
125:Joan Cooper
1128:Categories
1013:8 November
909:29 January
883:9 November
829:Ron Hall,
785:References
588:"Wow" Show
552:Party Game
518:Fancy Free
478:Spider-Man
400:John Byner
357:, and the
343:"Wow" Show
297:Party Game
282:Clio Award
235:CHUM Chart
231:Fancy Free
117:1950sā2000
76:2003-01-08
1110:Billy Van
1095:Billy Van
757:Net Worth
639:1979ā80:
586:Ken Berry
374:TVOntario
341:Ken Berry
208:Biography
198:Billy Van
36:Billy Van
1039:Archived
1034:CBC News
1007:CBC News
709:Join In!
534:Nightcap
370:Nightcap
292:charades
274:Nightcap
270:Nightcap
247:Nightcap
202:Canadian
200:, was a
184:Children
109:, singer
1114:Discogs
1045:22 July
981:22 July
774:(voice)
726:(voice)
659:Bizarre
653:(voice)
650:Eureka!
598:(voice)
476:1967: "
395:Bizarre
389:Eureka!
294:series
289:CHCH-TV
218:Ontario
214:Toronto
122:Spouses
105:Actor,
84:Toronto
62:Toronto
1101:
777:1988:
768:1982:
763:Movies
755:1995:
749:1992:
743:1986:
737:1985:
722:1998:
719:(host)
715:1991:
699:1988:
691:1987:
682:1984:
679:(host)
673:1983:
664:1981:
656:1980:
647:1980:
642:Circus
631:1976:
617:1974:
609:1974:
582:1972:
574:1971:
563:(with
557:1971:
539:1970:
516:1960:
490:1969:
483:1968:
167:19??;
155:19??;
143:19??;
131:19??;
1078:(PDF)
179:19??)
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1099:IMDb
1047:2024
1015:2009
983:2024
911:2007
885:2009
817:2009
584:The
567:and
545:Show
541:The
432:and
339:The
335:Show
331:The
253:CA$
169:div.
157:div.
145:div.
133:div.
70:Died
51:Born
1097:at
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