- Mispronounced "Bee-Van" in several Robert Youngson compilations, his last name actually rhymes with "seven".
- He appeared in three Best Picture Academy Award winners: Cavalcade (1933), Rebecca (1940) and Mrs. Miniver (1942). He was also in four other Best Picture nominees: A Tale of Two Cities (1935), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), The Long Voyage Home (1940) and Suspicion (1941).
- Appeared in Mack Sennett films/shorts, 1919 to 1929.
- Second wife, Betsy Rees, was in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1922.
- Possibly the first to film the "Oyster Stew" gag, later performed by Lou Costello and Curly Howard. In it, a live oyster grabs Billy's spoon, crackers, and even his tie as they battle for supremacy.
- First wife, Leona Kohn was a sister of actress Edith Roberts but was a different person from Leona Roberts. The marriage produced two daughters.
- Upon his death, his remains were interred at Oak Hill Memorial Park in Escondido, San Diego County, California. His location plot is Section 5, Lot 24, Grave 4.
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