Van's picture is on the Canadian Comedy Wall of Fame at the CBC
broadcast centre in Toronto, along with those of Al Waxman, Wayne &
Shuster and Don Harron
Van was in show business from the age of 12 and back in the 1950s he
and his four brothers formed a singing group that toured Canada and
Europe
Was the "Bored Man" in Colt .45 beer commercials in the United States, 1970s-1980s.
Billy Van starred in the cult show The Hilarious House of Frightenstein (1971). He played many of the characters while in full costume each with their own quirky traits.
In 2015, Billy Van - "Count Frightenstein", was inducted into "The Official Horror Host Hall of Fame".
After his triple bypass heart surgery in 1998, he was semi-retired but
continued to do voice-over work for commercials and animated programs
Founded the vocal quartet The Four Grads in Toronto in the early 1950's. They recorded for Liberty Records and with three men and a woman, the group had elements of the Four Freshmen and The Pied Pipers.
Has two daughters, Tracy and Robyn, from previous marriages.
Had his own production company, "Billy Van Productions".