LOS ANGELES -- Actor Billy Sands, best known for roles on such television situation comedies as 'McHale's Navy' and 'The Phil Silvers Show,' has died of lung cancer. He was 73.
Services for Sands, who died Monday at the John Wayne Cancer Clinic at UCLA Medical Center, were held Thursday at Hillside Memorial Cemetery.
Short with a babyish face, Sands began his professional career in 1946 when he appeared on Broadway with Spencer Tracy in Robert Sherwood's 'The Rugged Path.' He also starred on Broadway with Sid Caesar in 'Make Mine Manhattan' in 1948.
But Sands was perhaps best known to television audiences as Pvt. Dino Paparelli, who worked in the Army motor pool at Fort Baxter, Kan., with Master Sgt. Bilko on 'The Phil Silvers Show,' which aired from 1955 to 1959.
Sands moved from the Army to the Navy from 1962 to 1966, appearing as Seaman Harrison ('Tinker') Bell on the PT boat crew of Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale, portrayed by Ernest Borgnine.
Sands was also featured in a continuing role as Monty (Big Bang) Valentine, the cook on the 1975 series 'Big Eddie,' and was the announcer of the 1970 Pat Paulsen program 'Half a Comedy Hour.'
He was most recently seen on 'The Odd Couple,' 'All in the Family,' and 'Webster.'
Sands is survived by his wife Marsha, daughter Susan, son Eugene, two sisters and a brother.
