Actor Jack Betts has died aged 96

Born in Miami, Florida, in 1929, Jack studied theatre before launching his acting career on the Broadway stage in a production of William Shakespeare's Richard III.

He later found fame in Italy after landing the lead role in Sugar Colt, directed by Franco Giraldi, in 1966. Though he had no formal Western experience at the time, Jack bluffed his way into the role - the first of a dozen films in which he would play a gunslinger from 1966 to 1972.

Jack told The Dev Show in a 2021 interview: "In the hotel next to mine was Clint Eastwood. He'd go up to his mountain and do his Western and I'd go up to my mountain and do my Western. But while his films had distribution all over the world, my films were distributed (everywhere) except Canada and America."

Despite the lack of the North American distribution, Jack's performances earned him international recognition.

Upon returning to the US in the 1970s, he resumed theatre work, including a run as Dracula on Broadway between 1977 and 1980.

He later took on television roles, most notably as Dr Ivan Kipling in the soap opera One Life to Live, which he appeared in until 1985.

In 1988, Jack accepted an invitation from his longtime friend, actress Doris Roberts, to move into a downstairs apartment in her Hollywood Hills home.

Doris, known for her role in Everybody Loves Raymond, passed away in 2016.

Jack said they were "best friends to the very end" and that they had "wonderful times together".

The pair also appeared together on Everybody Loves Raymond in a 1999 episode.

Over the years, Jack made guest appearances on several hit TV shows including Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends and Power Rangers.

He also had small roles in Batman Forever (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997.)

In 2002, he appeared in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man as Henry Balkan, a board member of Oscorp Industries. His character delivers the line informing Norman Osborn, played by Willem Dafoe, that he is being ousted from the company - a pivotal moment that sets Osborn on the path to becoming the Green Goblin. Jack's character, along with fellow board members, is later killed in the storyline.

Fans of the actor have paid tribute on social media following news of his death.

One said: "Well shoot, another Hollywood gunslinger rides into the sunset. Jack Betts was one of those actors who could make even a B-movie feel like an A-list production."

Another fan added: "RIP to a legend. Jack Betts brought so much to the screen - from gritty westerns to comic book charm."