Billy B. Van

Biography

Described by the grandson of Lew Fields (Weber & Fields) as "one of the most amusing men on vaudeville stage", Billy B. Van was an experienced and long traveled actor, comedian, dancer, and singer/songwriter both on the vaudeville and legitimate stages, who, for over thirty years, both alone, and appearing with the Beaumont Sisters (Rose and Nellie - he was married to Nellie) and as Van & Corbett (former heavyweight champion James J. Corbett) was very well known to theater audiences. After retiring from the stage in the 1920s, he was the President of the New York City based Pine Tree Products Company - manufacturers of soap and other cleaning products, and was later elected Mayor of the town of Newport, New Hampshire.