Nationality: Canadian
Birthdate: 10/19/1909
Birthplace: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Death Date: 03/02/1992
The rugged appearance of this craggy-faced, Canadian-born actor made him a natural for tough guy roles, especially in British crime films of the 1950s. Beatty's voice became familiar to North American listeners as he described the WWII bombings of London for the BBC's Overseas News Service and, after the war, as detective Philip O'Dell on radio. Beatty was a prolific performer on TV as well as in film through the 80s and portrayed President Ronald Reagan in the 1987 PBS dramatization "Breakthrough at Reykjavik".
Worked as salesman and cashier while appearing in amateur stage productions
1937
Went to London to train for the stage
1937
First role on London stage in "Idiot's Delight"; also understudied Raymond Massey
1938
Film acting debut in "Murder in Soho"
Worked as a newsreader for the BBC's North American Overseas News Service early in WWII, describing the bombing of London to American listeners
