Bob DeSimone (born April 15, 1946) is an American actor who has starred in several movies. He is perhaps best known for his role as Billy, the cocaine-snorting mental health worker, in the 1985 horror movie Friday the 13th: A New Beginning. His other films were Savage Streets (1984), and Angel III: The Final Chapter. DeSimone also appeared on the hit comedy show, Make Me Laugh and was a headliner at The Comedy Store and Improv during their heyday, working with Jay Leno, David Letterman, Richard Prior and Jerry Seinfeld.Before DeSimone turned to comedy and acting, he was, (and still is) an accomplished drummer. Almost immediately after arriving in California, he was in demand. The early 1970s found DeSimone playing with many top bands in and out of the studios. He was a fixture at the Ash Grove club in West Hollywood, noted for promoting up and coming blues and folk musicians. Teaming up with Bernie Pearl, they both backed Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton, The Bernie Pearl Band, Dr. John, Albert King, Luke "Long Gone" Miles, Taj Mahal and Chuck Berry.From there he signed on with Atlantic Records with a popular Country Rock band named, "Country". With a signature sound, beautiful harmonies, strong musicianship and all original material, they were described by many as a "Rhythmic Cross Between Crosby Stills & Nash, and "The Band". Signed by Peter Asher, they opened for America, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Ronstadt, and the Bee Gees. COUNTRY featured future Grammy award winning songwriter Tom Snow, Bob DeSimone, Michael Fondiler, Steve Fondiler & Ian Espinoza. UK Fanzine FANTASTIC EXPEDITION published their full story in 2014 in conjunction with all the surviving band members.DeSimone left acting in 1983 and began his own successful business. He still plays drums and is currently working with local R&B, blues and rock bands in Southern California. As he stated in a Friday 13th interview:"Drumming will always be in my blood"He married his girlfriend, Lisa Stern in 1994, and together they have two daughters, Amanda and Gianna. They live in Santa Rosa Valley, California
My brother, Tom DeSimone, being a director -- he made "Hell Night" and "Reform School Girls" -- he put me in a few of his movies. Small bit parts, nothing much. That's how I met Danny Steinmann. I played the teacher in "Savage Streets" and then Danny grabbed me real quick. He told me, 'I would like to get my own group of actors that I can always count on.' At the time, there was a whole segment of us actors and filmmakers. We were in Hollywood, but still kind of outside. I can only relate it to the music industry. When you're just starting out, you'll play a wedding or a wake. Anything, just to play. It is not that we wanted to be in those B or even C movies, it was just a chance to get near someone and get a credit. And I think we all knew that, once you're into a Part 3, 4 or 5, that whether it was a "Friday the 13" or anything else, it already had its own niche and that's where it was gonna stay. It was not going to take off and be another "Exorcist" or whatever. All you hoped for back then was a piece of film that you could put on your reel. I think it was the same thing with directors. I don't think Danny wanted to be a B-movie horror director. I know my brother didn't. But he did what they gave him.
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Lives in Santa Rosa Valley, California and plays in the band Midnight Ruckus. [November 2008]
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