Uploaded June 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Billy Gray was a fixture in America’s living rooms from 1954 to 1960 when he starred as Bud Anderson in the TV sitcom Father Knows Best. After the series his acting career was derailed by a marijuana conviction, but he built a new career as a speedway motorcycle racer. I did this story about his motorcycle racing soon after I became a sportscaster in LA in 1974. Gray raced professionally for 23 years. Although, Gray says he wasn’t a very well-paid professional, despite racing 4 or 5 nights a week, because according to Gray he wasn’t that good. He did however have a skill for coming up with inventions that solved problems and is the holder of several patents.
Billy Gray was a fixture in America’s living rooms from 1954 to 1960 when he starred as Bud Anderson in the TV sitcom Father Knows Best. After the series his acting career was derailed by a marijuana conviction, but he built a new career as a speedway motorcycle racer. I did this story about his motorcycle racing soon after I became a sportscaster in LA in 1974. Gray raced professionally for 23 years. Although, Gray says he wasn’t a very well-paid professional, despite racing 4 or 5 nights a week, because according to Gray he wasn’t that good. He did however have a skill for coming up with inventions that solved problems and is the holder of several patents.
