Billy Campbell

Campbell studied at the University of Washington before building a career in American television through the 1980s, working steadily in supporting roles before landing his first major feature lead.

He played Cliff Secord, the nervy stunt pilot who straps on a stolen jetpack and becomes a reluctant hero — a deliberately unpolished everyman at the center of The Rocketeer's pulp fantasy. Prior to the film he had built a career mostly in television, and the role was one of his first major feature leads.

He went on to a long career in film and television, including the lead role in the series Once and Again, continuing to work steadily across both mediums in the decades since.