William "Billy" Frank Jones, better known as Christopher Jones, was an American character actor, born August 18, 1941 in Jackson, Tennessee. With looks and a manner strikingly reminiscent of the late James Dean, Jones came from a similar background to Dean's, but his interest in the arts began with drawing, which earned him an Art school scholarship in his teens. Jones's enjoyment of movies interested him in acting, and he began to study filmed performances, particularly those of James Dean (East of Eden) and Elvis Presley (Love Me Tender), whom he considered his first idol. After serving briefly in the United States Army (and going AWOL to visit Dean's family in Fairmount, Indiana), Jones studied painting in New York City, then began acting classes. Befriended by Frank Corsaro, who had also been a friend of Dean's, Jones (adopting the st...read more