Billy Chapin dead at 72Los Angeles, Dec 4 (AZINS) Billy Chapin, known for featuring in films like "The Kid from Left Field" and "The Night of the Hunter" as a child actor, has died. He was 72.

His sister and fellow former child actor, Lauren, announced the news on Facebook on Saturday, reports variety.com.

She wrote that Billy had died on Friday night "after a long illness".

"Billy was a wonderful brother to both Michael and me," Lauren wrote. "And he made us proud of all the great films he was in… He will be greatly missed."

Billy, Lauren and their brother, Michael, were all successful child actors during the 1940s and 1950s. Billy, born as William McClellan Chapin is the middle of the three siblings who were all born here.

Apart from several stage appearances as a newborn, Billy got his start in 1951 in the Broadway production of "Three Wishes for Jamie". His first big on-screen role was as the "Diaper Manager" Christie Cooper in the 1953 baseball film "The Kid from Left Field". The family film also starred Dan Dailey, Anne Bancroft and Lloyd Bridges.

Billy's most recognisable role came in 1955 in the film "Night of the Hunter" directed by Charles Laughton. Although it was considered a critical and commercial failure at the time, in 1992, the United States Library of Congress selected the picture for preservation in the National Film Registry, forever preserving its legacy.

After "Night of the Hunter", his film career declined, then his television roles wrapped up as well until his career in Hollywood ended in 1959.