Lou Butera obit

BCA Hall of Famer Butera Dead

 He was not on the list.

Fast-shooting former world champion and Billiard Congress of America Hall of Famer “Machine Gun” Lou Butera passed away June 25 in Los Angeles. Butera, 78, had been battling Parkinson’s disease for several years. Born in Pittson, Pa., Butera learned to play in a poolroom owned by his father. A devoted family man, Butera played in professional tournaments only sporadically, opting instead to work in both billiard rooms and billiard retail stores as a means to fend for his wife, Caroline (who died in 2012), and seven children. Butera was 35 when he won his only world title, wresting the crown from Irving Crane in 1973. His rapid-fire shooting style made Butera a fan-favorite.

Living in L.A., Butera was often called upon to serve as technical advisor for pool scenes in films and television shows, and even appeared on film several times.

Butera is survived by his seven children and many grandchildren.

Actor

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989)

Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

4.4

Pool Shooter

1989

 

Racing with the Moon (1984)

Racing with the Moon

6.6

A Pool Player

1984

 

Lee Majors and Heather Thomas in The Fall Guy (1981)

The Fall Guy

7.1

TV Series

Louie Kramer (as 'Machine Gun' Lou Butera)

1983

1 episode

 

The Baltimore Bullet (1980)

The Baltimore Bullet

5.9

Lou Butera

1980

 

Additional Crew

Tiffany Brissette in Small Wonder (1985)

Small Wonder

7.0

TV Series

technical consultant: billiards

1989

1 episode

 

Racing with the Moon (1984)

Racing with the Moon

6.6

pool technical advisor

1984

 

The Baltimore Bullet (1980)

The Baltimore Bullet

5.9

technical advisor

1980

 

Thanks

Michael Douglas and Annette Bening in The American President (1995)

The American President

6.8

special thanks

1995

 

Self

Virtual Pool (1995)

Virtual Pool

Video Game

Self

1995

 

Mosconi Cup (1994)

Mosconi Cup

TV Series

Self

1994–1995

4 episodes

 

Archive Footage

Alex Higgins in The Mosconi Cup: A 30 Year Story (2023)

The Mosconi Cup: A 30 Year Story

Short

Self (archive footage)

2023

 

Mosconi Cup (1994)

Mosconi Cup

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

1996

1 episode