Billy Connolly Biography (1942-)

Full name, William Connolly, Jr.; born November 24, 1942, in Anderston, Glasgow, Scotland; son of William Connolly (an instrument technician) and Mary Connolly Adams (a hospital cafeteria worker); married Iris Pressagh (an interiordesigner; some sources cite surname as Present), 1969 (divorced, 1985); married Pamela Stephenson (a comedian), December 20, 1989; children: (first marriage) Jamie, Cara; (second marriage) Daisy, Amy, Scarlett Layla. Addresses: Agent: Julian Belfrage Associates, 46 Albemarle St., London W1S 4DF, England.; Manager: Parseghian/Planco Management, 23 East 22nd St., Third Floor,New York, NY 10010.

Nationality
British
Gender
Male
Occupation
Stand–up comedian, actor
Birth Details
November 24, 1942
Glasgow, Scotland

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Billy MacGregor, Head of the Class, ABC, 1990-1991
  • Billy MacGregor, Billy, ABC, 1992
  • Presenter, The Bigger Picture, BBC, beginning 1993
  • Himself, Billy Connolly's World Tour of Scotland, BBC, 1994
  • Himself, Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia, BBC, 1996, published by BBC Publications, 1997
  • Miniseries
  • Himself, 30 Years of Billy Connolly, 1998
  • Movies
  • Des, Blue Money, London Weekend Television, 1982
  • Title role, Deacon Brodie, 1996
  • Voice of P. C., Paws, HBO, 1999
  • Findlay Crawford, Columbo: Murder with Too Many Notes, ABC, 2001
  • Hamish, Prince Charming, TNT, 2001
  • Kingdom Swann, Gentlemen's Relish, BBC, 2001
  • Specials
  • Paddy, "Just Another Saturday" (also known as "Saturday Like the Other One"), Play for Today, BBC, 1975
  • Jody, "The Elephants' Graveyard," Play for Today, BBC, 1976
  • Himself, An Audience with Billy Connolly, London Weekend Television, 1985
  • Guest speaker at Wembley Stadium, Live Aid, 1985
  • Himself, Comic Relief (also known as The Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live), BBC, 1986
  • Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebration, Fox, 1988
  • "Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Connolly in Performance," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1990
  • Himself, "Billy Connolly: Pale Blue Scottish Person," HBO Comedy Hour, HBO, 1991
  • South Bank Show Special, London Weekend Television, 1992
  • Down among the Big Boys, BBC, 1993
  • Himself, 25 B.C.: The Best of 25 Years of Billy Connolly, BBC-2, 1996
  • Commentator and narrator, World Tour of Television, BBC-2, 1996
  • Himself, A Scot in the Arctic, 1996
  • Canned Ham: Deconstructing Harry, Comedy Central, 1997
  • Himself, Steve Martin Seriously Funny, Comedy Central, 2000
  • Himself, Comic Relief: Say Pants to Poverty, BBC and Channel 4, 2001
  • Himself, Comic Relief Short Pants, 2001
  • Himself, Billy Connolly World Tour of Ireland, Wales and England,[Great Britain], 2002
  • Himself, Judi Dench: A BAFTA Tribute, BBC, 2002
  • Himself, Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch, [Great Britain], 2002
  • Appeared in Comic Relief: Return to Nose and Beak.
  • Episodic
  • Himself, Parkinson, BBC, 1975
  • Himself, Parkinson, BBC, 1978
  • Himself, The South Bank Show, London Weekend Television, 1979
  • Himself, Not the Nine O'Clock News, BBC-2, 1980
  • Bogle McNeep, "A Cup 'o Tea and a Glass 'o Milk," Worzel Gummidge,Southern Television, 1980
  • Various roles, The Kenny Everett Television Show, BBC, 1982
  • Tick Tack the bookmaker, "Fatal Impression," Minder, Thames Television, 1989
  • Himself, The South Bank Show, London Weekend Television, 1992
  • Himself, Saturday Night Clive, BBC-2 and PBS, both 1994
  • William "Billy" Pynchon, "Billy," Pearl, CBS, 1996
  • Himself, Intimate Portrait: Sean Connery, Lifetime, 1997
  • Campbell, "Veronica's Got a Secret," Veronica's Closet, NBC, 1997
  • Gavin, Guys Like Us, UPN, 1998
  • Rory Cassidy, "Tracey Takes on Culture" (also known as "Culture"), Tracey Takes On ... , HBO, 1998
  • Himself, Parkinson, BBC, 1999
  • Inspector Macaffery, "Dial M for Dick," 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as Life As We Know It), NBC, 1999
  • Himself, The Panel, 10 Network, 2001
  • Himself, Parkinson, BBC, 2001
  • Himself, The Ray Martin Show, [Australia], 2001
  • Appeared in episodes of other series, including Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC; also appeared in other episodes of Parkinson, BBC.
  • Pilots
  • Thief, The Repair Shop, CBS, 1998
  • Other
  • Dateline Scotland, c. 1970
  • Androcles and the Lion, 1984
  • Himself, Erect for 30 Years, 1999
  • Film Appearances
  • Himself, Big Banana Feet (based on his concerts), 1976
  • Himself, The Secret Policeman's Ball (also known as The 1979 Amnesty International Comedy Gala), 1979
  • Blakey, Absolution (also known as Murder by Confession), 1979
  • Himself, The Secret Policeman's Other Ball, Miramax, 1982
  • Himself, Concert for Kampuchea, Miramax, 1983
  • Hawkeye McGillicuddy, Bullshot (also known as Bullshot Crummond), Handmade Pictures, 1985
  • Delgado, Water, Rank, 1986
  • To the North of Katmandu, Opix Films, 1986
  • The bellman, The Hunting of the Snark, 1987
  • Caddie, The Return of the Musketeers, Universal, 1989
  • Frankie, Crossing the Line (also known as The Big Man), Miramax, 1990
  • Dreaming, 1990
  • Auction master of ceremonies, Indecent Proposal, Paramount, 1993
  • Voice of Ben, Pocahontas (animated), Buena Vista, 1995
  • Billy Bones, Muppet Treasure Island, Buena Vista, 1996
  • John Brown, Mrs. Brown (also known as Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown), Miramax, 1997
  • Alibius, Middleton's Changeling (also known as The Changeling), United International Pictures, 1998
  • Hughie, Still Crazy, Columbia/TriStar, 1998
  • Sparks, The Imposters (also known as Ship of Fools), Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1998
  • The darkman/Il Duce (some sources cite Mr. Brown), Boondock Saints, New City Releasing, 1999
  • Nickie Dryden, The Debt Collector, Channel 4 Films, 1999
  • Joe, Beautiful Joe, Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 2000
  • Scalper, An Everlasting Piece, DreamWorks, 2000
  • Archangel Gabriel, Gabriel & Me, Pathe, 2001
  • Dr. Savian, Who Is Cletis Tout?, Paramount Classics, 2001
  • Steve Myers, The Man Who Sued God, Buena Vista, 2001
  • Barry Kolker, White Oleander, Warner Bros., 2002
  • Disappearances, Kingdom County Productions, 2002
  • Professor Edward Johnston, Timeline, Paramount, 2003
  • Sergeant Zebulah Grant, The Last Samurai, Warner Bros., 2003
  • Film Work
  • (Producer) Big Banana Feet (based on his concerts), 1976
  • (Song arranger) Still Crazy, Columbia/TriStar, 1998
  • Stage Appearances
  • Die Fledermaus, Scottish Opera, 1978
  • The Red Runner, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1979
  • The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B, London production, 1982
  • Also appeared in other productions. Performer at the King Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland.
  • Concert Appearances
  • Get Right intae Him, Apollo Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland, 1975
  • The Secret Policeman's Ball (also known as The 1979 Amnesty International Comedy Gala), Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, 1979, also released as a film, 1979
  • Concert for Kampuchea, Miramax, c. 1983
  • Himself, Billy and Albert: Billy Connolly at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Albert Hall, London, 1987
  • Himself, Billy Connolly Live at the Odeon Hammersmith London, Odeon Hammersmith, London, 1991
  • Appeared in concerts and performances at other venues, including the London Palladium and New Victorian Theatre, both c. 1975; and at Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1989.
  • Major Tours
  • Connolly's Glasgow Flourish, northern British cities, early 1970s
  • The Great Northern Welly Boot Show, various British and Scottish cities, including Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, and Young Vic Theatre, London, 1972
  • The Billy Connolly Extravaganza, British cities, 1977
  • Big Wee Tour, British cities, 1979
  • Bite Yer Bum, 1981
  • On Yer Bike Tour of Britain, British cities, 1981
  • Appeared in other tours, including "Wreck on Tour." Toured several countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, the United States, andCanada.
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • Himself, Billy Connolly "Bite Yer Bum!," 1981
  • Himself, Hand-Picked by Billy Connolly, 1982
  • Himself, Billy and Albert: Billy Connolly at the Royal Albert Hall, 1987
  • Himself, Billy Connolly Live at the Odeon Hammersmith London (alsoknown as Live at the Odeon Hammersmith London), 1991
  • Himself, Billy Connolly Live (also known as Live '94), 1994
  • Himself, Two Bites of Billy Connolly, 1995
  • Himself, Billy Connolly: Two Night Stand, 1997
  • Himself, Sean Connery Close Up, 1997
  • Himself, One Night Stand/Down Under (also known as Live '99), 1999
  • Himself, Billy Connolly--The Greatest Hits, 2001
  • Albums
  • Billy Connolly Live, 1972
  • Cop Yer Whack for This, 1974
  • The Portrait, Scotdisc, 1974
  • Solo Concert, 1974
  • Get Right intae Him, 1975
  • Atlantic Bridge, 1976
  • Raw Meat for the Balcony, Polydor, 1977
  • Billy Connolly: Anthology, Socas, 1978
  • Riotous Assembly, Polydor, 1979
  • The Pick of Billy Connolly, Polydor, 1981
  • A Change Is As Good As an Arrest, Polydor, 1983
  • Billy & Albert, Virgin, 1987
  • On Tour with the Big Yin, Castle Communications, 1989
  • Live at the Odeon Hammersmith London, Virgin, 1991
  • The Crack, Laughing Stock, 1992
  • Classic Connolly in Words and Music, PolyGram, 1993
  • Highlights and Footlights, PolyGram Australia, 1993
  • Live Down Under, Polydor/Tickety-Boo, 1995
  • (With the Humblebums) New Humblebums/Open up the Door, Essential/DNA, 1997
  • (With the Humblebums) Best of the Humblebums, BMG, 1998
  • Appeared in a recording of The Great Northern Welly Boot Show. Appeared in other albums.
  • Singles
  • "D.I.V.O.R.C.E.," 1975
  • Video Games
  • Billy Bones, Muppet Treasure Island, Activision, 1996
  • WRITINGS
  • Teleplays
  • Comic Relief (also known as The Utterly Utterly Rude Video Live), BBC, 1986
  • Billy Connolly World Tour of Scotland, BBC, 1994
  • Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia, BBC, 1996, published byBBC Publications, 1997
  • Billy Connolly World Tour of Ireland, Wales and England, [Great Britain], 2002
  • Screenplays
  • (With others) The Secret Policeman's Ball (also known as The 1979 Amnesty International Comedy Gala), 1979
  • Stage Plays
  • An' Me wi' a Bad Leg, Tae, 1977
  • The Red Runner, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1979
  • The Sleeping Dumpling (Christmas pantomime), 1980
  • Other stage plays include Groan Up and When Hair Was Long and Time Was Short.
  • Songs
  • "D.I.V.O.R.C.E.," 1975
  • (Songs) Billy Connolly "Bite Yer Bum!" (video), 1981
  • (Theme song) Supergran (television series), Tyne Tees Television,1985-1987
  • Composer of other songs.
  • Nonfiction
  • (With Duncan Campbell) Billy Connolly, Pan Books, 1976
  • Billy Connolly: Gullible's Travels (also known as Gullible's Travels), compiled by Duncan Campbell, illustrated by Steve Bell, Arrow (London), 1983
  • Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia (based on the 1996 BBC production of the same name), BBC Publications, 1997

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Stephenson, Pamela, Billy, HarperCollins (London), 2001
    Periodicals
    • People Weekly, November 12, 1990, pp. 127-28
    • Times (London), August 10, 1997
    Electronic
    • Billy Connolly Fan Page, http://www.btinternet.com/~sarsen/billy/billy.html (January 6, 2003)