Happy 78th Birthday Billy Connolly.
The comedian and actor we know as The Big Yin was born on November 24th 1942 in Glasgow, into a poor and not altogether stable family; he left school at age 15 and served as (among other jobs) a shipyard worker, a paratrooper in the Territorial Army, and a welder, the latter including a stint building an oil rig in Nigeria.Ā
Shortly after his return, Connolly quit working and, supporting himself with the money heād saved, concentrated on learning to play folk music on the banjo and guitar. He became a regular on the Glasgow folk scene, instantly recognizable with his wild hair and beard; he drifted in and out of several bands before forming the Humblebums with guitarist Tam Harvey in 1965. Gerry Rafferty (later of Stealers Wheel and āBaker Streetā fame) joined sometime later, and the group built a following with their live performances, which spotlighted Connollyās humorous between-song bits.Ā
As Raffertyās songs became the Humblebumsā primary musical focus, tensions among the members escalated; Harvey departed, and Connolly and Rafferty recorded two albums in 1969 and 1970 before disagreements over Connollyās concert comedy split them up in 1971.
Billy soon began performing around Scotland and northern England, concentrating more on comedy but still mixing occasional folk songs into his act. 1972 saw the release of his first album, Live, and also the debut of The Great Northern Welly Boot Show, a musical play Connolly co-authored with poet Tom Buchan based on his experiences in the shipyards of Glasgow. The show was a hit in Edinburgh and London, and Polydor signed Connolly to a recording contract.Ā
In 1974, his Solo Concert album sparked protests from the Christian community over a rowdy routine in which Connolly described the Last Supper as if it had taken place in Glasgow; all the publicity only helped his career, and he was quickly becoming one of Scotlandās favourite entertainers. His 1974 follow-up album, Cop Yer Whack for This, became his biggest hit yet, going gold in the U.K., and his comic take on Tammy Wynetteās āD.I.V.O.R.C.E.ā became a surprise number one hit single in 1975. That same year also saw Connolly put in star-making appearances on Michael Parkinsonās chat show and at the London Palladium. He consolidated his success with a rigorous touring schedule over the next few years continuing to release comedy recordings on a regular basis into the ā80s, the best known of which were In The Brownies and the theme to Supergran.
During the late '70s, Connolly had began taking on acting roles in television and film productions, and tried his hand at playwriting, with somewhat less success. His first marriage dissolved in 1981 amidst an affair with comedienne Pamela Stephenson (whom he would later marry in 1989, the same year he first shaved off his trademark shaggy beard). Ā Taking up residence in London with Stephenson, Connolly continued his comedy career while taking on more theatrical and television roles. Toward the late '80s, his appearances on American television became more frequent, which ā along with an unsold pilot for a Dead Poets Society series ā helped Connolly land a gig replacing Howard Hesseman on the high school honour-student comedy Head of the Class in 1990.Ā
His highest-profile American exposure was short-lived, however, as the series was cancelled after just one season; however, Connolly was back on American airwaves in early 1992, starring in the sitcom Billy. It too was cancelled after a short run, Ā after an appearance in the film Indecent Proposal, Connolly returned home, (though he still officially resided in the Hollywood Hills).Ā
In 1994, Billy hosted the acclaimed series World Tour of Scotland, which explored the flavour of contemporary Scottish culture. It proved so successful that Connolly hosted two further exploration-themed BBC series: 1995ās A Scot in the Arctic, in which he spent a week on a remote northern Canadian island, and 1996ās World Tour of Australia, lent a new respectability to Connolly
1997 Ssaw The Big Yin appear in the historical dramas Deacon Brodie Ā and Ā Mrs. Brown, the latter of which also featured Judi Dench and was released worldwide to much acclaim.
In 2012, Connolly provided the voice of King Fergus in Pixarās Scotland-set animated film Brave, alongside fellow Scottish actors Kelly Macdonald, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, and Kevin McKidd. Connolly appeared as Wilf in Quartet, a 2012 British comedy-drama film based on the play Quartet by Ronald Harwood, directed by Dustin Hoffman. Ā In 2014, he appeared in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies as DĆ”in II Ironfoot, a great dwarf warrior and cousin of Thorin II Oakenshield. Sir Peter Jackson stated that āWe could not think of a more fitting actor to play Dain Ironfoot, the staunchest and toughest of dwarves, than Billy Connolly, the Big Yin himself. With Billy stepping into this role, the cast of The Hobbit is now complete. We canāt wait to see him on the battlefield.ā
In September 2013, Connolly underwent minor surgery for early-stage prostate cancer. The announcement also stated that he was being treated for the initial symptoms of Parkinsonās disease.Ā Connolly had acknowledged earlier in 2013 that he had started to forget his lines during performances, adding later he was also finding it hard to remember how to play his banjo.Ā
On his 75th birthday Glasgow bestowed upon Billy three giant Ā murals to add to the many murals in the city.
In 2007 and again in 2010, he was voted the greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4ās 100 Greatest Stand-Ups. He once again topped the list on Channel 5ās Greatest Stand-Up Comedians, broadcast on New Yearās Eve 2013. Billyās last big screen role was in 2016 in Wild Oats, which had Hollywood Stars Shirley MacLaine, Demi Moore and Jessica Lange.
In recent years he has established himself as an artist. In 2020, he stated āMy art is about revealing myselfā as he unveiled the fifth release of his Born on a Rainy Day collection in London.
Billy was on our small screen last year in Great American Trail, wfollowed him as he replicated the route taken by Scottish immigrants who came to America in the early 18th century. Ā He also brought out a new book, called Tall Tales and Wee Stories, to launch it Billyās face was projected on to buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In November 2019, The Evening Times named Connolly as The Greatest Glaswegian as determined by a public poll.
Connolly is a patron of the National Association for Bikers with a Disability. Ā His first sculpture, which is inspired by his past as a welder, was released in March 2020. as seen in the pic, the sculpture shows God welding the world together
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