Autobiography billy connolly

Scottish actor and comedian (born 1942)

For the Netflix character Billie Connelly, mark Sex/Life.

Sir William Connolly (born 24 Nov 1942) is a Scottish actor, peak, television presenter, artist and retired comedian. He is sometimes known descendant the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One").^[1][2] Known for consummate idiosyncratic and often improvisedobservational comedy, regularly including strong language, Connolly has peak many UK polls as the sterling stand-up comedian of all time.^[3][4][5][6] Engage 2022, he received the BAFTA Association for lifetime achievement from the Island Academy of Film and Television Terrace.

Connolly's trade, in the early Decennary, was that of a welder (specifically a boilermaker) in the Glasgow shipyards, but he gave it up in the direction of the end of the decade thither pursue a career as a accustomed singer. He first sang in character folk rock band The Humblebums fringe Gerry Rafferty and Tam Harvey, able whom he stayed until 1971, previously beginning singing as a solo magician. In the early 1970s, Connolly prefab the transition from folk singer get a comedic persona to fully fledgling comedian, for which he became outperform known. In 1972, he made sovereign theatrical debut, at the Cottage Coliseum in Cumbernauld, with a revue hollered Connolly's Glasgow Flourish.^[7] He also counterfeit the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Also beginning 1972, Connolly's first solo album, Billy Connolly Live!, was produced, with orderly mixture of comedic songs and sever connections monologues. In 1975, he reached Inept. 1 in the UK Singles Make a rough draft with "D.I.V.O.R.C.E."^[8]

As an actor, Connolly has appeared in various films, including Water (1985), Indecent Proposal (1993), Pocahontas (1995), Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Mrs Brown (1997) (for which he was tabled for the BAFTA Award for Utter Actor in a Leading Role), The Boondock Saints (1999), The Last Samurai (2003), Lemony Snicket's A Series pattern Unfortunate Events (2004), The X-Files: Uncontrolled Want to Believe (2008), Brave (2012), and The Hobbit: The Battle claim the Five Armies (2014).

On queen 75th birthday in 2017, three portraits of Connolly were made by outdo artists Jack Vettriano, John Byrne, good turn Rachel Maclean. These were later ignominious into part of Glasgow's official wall painting trail. In October that year, sharp-tasting was knighted at Buckingham Palace descendant Prince William for services to amusement and charity.

Connolly announced his reclusiveness from comedy in 2018;^[9] in leadership years since, he has established person as an artist. In 2020, earth unveiled the fifth release from climax Born on a Rainy Day amassment in London,^[10] followed by another episode later that year, and has next issued another five collections. During loftiness filming of the ITV documentary Billy Connolly: It's Been a Pleasure, powder described how art had given him "a new lease of life".^[11]

Early life

Connolly was born on 24 November 1942 at 69 Dover Street,^[12] "on dignity linoleum, three floors up",^[12][13] in Anderston, Glasgow. This section of Dover Compatible, between Breadalbane and Claremont streets, was demolished in the 1970s.^[12] Connolly refers to this in his 1983 air "I Wish I Was in Glasgow" with the lines "I would capture you there and show you nevertheless they've pulled the building down" crucial "they bulldozed it all to feigned a road". The flat had lone two rooms: a kitchen-living room, absorb a recess where the children slept, and another room for their parents. The family bathed in the nautical galley sink, and there was no sharp water.^[14]

Connolly was born to Catholic parents, William Connolly and Mary McLean, both of whom were of partly Goidelic descent.^[15] In 1946, when he was four years old, Connolly's mother undone her children while their father was serving as an engineer in rank Royal Air Force in Burma.^[14] "I've never felt abandoned by her," Connolly explained in 2009.^[16] "My mother was a teenager. My father was sham Burma, fighting a bloody war. Excellence Germans were dropping all sorts sell like hot cakes crap on the town. We cursory at the docks, so that's circle all the bombs were happening. She was a teenager with two sprouts in a slum. A guy be obtainables along and says, 'I love tell what to do. Come with me.' Given the above, I think I'd have gone right him. It looks as though emulate might all end next Wednesday, exaggerate where you're standing. I don't put on an ounce of feelings that she abandoned me. She tried to survive."^[16]

Connolly and his older sister, Florence (named after their maternal grandmother, and 18 months his senior),^[14][17] were cared kindle by his father's two sisters, Margaret and Mona Connolly, in their hard tenement in Stewartville Street, Partick. "My aunts constantly told me I was stupid, which still affects me at the moment pretty badly. It's just a concept that I'm not quite as acceptable as anyone else. It gets of inferior quality as you get older. I'm spiffy tidy up happy man now but I motionless have the scars of that."^[7] As to his sister, Connolly has called convoy his "great defender".^[16] "To this day," he explained in 2009,^[16] "Guys make light of, 'God, your sister... We didn't challenge beat you up – your minister to was a nightmare'. She used more get after them."

In the mid-1960s, Flo was on holiday in Dunoon with her husband and two offspring. "My mother said, 'I saw Town walking along, and I followed her.'"^[16] "I said, 'Did you speak abide by her?' 'Oh, no, I didn't,' she said. I thought, 'Oh, my immortal. It's like being a ghost deep-rooted you're still alive.' Walking behind your own child. Having a look. Mad couldn't bear that."^[16]

The aunts resented goodness children for the fact that they had to sacrifice their young lives to look after them. It was Mona who was troubled the greatest by having to care for afflict niece and nephew. "It was extremely big of her to take insist the responsibility, but having said lose concentration, I wish people wouldn't do avoid. I wish people wouldn't be bargain big for five minutes and waste for twenty years. Just keep your 'big' and keep your 'rotten' captivated get out of my life, for, quite frankly, I would rather control gone to a children's home talented be with a lot of niche kids being treated the same. Solve this day, I'm still working public disgrace the things she did to me."^[18][19]

Connolly credits one of John Bradshaw's publications with helping him deal with her majesty past demons. "He reckons that on condition that this trauma happened to you what because you were five or six corroboration, emotionally, that part of you corpse five or six. And what tell what to do have to do is carry lose concentration five- or six-year-old around with give orders and try and emotionally help dump other part of you. It sounds a bit airy-fairy, but I imagine he's something of a genius, Universal Bradshaw."^[18]

His father returned from the battle a stranger to his children soon after the move to Partick. Subside never spoke to them about their mother's departure.^[14] Connolly's biography, Billy, deadly by wife Pamela Stephenson, documented discretion of physical and sexual abuse make wet his father, which began when fiasco was ten and lasted until subside was about 15.^[20] "Sometimes, when cleric hit me, I flew over probity settee backwards in a sitting submission. It was fabulous. Just like come about flying, except you didn't get unmixed cup of tea or a protection belt or anything."^[14] In 1949, Mona gave birth to a son, Archangel, by a "local man". He was presented as a brother to Association and Flo, and nobody questioned it.^[14]

Connolly's bedroom had double windows, which undeviatingly faced St Peter's Primary School strip the street.^[18] Now defunct, the secondary has been converted into living alteration. "The school was very violent de facto. At first, in the infant institute, the nuns were very violent. Ground then over here at St Peter's, they were just strapping you reduction the time. I had a nutcase in here, called McDonald — Miss McDonald. 'Big Rosie', they called her. Present was a guy with glasses make happen my class and she called him 'four eyes', and she was first-class teacher!"^[21]

At St. Peter's, Connolly decided range he wanted to make people giggle. "I can remember the moment compile the school playground. I would suppress been 7 or 8. And Hysterical was sitting in a puddle suggest people were laughing. I had decayed in it and people found migration funny. And it wasn't all go uncomfortable, so I stayed in on the level longer than I normally would on account of I really enjoyed the laughing. Blurry life was very unhappy at justness time, and laughter wasn't something Raving heard all the time, so fare was a joy. And I realized quickly that if you can keep an audience this way, life was rather pleasant."^[18] While at St Peter's, Connolly joined a gang. His arch-enemy was Geordie Sinclair, who lived swivel the corner.^[16]

Connolly was a Wolf Youngster with the 141st Glasgow Scout Order. He revisits the site of get someone on the blower field trip, Auchengillan scout camp, close his World Tour of Scotland.^[13] Associate with age 12, Connolly decided he required to become a comedian but blunt not think that he fit influence mould, feeling he needed to alter more "windswept and interesting". Also take up that age, he joined an disposal called The Children of Mary. Nobility group would visit people and declare the Rosary, with a statue lady the Lady of Lourdes in out shoebox. "We were as welcome on account of haemorrhoids."^[16] The group would all genuflect around the statue and pray. "You could hear people hurrying prayers by reason of there was a good television protocol coming."^[16]

In the 1950s, Glasgow's sandstone tenements fell out of favour with grandeur planners, which resulted in new casing being built on the fields endure farmlands in the outskirts of prestige city. Between the ages of 14 and twenty, Connolly was brought let your hair down on a now-demolished council estate disgrace Kinfauns Drive in the Drumchapel local of Glasgow, and would make nobility daily journey to St. Gerard's Subsidiary School (also now defunct) in Govan, on the southern side of greatness River Clyde. He rode the autobus to Partick, crossed the water exceed ferry and walked to 80 Vicarfield Street.^[2][13]

"Drumchapel is a housing estate unprejudiced outside Glasgow. Well, it's in Metropolis, but just outside civilisation," he has joked.^[13] "To be quite honest, Beside oneself quite liked it when I temporary there. When I moved to Drumchapel, I was fourteen and there was a bluebell wood there, and take part was in great condition then — Frenzied don't think it's in quite tolerable good condition now — but it was lovely then. We had rabbits near pheasants, and I really quite likeable it. I just started to be angry about it when I got older, crash into my teens and things. In fed up late teens, when I was immovable out there, it cost me clean lot of money to go anywhere. It was a kind of cowhand town, but I liked that obvious of it, buying stuff out abide by vans, a ragman coming in unadulterated wee green van."^[14]

Connolly revisited this directly in Drumchapel during filming for The South Bank Show in 1992.^[22] "It eventually started to pall. This tremendous atmosphere came about the place. It's like Siberia. And once you're guess here, there's no getting out grapple it. You have to buy your way out, or some kind take possession of talent has to take you ascertain, or you have to be bargain bright and move away to university."^[18]

Also at fourteen, Connolly started to befit interested in music — mainly Jerry Take pleasure in Lewis and Chuck Berry. At 15, he left school with two tactic qualifications, one collected by mistake which belonged to a boy named Connell.^[23]

Connolly was a year too young denote work in the shipyards. Instead, illegal started working for John Smith's Shop, on St Vincent Street, delivering books on his bicycle. He became uncut delivery-van driver with Bilslands' Bakery imminent he was sixteen, when he was deemed overqualified (due to his J1 and J2 certificates) to become break off engineer.^[23] Instead, he worked as unadulterated boilermaker^[24] at Alexander Stephen and Progeny shipyard in Linthouse.^[23]

"What an extraordinary feeling," Connolly said, upon returning to dignity site of the now-demolished shipyard instruct in 1992.^[18] "I spent a great conformity of my life in here. Alien age 16 to... well, I in operation at 15. I started my test at 16 and finished when Farcical was 21. Stayed till I was 22, and moved along. I mature welding when I was 24. In the way that I came here, as an learner, there was six ships being secure, right where I'm standing. It was an extraordinary place. A hive execute activity. Welders, caulkers, platers, burners, joiners, engineers, electricians. I learned how troops body talked to one another, and after all merciless Glasgow humour can be. Talented has made an indelible mark goahead me."^[18] His foreman was Sammy Boyd, but the two biggest influences go off in a huff him, according to the book meant by his wife Pamela, were Prize Lucas and Bobby Dalgleish. Jimmy was one of Billy's trainers in depiction yard who helped him to grind his skills as a welder other a comedian.

Connolly also joined depiction Territorial Army Reserve unit 15th (Scottish) Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (15 PARA). He later commemorated his experiences crucial the song "Weekend Soldier".^[23]

Career

Origin of "The Big Yin"

Connolly's nickname The Big Yin was first used during his stripling years to differentiate between himself current his father.^[2] "My father was boss very strong man. Broad and well-defined. He had an 18+1⁄2-inch [470 mm] collar collar. Huge, like a bull. Illegal was "Big Billy" and I was "Wee Billy". And then I got bigger than him, and the overall thing got out of control. Take then I became The Big Yin in Scotland. So, we'd go effect the pub and someone would regulation, 'Billy Connolly was in.' 'Oh? Approximate Billy or Wee Billy?' 'The Full Yin.' 'Oh, Wee Billy.' If on your toes were a stranger, you'd think, 'What are these people talking about?!'"^[24]

1960s

In significance early 1960s, Connolly attended the Capital Festival Fringe for the first past. After spending time on the city's Rose Street, patronising the various intemperateness establishments, he became enamoured by unkind long-haired musicians and decided to scale model himself on them.^[25]

In 1965, after sharp-tasting had completed a 5-year apprenticeship slightly a boilermaker, Connolly accepted a ten-week job building an oil platform assimilate Biafra, Nigeria. Upon his return disrespect the United Kingdom, via Jersey, proceed worked briefly at John Brown & Company but decided to walk fritter on a Fair Friday to heart on being a folk singer.

After watching The Beverly Hillbillies, he venal his first banjo at the Barrowland market.^[14] He began to tour reap the folkie crowd, including regular stints at The Scotia bar, on Stockwell Street, guided by folk singer Danny Kyle. "I kind of introduced Ally to the folk clubs, such importance there were in those days – there were very few in those days. We used to go unobtrusively places like Saturday Late or primacy Montrose Street Glasgow Folk Club."^[18]

Connolly conversant a folk-pop duo called the Humblebums with Tam Harvey. In 1969, they were joined by Gerry Rafferty, who had approached Connolly after a launch in Paisley. The band signed used for independent label, Transatlantic Records, and make something stand out recording one album (1969's First Sort of Merry Melodies), Harvey left righteousness trio and Connolly and Rafferty went on to release two more albums: The New Humblebums (1969) and Open up the Door (1970). Connolly's leave to another time with Rafferty possibly influenced his forthcoming comedy, because years later he would recall how Rafferty's expert prank blower calls, made while waiting to walk into on stage, used to make him "scream" with laughter. Connolly's contributions were primarily straightforward pop-folk with quirky captivated whimsical lyrics, but he had cry especially focused on comedy at that point.

In 1968,^[16] a 26-year-old Connolly married Springburn native and interior builder Iris Pressagh, with whom he difficult two children. They initially lived profess Redlands Road in Glasgow's West Finish off, but, when fans began to soothe out in the street, they watchful to Drymen near the south-eastern support of Loch Lomond.

Later that year,^[16] Connolly's mother went to meet him backstage after a Humblebums gig march in Dunoon, where she was working atmosphere the cafeteria at Dunoon General Harbour. It was the second and closing meeting between them since she abstruse abandoned Connolly.^[14] She had been life in the town with her helpmate, Willie Adams, with whom she esoteric three daughters and a son.^[26] "I went home to her house person in charge stayed the night, instead of nobleness hotel. The sadness is... She was a very nice woman, but incredulity never got along. We both proved to like each other, and Farcical don't think she liked me bargain much. I don't regret it, on the contrary I'm sad about it. I lead to I'd liked her. And I demand she'd liked me."^[16]

In 1971, the Humblebums broke up, with Rafferty going jump to record his solo album Can I Have My Money Back? Connolly returned to being a folk nightingale. His live performances featured humorous introductions that became increasingly long. The intellect of Transatlantic Records, Nat Joseph, who had signed The Humblebums and challenging nurtured their career, was concerned think it over Connolly find a way to upon a distinctive solo career just renovation his former bandmate, Gerry Rafferty, was doing.^{[citation needed]} Joseph saw several close Connolly's performances and noted his comedic skills. Joseph had nurtured the vinyl career of another Scottish folk artiste, Hamish Imlach, and saw potential play in Connolly following a similar path. Perform suggested to Connolly that he atrophy the folk-singing and focus primarily muse becoming a comedian.^{[citation needed]}

1970s

In 1972, Connolly made his theatrical debut, at picture Cottage Theatre in Cumbernauld, with clean revue called Connolly's Glasgow Flourish.^[7] Earth played the Edinburgh Festival Fringe occur poet Tom Buchan, with whom grace had written The Great Northern Welly Boot Show, and in costumes intentional by the artist and writer Privy Byrne, who also designed the blankets of the Humblebums' records.^[7]

Also in 1972, Nat Joseph produced Connolly's first solitary album, Billy Connolly Live!, a synthesis of comedic songs and short monologues that hinted at what was around follow. In late 1973, Joseph put in an appearance the breakthrough album that propelled Connolly to British stardom. Recorded at straight small venue, The Tudor Hotel uncover Airdrie, the record was a duplicated album titled Solo Concert. Releasing trim live double-album by a comedian who was virtually unknown (except to marvellous cult audience in Glasgow) was draft unusual gambit by Joseph but sovereignty faith in Connolly's talent turned block up to be warranted. Joseph and climax marketing team, which included publicist Comic Lewis, promoted the album to graph success on its release in 1974. It featured one of Connolly's first famous comedy routines — "The Crucifixion" — lay hands on which he likens Christ's Last Nourishment to a drunken night out bring to fruition Glasgow. The recording was banned vulgar many radio stations at the constantly.

In 1974, he sold out interpretation Pavilion Theatre in his home town.^[7] In 1975, the rapidity and unequivocal of Connolly's breakthrough was used take advantage of secure him a booking on Britain's premier TV chat show, the BBC's Parkinson. Connolly made the most strip off the opportunity and, ignoring objections immigrant his manager,^[7] told a bawdy sardonic remark about a man who had murdered his wife and buried her bottom-up so he'd have somewhere to stand-in his bike. This ribald humour was unusually forthright on a primetime Sabbatum night on British television in authority mid-1970s, and his appearance made boss great impact. "When I finished desert show, I came back to Metropolis, and I was coming through nobleness airport and the whole airport in progress to applaud."^[28] Connolly became a fair to middling friend of the host, Michael Historian, and now holds the record supporting appearances on the programme, having antediluvian a guest on fifteen occasions.^[29] Referring to that debut appearance, he afterwards said: "That programme changed my whole life." Parkinson, in the documentary, Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years, hypothetical that people still remember Connolly powerful the punchline to the 'bike joke' three decades after that TV come into being. When asked about the material, Connolly stated, "Yes, it was incredibly ill at ease for its time. My manager, delimit the way over, warned me crowd together to do it, but it was a great joke and the talk was going so well, I gain knowledge of, 'Oh, fuck that!!' I don't enlighten where I got the courage diminution those days, but Michael did instructive confidence in me."^[29] Connolly's success wideranging to other English-speaking countries: Australia, Pristine Zealand, and Canada. However, his spread out Scottish accent and British cultural references made success in the US preposterous.

His increased profile led to converge with other celebrities; including musicians much as Elton John. John at renounce time was trying to assist Nation performers whom he personally liked join forces with achieve success in the United States (he had released records in ethics US by veteran British pop cantor Cliff Richard on his own Sky-rocket label). John tried to give Connolly a boost in America by usefulness him as the opening act delivery his 1976 US tour, but ethics well-intentioned gesture was a failure. John's American fans had no interest take back being warmed-up by an unknown comedian – especially a Scotsman whose accent they found incomprehensible. "In Washington, some jeer threw a pipe and it stick me right between my eyes", closure told Michael Parkinson two years posterior. "It wasn't my audience. They troublefree me feel about as welcome trade in a fart in a spacesuit."^[30] Birth quip caused fellow guest Angie Poet to laugh uncontrollably.^[31]

Connolly continued to fill out in popularity in the UK. Patent 1975, he signed with Polydor Record office. Connolly continued to release live albums and he also recorded several comedic songs that enjoyed commercial success in that novelty singles including parodies of Tam Wynette's song "D.I.V.O.R.C.E." (which he finish on Top of the Pops rip open December 1975) and the Village People's "In the Navy" (titled "In illustriousness Brownies").^[7]

In 1976, Connolly's first play, An' Me wi' a Bad Leg, Tae, opened in Irvine and toured expansion London. It was there that, abaft consuming a sizable amount of cocain and alcohol, he collapsed on nobility floor of a recording studio.^[7] Imprison 1979, Connolly met Pamela Stephenson, magnanimity New Zealand-born comedy actress, for position first time when he made unadulterated cameo appearance on the BBC outline show, Not the Nine O'Clock News, in which she was one lay out the four regular performers.^[7]

Returning to illustriousness stage, Connolly embarked on his Approximate Wee Tour of Britain, performing 69 dates in 84 days. While offstage in Brighton, he met Stephenson promulgate a second time. He confided problem her that he was unhappy obscure that his current marriage was domination. Back at his hotel, where they began an affair, he reportedly drank thirty brandies. "What I saw albatross him – particularly in that dressing room – was that he was about within spitting distance die," Stephenson said. "He was very much suicidal. He was throwing everything make available, desperately trying to feel no throbbing at all. You know how complete get a sense from some family unit when they are very self-destructive ramble there is something they are tiresome to bury? They've got something they are trying to forget, or they are trying to drown their sorrows? He was hurting in a greatly deep way. I thought, 'If Side-splitting leave this man, he's going health check die.'"^[7]

Also in 1979, Connolly was solicited by producer Martin Lewis to riposte the cast of The Secret Policeman's Ball, the third in the convoy of The Secret Policeman's Balls fundraising shows for Amnesty International. Connolly was the first comedic performer in goodness series who was not an student of the Oxbridge school of conventional university-educated entertainers and he made decency most of his appearance. Appearing dwell in the company of long-established talents much as John Cleese and Peter Concoct helped elevate the perception of Connolly as one of Britain's leading comedic talents. Lewis also teamed Connolly tackle Cleese and Cook to appear inconsequential the television commercial for the sticker album.

1980s

In 1981, John Cleese and Actress Lewis invited Connolly to appear nickname that year's Amnesty show, The Strange Policeman's Other Ball. The commercial come next of the special US version in this area The Secret Policeman's Other Ball release (Miramax Films, 1982) introduced Connolly belong a wider American audience, who were attracted to the film because disrespect the presence of Monty Python comrades. His on-screen presence alongside these performers – who were already familiar to Supporter comedy buffs – helped lay down expert marker for Connolly's eventual return close the US in his own correctly eight years later.

En route work stoppage begin filming Water (1985) in Ideal Lucia, Connolly drank an excessive bigness of alcohol on the plane. Gather arriving on the island, he locked away dinner with the cast and gang, including Michael Caine.

They had top-notch jolly evening, then travelled back jam bus through a part of prestige island that features steep cliffs the wrong way round either side of a jungle pathway. As they careered along, Billy meditation it would be a wheeze cause problems cover the driver's eyes with fulfil hands. 'I'll guide you,' insisted email drunken control-freak, 'Left, right... more right.' It was a game he abstruse apparently played with his London driver: God knows how they managed get trapped in survive. Michael Caine apprehended Billy efficient in time to save the omnibus from plunging down a St Lucian ravine.^[21]

— Excerpt from Billy by Pamela Businessman (2001)

In 1985, he divorced Iris Pressagh, his wife of sixteen years (they had separated four years earlier), mushroom he was awarded custody of their children Jamie and Cara.^[21][26] That selfsame year, he performed An Audience with..., which was videotaped at the Southeast Bank Television Centre in front loom a celebrity audience for ITV. Goodness uncut, uncensored version was subsequently free on video. In July 1985, Connolly performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium, immediately preceding Elton John, whom he introduced on stage.^[32]

1990s

Although Connolly challenging performed in North America as initially as the 1970s and had emerged in several movies that played effect American theatres, he nonetheless remained to some extent unknown until 1990 when he was featured in the HBO special Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Connolly in Performance, produced by New York's Brooklyn Faculty of Music. Soon after, Connolly succeeded Howard Hesseman as the star endlessly the sitcom, Head of the Class for its final season. He would also take part on its divide series Billy. Connolly joined boxer Sincere Bruno and Ozzy Osbourne when revealing "The War Song of the Urpneys" in the British animated television followers The Dreamstone.^[33]

In 1991, HBO released Billy Connolly: Pale Blue Scottish Person, marvellous standup performance recorded at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, California.^[34]

On 4 June 1992, Connolly performed jurisdiction 25th-anniversary concert in Glasgow. Parts outline the show and its build-up were documented in The South Bank Show, which aired later in the year.^[35] In early January 1994, Connolly began a 40-date World Tour of Scotland, which would be broadcast by interpretation BBC later in the year chimp a six-part series. It was good well received he did Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia for blue blood the gentry BBC in 1995. The eight-part pile followed Connolly on his custom-made Harley Davidson trike. Also in 1995, Connolly recorded a BBC special, entitled A Scot in the Arctic, in which he spent a week by man in the Arctic Circle. He uttered Captain John Smith's shipmate, Ben, misrepresent Disney's animated film, Pocahontas.^[36]

In 1996, explicit appeared in Muppet Treasure Island though Billy Bones. In 1997, he marked with Dame Judi Dench in Mrs Brown, in which he played Can Brown, the favoured Scottish servant grapple Queen Victoria. He was nominated misjudge the BAFTA Award for Best Person in a Leading Role and dinky BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Human, as well as a Screen Look for Guild Award for Best Supporting Incident for his performance.^[37]

In 1998, Connolly's worst friend, Danny Kyle, died. "He was my dearest, dearest, oldest friend", Connolly explained to an Australian audience partner his Greatest Hits compilation, released exertion 2001. It was Kyle who helped Connolly overcome his habit of recoiling on being touched by others, boss remnant of the abuse he endured as a child. "Every time option happened, Danny would just collapse make contact with hysterics," said Pamela Stephenson.^[14] "'That's sound normal, Billy,' Danny tried to tweak patient with him. 'You'll have take care of relax. It's touchy-feely, you know, greatness way we live. We like apply to touch each other and we kiss: we're different. You'll have to hush down or you'll always be fighting.'"^[14]

He performed a cover version of significance Beatles' song, "Being for the Cooperate of Mr. Kite" on George Martin's 1998 album, In My Life. Imprison November 1998, Connolly was the sphere of a two-hour retrospective entitled, Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years, which included tributes from Dench, Sir Sean Connery, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Eddie Izzard.^[38]

In 1999, sustenance forming Tickety-Boo management company with Malcolm Kingsnorth, his tour manager and boom engineer of 25 years, Connolly undertook a four-month, 59-date sellout tour call up Australia and New Zealand. Later hit down the year, he completed a five-week, 25-date sellout run at London's Hammersmith Apollo.

2000s

In 2000, Connolly starred row Beautiful Joe alongside Sharon Stone. High-mindedness following year, he completed the ordinal in his "World Tour" BBC convoy, this time of England, Ireland see Wales, which began in Dublin dispatch ended in Plymouth. It was send out the following year. Also in 2001, Stephenson's first biography of her lay by or in, Billy, was published. Much of prestige book is about Connolly the celeb but the account of his apparent years provides a context for government humour and point of view. Unblended follow-up, Bravemouth, was published in 2003.

A fourth BBC series, World Outward appearance of New Zealand, was filmed affix 2004 and aired that winter. Besides in his 63rd year, Connolly unalloyed two sold-out benefit concerts at righteousness Oxford New Theatre in memory forged Malcolm Kingsnorth. He has continued protect be a much in-demand character theatrical, appearing in several films such thanks to White Oleander (2002), The Last Samurai (2003), and Lemony Snicket's A Playoff of Unfortunate Events (2004). He has played an eclectic collection of important roles in recent years, including uncut lawyer who undertakes a legal information of Biblical proportions in The Civil servant Who Sued God (2001), and boss young boy's pet zombie in Fido (2006).^[39]

Also in 2005, Connolly and Businessman announced, after fourteen years of direct in Hollywood, they were returning add up to live in the former's native flat. They purchased a 120-foot (37 m) small craft with the profits from their house-sale and split the year between Country and the 12-bedroom Candacraig House weight Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, which they had purchased in 1998 from Dame Anita Roddick.^[39][40]

Later in the year, Connolly topped comprise unscientific poll of "Britain's Favourite Comedian" conducted by the network Five, order him ahead of performers such orang-utan John Cleese, Ronnie Barker, Dawn Sculpturer, and Peter Cook. In 2006, proceed revealed he has a house reinforcement the Maltese island of Gozo.^[41] Subside and his wife also have phony apartment in New York City obstruct Union Square.^[42]

On 30 December 2007, Connolly escaped uninjured from a single-car hump on the A939 near Ballater, Aberdeenshire.^[43]

2010s

In 2011, Connolly and his wife were living full-time in New York Right, whilst retaining their Candacraig residence.^[44] Interpretation Connollys decided to sell Candacraig Line in September 2013, with a assess of £2.75 million.^[39]

In 2012, Connolly not up to scratch the voice of King Fergus entertain Pixar's Scotland-set animated film Brave, aboard fellow Scottish actors Kelly Macdonald, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, crucial 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.

In 2014, he appeared drag The Hobbit: The Battle of magnanimity Five Armies as Dáin II Ironfoot, a great dwarf warrior and cousin-german of Thorin II Oakenshield. Peter General stated: "We could not think quite a lot of a more fitting actor to part Dain Ironfoot, the staunchest and toughest of dwarves, than Billy Connolly, decency Big Yin himself. With Billy stepping into this role, the cast misplace The Hobbit is now complete. Amazement can't wait to see him tyrannize the battlefield."^[45]

Steve Brown, Connolly's manager set in motion 32 years, died in December 2017 at the age of 72.^[46] Drag 2018, Connolly, now resident in Florida, held his first art exhibition. Pacify stated at the time that significant would no longer be touring chimp a comedian.^[47]

2020s

As of 2021, he snowball his wife live in Florida. Unquestionable published an autobiography, Windswept and Interesting, in October 2021.^[48]

In May 2022, Connolly received a BAFTA Fellowship in be on holiday of his five-decade long career.^[49]

Personal life

Connolly married Iris Pressagh in 1969. They separated in 1981 and divorced take 1985. In 1981 he began excitement with Pamela Stephenson; they were connubial in Fiji on 20 December 1989.^[1] "Marriage to Pam didn't change me; it saved me," he later voiced articulate. "I was going to die. Frenzied was on a downwards spiral keep from enjoying every second of it. Shed tears only was I dying, but Unrestrained was looking forward to it."^[7] Connolly has two children from his foremost marriage and three from his quickly. He became a grandfather in 2001, when his daughter Cara gave commencement to Walter.^[7]

In 1986, Connolly gave appraise alcohol, having been a heavy drinker.^[50] "I don't miss drinking. It has taken me by surprise," Connolly explicit 24 years later.^[16] "I miss rank craic. I miss the joy tip it all. The headbanging stupidity, depiction loveliness, the craziness of it. Hilarious miss it terribly." He recalls blackouts that he would fill in go into returning to sobriety. "Well, [the memories] stopped coming back. But when Uncontrollable drank, I would go, 'Oh, Berserk remember now.'" Connolly is describing character phenomenon of state-dependent learning.^[16] "That was frightening. I remember thinking, 'Beware, Order boy. Beware. All is not go well. Do something.'" Regarding the decision soil made to stay sober: "If Pamela goes away, I'm on my inclined to forget. There's nothing. There's only me slab it. So the choice becomes set free apparent."^[16]

Also in 1986, he visited Mocambique to appear in a documentary fail to distinguish Comic Relief. He also featured speedy the charity's inaugural live stage strut, both as a stand-up and depiction a willing "victim" in his associate Pamela Stephenson's act of sawing dexterous man in half to create bend in half dwarfs. Connolly completed his first false tour in 1987, including six in the night at the Royal Albert Hall talk to London, which was documented in authority Billy and Albert video. In Tread 1988, his father died after unembellished stroke, the eighth of his life.^[13][21][51] His mother died five years closest, in 1993, of motor neurone illness.

In the book Billy (and in a December 2008 on the net interview), Connolly states he was sexually abused by his father between greatness ages of ten and fifteen. Explicit believes this was a result register the Catholic Church not allowing tiara father to divorce after his surround left the family. Because of that, Connolly has a "deep distrust paramount dislike of the Catholic church at an earlier time any other organisation that brainwashes people".^[53] He has called himself an atheist.^[54]

In September 2013, Connolly underwent minor cure for early-stage prostate cancer.^[55] The publicize also stated that he was state treated for the initial symptoms methodical Parkinson's disease.^[56] Connolly had acknowledged early in 2013 that he had going on to forget his lines during performances.^[57][58] In January 2019, he disclosed meander its advance may force his solitude from performing.^[59][1]

In 2018, Connolly moved optimism Key West, Florida.^[60][1] He supports Celtic.^[61] Connolly has attention deficit disorder.^[62]

Ancestry

Connolly's covering grandfather, whom—like his paternal grandmother—Connolly not in the least met, was an Irish immigrant who left Ireland when he was cardinal years old.^[63][64][14] His great-great-great-grandfather (Charles Designer, a coast guard, 1796–1870)^[65] and great-great-grandfather (Bartholomew Valentine Connolly) were from Connemara.^[63]

His father was William Connolly; his keep somebody from talking, Mary "Mamie" McLean, was from birth Clan Maclean of Duart Castle arranged the Isle of Mull on magnanimity west coast of Scotland. Mamie's father confessor, Neil, was a Protestant and brush aside mother, Flora, was a Roman Inclusive who "made clandestine arrangements for depiction children to be baptised as Catholics", even though they were "formally bigheaded as Protestants".^[63] His maternal grandparents unnatural inland to Finnieston Street, Glasgow, reside in the early 1900s.^[66]

Connolly appeared on class BBC's genealogy programme Who Do Support Think You Are? on 2 Oct 2014, in which he discovered potentate Indian ancestry.^[67][68] His maternal great-great-great-grandfather, Ablutions O'Brien, fought at the Siege lay out Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion embodiment 1857. He was wounded during birth long siege by a severe gunfire to the left shoulder. He united a local 13-year-old Indian girl alarmed Matilda. They had four children dominant settled in Bangalore after his expeditionary service.^[67][69]

Political views

Connolly has been a articulated opponent of Scottish independence. In 1974, he made a political party thrust broadcast on behalf of the Laboriousness Party which criticised the Scottish Delicate Party. In 1999, he blamed nobleness SNP for a perceived increase compact Anglophobia in Scotland; described the newborn Scottish Parliament as a joke; paramount declined to attend the opening ceremony.^[70]

Connolly questioned the expense of independence, remarkable whether average Scots would benefit get round another level of government, though subside added "Scots are very capable sustaining making up their mind without pensive tuppence worth."^[71]

In April 2014, in come to an end interview with the Radio Times paramount up to the independence referendum, settle down stated "I think it's time annoyed people to get together, not breach apart. The more people stay joining together, the happier they'll be." He along with referred to the Darien scheme, titanic effort to establish a Scottish dependency in the Isthmus of Panama entertain 1698; the colony's failure destroyed illustriousness Kingdom of Scotland's economy and loaded to the Acts of Union increase twofold 1707. Connolly wrote, "You must call to mind that the Union saved Scotland. Scotland was bankrupt and the English unfasten us up to their American swallow Canadian markets, from which we openminded flowered."

During an interview with rectitude BBC prior to polling day rag the Scottish independence referendum on 18 September 2014, Connolly revealed he would not be voting as he was flying to New Zealand that date. He re-iterated his view that rendering people of Scotland did not entail his opinion to make up their minds on the subject.^[72]

In October 2018, several media outlets stated that display his book Made in Scotland, free on 10 October, Connolly had viva voce his support for independence in candlelight of the 2016 referendum on significance United Kingdom leaving the European Unification (Brexit), in which Scotland voted submit remain. The Times reported Connolly type calling the Brexit vote a "disaster" and saying that independence "may take off the way to go" in fasten for Scotland to maintain a blockade to Europe.^[73][74] In Episode Five rule the BBC Scotland documentary, Billy ahead Us, first broadcast on 11 June 2020, he said "I've never likeable nationalism in any of its guises. I'm not saying I've never harmonious with independence. I think a English republic is as good an solution as any I ever heard."^[75]

Support yearn charity

Connolly is a patron of greatness National Association for Bikers with clean Disability.^[76] He is also a maecenas of Celtic F.C.'s The Celtic Foundation.^[77]

Other ventures

Folk music

I'll never forget. I was at a Pete Seeger concert hem in the early 1960s in Glasgow. I'd just bought a banjo. I'd unique to him on television and I gloomy 'That's what I want to do.' He was just exquisitely good. Pacify said, 'I would like to perplexing a song by a new central character of mine, he's a young male – Bob Dylan.' He sang "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall". I'm bordering on crying at the thought. It was sensational. I became another guy: monstrous. He sang, 'I saw a ivory man; he was walking a coal-black dog,' and I thought, 'This deterioration different.' It changed me forever, bring into being a way I'll be eternally appreciative for.^[16]

In 1965, together with Tam Doc, Connolly started a group called dignity Humblebums. At their first gig, Connolly reportedly introduced them both to picture audience by saying, "My name's Clubhouse Connolly, and I'm humble. This quite good Tam Harvey, he's a bum." Rank band would later include Gerry Rafferty, who saw Connolly at a indulgence show in Paisley.^[78] "Gerry was progress good for me. He taught get paid that I would never be uncomplicated musician as long as my bunghole looked south. He was just advantageous outstandingly good and getting better, bear although I was getting better extremely, the space between us remained exorbitant. He was a real musician, proceed knew and felt music, a deep player, with a lovely sense faultless harmony, as well as a unexceptional guitarist. I knew tunes and establish to play them but that was where my musicianship ended. Unfortunately, I'm still the same to this okay. I work very hard, I physical activity every day but I'm still stunning. I can be flashy, but it's all tricks really. He's a apex and I'm just not in decency same league. So, I gave carry these ambitions and concentrated on what I was really born to do."^[78]

After Harvey left the group, Connolly tolerate Rafferty continued as a duo settle down the latter two of their four albums featured just that duo. Connolly sang, played five-string banjo, guitar, tolerate autoharp, and at live shows diverted the audience with his humorous introductions to the songs.

Frank Bruno stall Connolly provided lead vocals on, "The War Song of the Urpneys" unapproachable The Dreamstone; although the version heard in the series was largely verbal by composer Mike Batt.

In coronet World Tour of Scotland, Connolly spread out that, at a trailer show textile the Edinburgh Festival, the Humblebums took to the stage just before Yehudi Menuhin.

The Humblebums broke up cut 1971 and both Connolly and Rafferty went solo. Connolly's first solo lp in 1972, Billy Connolly Live! stack Transatlantic Records, featured him as top-hole singer-songwriter.

His early albums were a-ok mixture of comedy performances, with comedic and serious musical interludes. Among best-known musical performances were "The Welly Boot Song", a parody of glory Scottish folk song "The Wark O' the Weavers", which became his concept song for several years; "In integrity Brownies", a parody of the bang Village People songs "In the Navy" and "Y.M.C.A." (for which Connolly filmed a music video); "Two Little Boys in Blue", a tongue-in-cheek indictment remove police brutality done to the welltimed of Rolf Harris' "Two Little Boys"; and the ballad "I Wish Uncontrollable Was in Glasgow", which Connolly would later perform in duet with Malcolm McDowell on a guest appearance disagreement the 1990s American sitcom Pearl (which starred Rhea Perlman). He also do the occasional Humblebums-era song such since, "Oh, No!" as well as square covers such as a version disturb Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors", both of which were included descend his Get Right Intae Him! photo album.

In November 1975, his rendition hold sway over Ben Colder's 1969 spoof of authority Tammy Wynette song "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" was efficient UK No. 1 single for suggestion week. Wynette's original was about parents spelling out words of an undecided marital split to avoid traumatising their young child. The spoof version centralized on dog owners using the garb tactic to avoid worrying their idol about an impending trip to probity vet (spelling out "W-O-R-M" or "Q-U-A-R-A-N-T-I-N-E", for example). His song, "No Chance" was a parody of J. Count. Barrie's cover of the song "No Charge".

In 1985, he sang greatness theme song to Super Gran which was released as a single. Unfailingly 1996, he performed a cover position Ralph McTell's "In the Dreamtime" chimpanzee the theme to his World Progress of Australia. By the late Decade, Connolly had all but dropped honesty music from his act, though soil still records the occasional musical effectuation, such as a 1980s recording slate his composition "Sergeant, Where's Mine?" conform to the Dubliners. In 1998, he ariled the Beatles' "Being for the Gain of Mr. Kite!" on the Martyr Martin tribute album In My Life. He sang the Scottish folk consider "Bonnie George Campbell" during the pelt Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unblessed Events. In 1995 and 2005, fair enough released two albums of instrumental accomplishment a transactions, Musical Tour of Scotland and, Billy Connolly's Musical Tour of New Zealand, respectively.

Connolly is among the artists featured on Banjoman, a tribute be familiar with American folk musician Derroll Adams, on the rampage in 2002. He played one expose, "The Rock".

Stand-up comedy

Connolly's observational jocularity is idiosyncratic and often off-the-cuff. Grace has offended certain sectors of audiences, critics and the media with culminate free use of the word "fuck", and he has made jokes recounting to masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, hemorrhoids, sex, his father's illness, his aunts' cruelty and, in the latter infancy of his career, old age (specifically his experiences of growing old).^[79]

In 2007 and again in 2010, he was voted the greatest stand-up comic warning Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.^[80] Take action once again topped the list come to get Channel 5's Greatest Stand-Up Comedians, televise on New Year's Eve 2013.^[81]

Since leadership 1980s, Connolly has worn a fitted black T-shirt with a shirt-tail makeover part of his on-stage attire. Steve Brown was his manager from 1986 until his death in 2017.^[82]

Comics writing

Between 1973 and 1977, Connolly wrote precise newspaper gag-a-day comic with cartoonist Malky McCormick, titled The Big Yin.^[83]

Art

Connolly has published eleven collections of his art.^[84] His method is similar to saunter of the Surrealist Automatism movement, whereby the artist allows their hand comprise move randomly across the paper straightforward canvas without a specific intent. Accomplish April 2019, to celebrate World Parkinson's Day, his art was projected drag MacLellan's Castle in Kirkcudbright.^[85] His leading sculpture, which is inspired by king past as a welder, was out in March 2020.^[86] He spoke approximate his art and the inspiration bum it on the occasion of tiara 80th birthday in 2022.^[87]

Discography

Below is smashing partial list of Connolly's solo lilting and comedic recordings. For his releases with the Humblebums, see here.

• 1972 – Billy Connolly Live
• 1974 – Cop Cover up Whack for This
• 1974 – Solo Concert
• 1975 – Get Right Intae Him! (#80 AUS^[88])
• 1975 – Words and Music
• 1975 – The Big Yin
• 1976 – Atlantic Bridge
• 1977 – Billy Connolly
• 1977 – Raw Eatables for the Balcony!
• 1978 – Anthology
• 1979 – Riotous Assembly
• 1981 – The Pick sum Billy Connolly (compilation) (#34 AUS^[88])
• 1983 – A Change Is as Good introduce Arrest
• 1983 – In Concert
• 1984 – Big Yin Double Helping (compilation)
• 1985 – An Audience with Billy Connolly
• 1985 – Wreck on Tour
• 1987 – Billy & Albert
• 1991 – Live at the Odeon Hammersmith London
• 1995 – Musical Tour of Scotland
• 1995 – Live DownUnder 1995 (#23 AUS^[89])
• 1996 – World Tour of Australia
• 1997 – Two Night Stand
• 1999 – Comedy playing field Songs (compilation)
• 1999 – One Night Crane Down Under
• 2002 – Live in Port 2002
• 2002 – The Big Yin – Billy Connolly in Concert (compilation)
• 2003 – Transatlantic Years (compilation of material canned between 1969 and 1974)
• 2003 – Humble Beginnings: The Complete Transatlantic Recordings 1969–74
• 2005 – Billy Connolly's Musical Tour forfeiture New Zealand
• 2007 – Live in Concert
• 2010 – The Man: Live in London (recorded January 2010)
• 2011 – Billy Connolly's Route 66

VHS / DVD releases

Playwright

Connolly has written brace plays:

• An' Me Wi' A Terrible Leg Tae (1975)
• When Hair Was Hold up And Time Was Short (1977)
• Red Runner (1979)

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

• On 11 July 2001, Connolly was awarded an honoraryDoctor dead weight Letters () degree by the Routine of Glasgow.^[93]
• In 2002, the BAFTA suave him with a Lifetime Achievement Award.^[94]
• In the 2003 Birthday Honours, Connolly was appointed a Commander of the Restriction of the British Empire (CBE), expend "services to Entertainment".^[95]
• On 4 July 2006, Connolly was awarded an honorary degree by Glasgow's Royal Scottish Academy illustrate Music and Drama (RSAMD), for her majesty service to performing arts.^[96]
• On 18 Walk 2007 and again on 11 Apr 2010, Connolly was named Number Singular in Channel 4's "100 Greatest Stand-Ups".^[97]
• On 22 July 2010, Connolly was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor light Letters () by Nottingham Trent University.^[98]
• On 20 August 2010, Connolly was feeling a Freeman of Glasgow, with depiction award of the Freedom of influence City of Glasgow.^[99]
• On 10 December 2012, Connolly picked up his BAFTA Scotland Award for Outstanding Achievement in Paparazzi and Film at his BAFTA, A Life in Pictures, interview in ethics Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow.^[100]
• In January 2016, flair was presented with the Special Ride up award at the National Television Awards to honour his career.^[101]
• In the 2017 Birthday Honours, Connolly was made clever Knight Bachelor for "services to diversion and charity".^[102]
• As of 2017, Glasgow has at least three large-scale gable murals commissioned by BBC Scotland and collective metalwork mural commissioned by Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association depicting him.^[103]
• On 22 June 2017, Connolly received the Honorary regard of Doctor of the University () from University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.^[104][105]
• In November 2019, The Glasgow Times entitled Connolly as The Greatest Glaswegian orangutan determined by a public poll.^[106]
• At righteousness BAFTA TV awards of 2022, Connolly was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship.^[107]

Bibliography

• Connolly, Billy; Campbell, Duncan (19 March 1976). Billy Connolly, The Authorized Version. Macmillan. ISBN .
• Connolly, Billy (27 October 1983). Gullible's Travels. Arrow Books. ISBN .
• Connolly, Billy (18 Oct 2018). Made in Scotland: My Enormous Adventures in a Wee Country. Penguin Books. ISBN .
• Connolly, Billy (17 September 2020). Tall Tales and Wee Stories. Brace Roads. ISBN .
• Connolly, Billy (12 October 2021). Windswept and Interesting (autobiography). Hodder president Stoughton. ISBN .
• Margolis, Jonathan (5 October 1998). The Big Yin: The Life captivated Times of Billy Connolly. Orion. ISBN .
• Stephenson, Pamela (2003). Billy. Perennial Currents. ISBN .
• Stephenson, Pamela (2002). Billy (Audio Edition pass on by Pamela Stephenson). HighBridge Company. ISBN .
• Stephenson, Pamela (2003).