Sir William Connolly is a Scottish comedian, actor, and musician born November 24, 1942 in Anderston, Glasgow. Connolly began his career as a boilermaker before turning to folk music in the 1960s. He formed the folk duo the Humblebums with Tam Harvey, who were joined by Gerry Rafferty in 1969 to release the album First Collection of Merry Melodies (1969). After Harvey left, the group continued as a duo until disbanding in 1971. Connolly then embarked on a solo career blending comedy and music, producing the album Billy Connolly Live! (1972) and the live double album Solo Concert (1974), which featured the routine "The Crucifixion". His parody single “D.I.V.O.R.C.E.” reached Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart in 1975. Connolly became a frequent guest on the television show Parkinson, appearing 15 times. Connolly signed with Polydor Records in 1975 and released albums including Get Right Intae Him! (1975) and Comedy and Songs (1999). Connolly expanded into acting with film roles including Mrs Brown (1997), The Last Samurai (2003), and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Mrs Brown. Connolly was knighted in 2017, received a BAFTA Scotland Award in 2012, and received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2022. Connolly retired from stand-up comedy in 2018 to focus on art.
