4. Billy & The Kids veteran Tom Hamilton took on lead vocal duties for the opening “China Cat Sunflower,” complete with a nice sax solo by Trey Anastasio Band’s James Casey. Alistair Douglas Vocals. He interrupted head cardiologist Trevor Agnew, in the midst of nervously delivering the grim news to one of New Zealand’s greatest comedians. You have to check out the returning @shaneyoungmma interviews, a young man taking charge at mental health & the terrible youth suicide rate in NZ and using the toughest platform to do it - the ufc. ‘‘Billy had been telling people he was fine.’’The pair met years earlier at a cafeteria at TVNZ in Auckland and ‘‘clicked’’ instantly. In 1982, Don Selwyn cast Billy in a small, non-comedic role in teleplay The Protestors, playing communist Bobby Watson. As Matt Elliott writes in his 2009 biography Billy T - The Life and Times of Billy T James, Billy's tours with the Volcanics and Prince Tui Teka meant that unlike most acts, "he arrived on the local scene almost perfectly formed". Rowley remembers whenever they went to parties, there was an instrument lying around and James could play them all. In August 2011 competing screen projects debuted which chronicled Billy's life, both made by people who'd worked with him: well-regarded big screen documentary Billy T: Te Movie, directed by Came a Hot Friday's Ian Mune, and produced by Tom Parkinson and Robert Boyd-Bell; and high-rating TV movie biopic Billy, produced by Tony Holden. In 1984 Billy won the Feltex Best Entertainment Award, followed by another for Entertainer of the Decade. He soon struck out solo, dropping the Taitoko and rearranging his names to Billy T James, reputedly to ‘‘something the Aussies could pronounce’’. Accessed 15 January 2020Matt Elliott, Billy T - The Life and Times of Billy T James (Auckland, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2009)Robert Boyd-Bell, New Zealand Television - The First 25 Years (Auckland: Reed Methuen Publishers, 1985)Tom McWilliams, 'Slapstick in hicksville,' (Review of Came a Hot Friday) - The Listener, 31 August 1985, page 40Mike Nicolaidi, 'Came a Hot Friday' (Review) - Variety, 20 February 1985, page 23Toby Parkinson, 'The Road Less Travelled: The Making of Te Movie' - Onfilm, August 2011, page 10 (Volume 28, no 7)Tom Parkinson, 'Billy T Live - The Producer's Perspective'. Alita (2) Vocals. FULL OF SURPRISES: Billy T James in 1987. He received his chemistry degree from Fisk University, an HBCU.. Career. The NZ Herald said Billy "should be kept chained to a microphone". 'No ransom will be paid' – Waikato hospitals reeling after cyber attack, Promising MMA fighter Fau Vake critically injured in alleged assault in Auckland, Russell McVeagh partner 'sleazy' with student at Christmas party - witness, Inside the boneyard: First footage of Air New Zealand's grounded planes, Stock truck loses load of cattle on state highway, three wounded, one dead, Street turns on 10-home section they say will damage town's reputation, Worker at New Zealand High Commission in India dies after contracting Covid-19, Cloud software firm Timely sold for 'more than $100m', Star Kiwi jockey Michael Walker screamed for his leg to be cut off after fall, Quiz: Afternoon trivia challenge: May 18, 2021. In his mid 20s Billy T was invited to join showband the Māori Volcanics, and was soon performing around the world, echoing the path of entertainers John Rowles and Frankie Stevens. Biography ↓ Discography ↓ Songs ↓ Credits ↓ Song Highlights 2. He died on August 7, 1991 in New Zealand. Then Billy went on the road again. His trademark giggle is embedded in the country's popular culture; nearly half the respondents in a 2009 Listener poll voted him our greatest local comedian. A talented artist, he was also collaborating with cartoonist Chris Slane for comic book The Billy T. James Real Hard-Case Book, and a sequel. Billy T James - A Daughter's Story (1997) presented by adopted daughter Cherie James (later an award-nominated actor) mixes interviews with Billy's acquaintances, and insights into the conflicts over his burial. There are many anecdotes. Director Ian Mune cast Billy after witnessing first-hand Billy's "feel for an absolutely honest performance", on the set of One of those Blighters. 1. Matt Elliott's biography Billy T - The Life and Times of Billy T James was published in late 2009. This page is in memory of BTJ. Fellow members of showband The Māori Volcanics share their memories, while family members reminisce about Billy's life growing up in the Waikato. He was in his mid-20s when he was invited to join show band the Maori Volcanics. Although it was recorded in front of a live audience, the show gave Billy the chance to hone his talents for the very different medium of television. Te News won fans, plus criticism that he was stereotyping Māori, which Billy firmly denied. Every inflection, every pause, every chuckle, every step had been honed in 100s of perfomances offshore.". ‘‘I said, ‘go on bro’, he said ‘no worries bro’.’’ He picked it up an played it beautifully. When Radio Times debuted in 1980 it won rave reviews. "I think I've just come in in the middle of this quiet spot where everyone's too frightened to say anything, and just done it. It was that path that would see him tour the world and learn a lesson that would take him through life: ‘‘I learned from [Brit comedian] Tommy Cooper that people could get away with anything if it was done in the right way.’’. William Taitoko (Billy T) James: Born in Cambridge on 17 January 1948 … Director Rupert Mackenzie. Billy T. James was born on January 17, 1948 in Waikato, New Zealand as William James Te Wehi Taitoko. A Visit With Billy T. James. It is not an official representation from the estate of BTJ & has no affiliation with any members of BTJ family. Tribute documentary A Celebration (1995) mixes classic performances with interviews. The Best of The Billy T James Collection - Billy T’s unique brand of humour is captured at its affable, non-PC best in this compilation of skits from his popular 1980s TV shows. He was an actor and director, known for Came a Hot Friday (1985), Under the Mountain (1981) and Radio Times (1980). He was 43. Accessed 15 November 2019Philip Wakefield, 'Billy biopic hits the small screen' - Onfilm, August 2011, page 12 (Volume 28, no 7), We'll send you a weekly email with our picks of new and featured content, 'Rick Harris and Peter Rowley - Funny As Interview', 'Billy T Live - The Producer's Perspective'. Director Rupert Mackenzie. On the small screen, he acted in forgotten sitcom Rabbiter's Rest, and played the gang leader on Terry and the Gunrunners (this time singing the show's title song). He had his own TV show for a large part of the 1980s. James Tapini - guitar, vocals Mal Edwards - bass Billy T James - vocals, guitar. The team behind Te Movie chose to focus on Billy T's career and comedy as a reflection of cultural shifts occuring in Aotearoa. Billy has to deal with his teenagers and also cultural issues. With the 1985 departure of Billy T James Show producers Tom Parkinson and Jeff Bennett (for yet to be launched channel TV3), season five saw major change. Billy played the Tainuia Kid, a crazed Māori who believes he is a Mexican bandito. Released under the familiar title The Billy T James Show, the new project was a sitcom, inspired partly by The Cosby Show; Billy played a DJ on small-town Waikato radio station Cuz FM, alongside screen wife Ilona Rodgers, loudmouth Aussie Mark Hadlow, and family matriarch Ramai Hayward. The show's roster of actors and guest stars included many names Billy had worked with in the past. Harvey Baker - saxophone, vocals Neville Taura - bass Andrew Taylor - rhythm guitar, lead guitar Ray Lemon - lead guitar Feau Halatau - drums The man was a real genius. A gifted impressionist, his affectionate and oft-debated portraits of Māori (and other nationalities) stretched the boundaries of Kiwi comedy. ‘‘He’s in the heart of New Zealand because he had that x-factor. Rest Billy... rest! Tony Holden meanwhile described his TV movie as a "love story" told in flashback, through the eyes of his wife. 2:53 PREVIEW Let's Make the World a Better Place. Billy T. James, Actor: Came a Hot Friday. He got an MBE for services to entertainment in 1986 – a year in which almost half the population, more than were watching the news, were tuning into The Billy T James Show. In 1940, he led his own quintet … ‘‘I thought, I got him,’’ but James picked it up and played a Last Post-type tune. Billy T. James is a New Zealand comedian who was popular as an actor throughout the '80s. Peter Rowley and Billy T's former minder Rick Harris talked about fun times, favourite sketches and Billy's "little boy" qualities in this interview (Rowley also talks about Billy in this interview). When the second season of The Billy T James Show kicked off, Billy was keen to add a very different role into the mix: a down home take-off of Māori news bulletin Te Karere, with Billy in a black singlet, a yellow towel round his neck. Loaded 14 October 2019. Billy's co-stars included his Radio sidekick Laurie Dee, and veteran comic Doug Aston. His legacy also lives on in the annual Billy T Award, with aspiring comedians competing to win the legendary yellow towel. Some accused it of inaccuracies; Step Dave actor Tainui Tukiwaho won praise for his performance as Billy. Billy grew up as William James Te Wehi Taitoko, first in the Waikato town of Leamington, then in Whangarei. Billy T. James Vocals. There was his unique take on the Lands for Bags commercials, switching the end of the catch-line, ‘‘where did I get my bag from? North and South judged it the best local biography of the year. After five months recuperating from his transplant, Billy returned to the stage for 1990 variety special Billy T James, Alive and Giggling. Cherie hopes to do just that with this documentary. William James Te Whei Taitoko, or Billy T James, died of heart failure on August 7, 1991 – 22 years ago this week. Following a memorable live show in February 1991, Billy contracted a cold which seriously weakened his heart. He developed his comedy act… Read Full Biography. "Mana makes you solid" 4 of New Zealands @citykickboxing fighters go to war this weekend in #UFC253. Parkinson felt there was a lot more he could bring to the medium. "She's Always a Women" - Billy Joel (1977)James E. Green - Alto SaxophoneSing along and enjoy! Elliott was one of those who talked about Billy T, in extended interviews conducted for series Funny As. Although only on screen for 15 minutes, the performance proved a comic highlight. It was to be Billy's biggest movie role, winning him a GOFTA award (the same year, The Billy T James Show scored gongs for Best Entertainment Programme, and Best Performance in a Non-Dramatic Role). Billy had roadtested the sketch on stage. While living in Australia Billy went solo, dropping his Taitoko surname, and rearranging his birth names to "something the Aussies could pronounce". ... playing guitar and saxophone in a school band. 3. Born William James Taitoko in 1948 in Waikato, New Zealand, he is of Mori heritage. The Radars were a New Zealand group that was made up of mainly visually impaired musicians. In the same period he also turned up in One of Those Blighters, and cameoed as a motorcycle cop in classic sci-fi series Under the Mountain. Though Billy T’s loony Mexican-Māori cowboy is beloved by fans, he is but one eccentric here among many — as two scheming conmen hit town, and encounter bookies, boozers, country hicks, nasty crim Marshall Napier, and Prince Tui Teka playing saxophone. ad, possibly the most repeated seven seconds in Kiw television history. After becoming TVNZ's head of entertainment, Parkinson realised a longheld dream to create Radio Times, a variety show that aped old pre-50s radios shows. In 1976, Billy Joel released Turnstiles in celebration of his return to New York City. The Billy T James Show nf included some of the most famous skits in New Zealand comedy history. Billy T James - A Daughter's Story - In this documentary Cherie James pays tribute to a legendary New Zealand entertainer, telling Billy T James' story from a daughter’s perspective. As Parkinson writes here, he had a crazy idea of how to tie it all together: getting Billy to play the show's dashing and very English host, Dexter Fitzgibbons. Ian Watkin Vocals. He argued that his humour concentrated on accents and mannerisms, and that getting an accent perfect played a part in making the humour more acceptable. By 1979 he was awarded the Golden Microphone for New Zealand’s most professional act, in 1981 he was entertainer of the year, from 1983-1984, television’s most popular entertainer, then in 1985 became entertainer of the decade. Billy also completed one-off TV specials on the America's Cup (though filming was cut short by his gall-bladder problems) and with Australian comedian Carter Edwards. Neil McGough Trombone, Harmonica. 2:18 PREVIEW A White Sport Coat / Devil Woman. By now The Billy T James Show had reached a new ratings high, with almost half the population tuning in — more than the primetime news. Afterwards, the chairman stood up and told the crowd James had died. Partly because "he needed some hope", Tom Parkinson had discussed with Billy the idea of a show that made comedy from his experiences of "being brown and white". He told the joke about the ‘‘quack’’ who asked his patient if he wanted the bad news or the very bad news first. Early life. Holden argued he had no intention other than "to hold him up as being anything other than a staggeringly important figure on our entertainment scene. Lands for Bags of course’’, to ‘‘I pinched it’’. There's still further to go.". ", Moe mai e te rangatira, moe mai.Profile updated on 15 November 2019Sources include'Rick Harris and Peter Rowley - Funny As Interview' (Video Interview) NZ On Screen website. Billy T. James was born on January 17, 1948 in Waikato, New Zealand as William James Te Wehi Taitoko. 3:50 PREVIEW Green Door. One Island 12 talking about this. A compilation of one of New Zealand's greatest personalities and comedians, Billy T James. He later did stints as sign-writer’s apprentice and drove trucks in Auckland but also played in local pubs and clubs. On reflection it has been 5 years since his passing and she feels he still hasn’t been laid to rest. Smith was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio.His first instrument was clarinet and his education was in chemistry. Neville Grenfell Trumpet. Chris Hegan, the son of Billy's agents, wrote at the time that "Billy gave us a way of laughing at ourselves in a way that no one else has done and in a particularly unique style. He dried the tears and got on stage. James grew up across the road from a meat rendering plant in Waikato, where his father worked. A sitcom and movie roles would follow, and the money was flowing in (though he reportedly died in debt). 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