He is a comedian, film and television actor, dubbing artist, and presenter of game shows. Billy Gardell is indeed a versatile entertainer. He began as a stand-up comedian before he immersed himself in acting in 2000. Gardell is best known to television audiences for his performance as one of the title characters in the sitcom Mike & Molly.
In addition to several other television roles, he has given a number of film screenings, including the dubbed role of Santa Claus in Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. Gardell also hosted the 2-hour game show Monopoly Millionaires’ Club (2015-16). Although he has had great success as an actor, he remains true to his craft as a stand-up comedian. Interestingly, his rising popularity as a TV star has given his career in comedy a huge boost.
Billy Gardell Biography, Age
The multi-talented television star was born on August 20, 1969, as William Gardell in Swissvale, Pennsylvania. His parents’ marriage ended in divorce when he was still a child. Consequently, he moved to Florida with his mother and siblings. He completed his high school education at Winter Park High School in Orange County, Florida.
Gardell got his first job at the age of 15 in the warehouse of a department store. On December 28, 1987, he was pressured by his coworkers to perform at the open mic night of a comedy club in Orlando, which resulted in him losing a bet to them. Interestingly, this was Gardell’s first chance at stand-up comedy, and it was an unofficial start to his showbiz career. He received a positive response to this first stage performance, and so he was encouraged to perform at several other open mic nights at the same club. After finding his rhythm in comedy, he decided to pursue a full-time career in this art and was eventually offered a job at the comedy club. He also performed in several cities in the United States.
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In early 2000, Gardell turned to act and made his debut with a guest role in an episode of the sitcom The King of Queens, followed by several other guest roles. The following year he was given a recurring role as Billy Colavita in the sitcom Yes, Dear (2001-06). He was also cast in a leading role in the short-lived dark comedy series Lucky (2003). Gardell made his feature film debut with a supporting role in the crime comedy Avenging Angelo (2002) alongside Sylvester Stallone, followed by a role in the Christmas comedy Bad Santa (2003). He also played the leading role in the successful comedy You, Me and Dupree (2006) and in the very successful South Korean action-adventure movie Dragon Wars: D-War (2007).
Besides several guest roles in various hit series, Gardell also had a recurring role in the sitcom My Name Is Earl (2007-09). After that, he received his biggest television role to date as the lead actor in the sitcom Mike & Molly (2010-16), starring Officer Mike Biggs. The show was canceled in 2016 after a successful 6 season. While working on Mike & Molly, Gardell also recorded a number of films, including the animated TV special Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011) and the music drama Jersey Boys (2014). He also had a recurring role as Colonel Tom Parker in the drama series Sun Records (2017).
Family – Wife, and Son
Billy Gardell is currently married to his nearly two-decade-old wife Patty Knight. The duo met in 1999, and after being together for a while, they entered into the marriage in 2001. Unlike her famous husband, Mrs. Gardell keeps out of the spotlight, so very little information is known about her. The couple has a child together, a son born in 2003 named William.
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Billy Gardell Net Worth
Billy Gardell’s showbiz career dates back to the early 2000s, and thanks to the diversity of his talents he has remained relevant ever since. The fact that he is a fan favorite has also earned him a number of juicy sponsorship deals. All these and several other ventures bring Gardell’s net worth to an enviable $8 million.
Height and Weight
The actor is 180 cm (5 feet 11 inches) tall. Billy has been struggling with his weight most of his life, but lately, he has managed to get his weight under control. At some point in his life, he weighed up to 350 pounds, but with the help of a nutritionist and a fitness trainer, he was able to reduce his body mass by 50 pounds.
