Billy Connolly Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

From Glasgow’s Shipyards to International Spotlight

Born on November 24, 1942 — that date marks both the birthdate and birthday of Billy Connolly — in the Anderston district of Glasgow, Scotland, Connolly’s journey to global stardom was anything but preordained.  Raised in modest tenement housing by relatives after family disruption, he entered the rough world of shipyard work as a boilermaker.

But by the 1960s, Connolly had discovered a new calling. He traded the welders’ torch for a banjo — and his early immersion in folk music and cabaret in Glasgow and Edinburgh laid the foundation for a career that would transcend genres: from folk singer, to stand-up comedian, to film actor, to artist and cultural icon.

The Big Yin’s Ascent: Folk Lullabies to Stand-Up Thunder

Connolly’s first major foray into music came with his involvement in the folk-pop group The Humblebums — a band that at one point included future star Gerry Rafferty. But it wasn’t long before Connolly’s acerbic wit, sharp observational humor, and working-class storytelling began to dominate.

By the early to mid-1970s, he had transitioned into stand-up, capturing British audiences with a mix of folk-tinged songs and richly improvised comedic monologues. His 1975 single D.I.V.O.R.C.E. — a parody that climbed to No. 1 on the UK charts — demonstrated how deftly he blended music and comedy into a uniquely engaging act.

His performances, often irreverent, always candid, came to redefine observational comedy in the UK. Connolly’s storytelling style — switching between accent, anecdote, and punchline — forged an emotional bond with audiences. Over time, publications and fans would come to regard him among the greatest stand-up comedians of all time. 

Reinvention: Screen Roles, Voice-overs, and Beyond

As his comedic star rose, Connolly expanded into acting, television and film — first guest spots, then roles that took advantage of his commanding presence and distinctive voice.

Highlights include voice-work in major productions, such as voicing King Fergus in the acclaimed animated feature Brave, as well as dramatic and comedic roles in films like The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, where he played the Dwarf-warrior Dáin II Ironfoot.

By the 2010s, Connolly had added “artist” to his résumé — painting, drawing, and even exhibiting his visual work. This reinvention underscored a restless creativity: someone who never rested on laurels, but kept evolving.

Honors followed. In 2017, Connolly was knighted for services to entertainment and charity; later he was awarded a lifetime achievement honor by the UK’s leading film and television academy.

Behind the Spotlight: Personal Life & Passions

Connolly’s personal life has been as rich and textured as his career. He first married interior designer Iris Pressagh in 1969; the couple had two children before separating in 1981 and divorcing in 1985. 

In the early 1980s, Connolly met Pamela Stephenson, a New Zealand-born comedian, writer, and psychologist, while working in show business. After nearly a decade together, they married on December 20, 1989, in Fiji.  The pairing proved transformative. Connolly once said of her: “Marriage to Pam didn’t change me; it saved me.”

Together they have three daughters, bringing Connolly’s total number of children to five.  Family, home, and a quieter life outside of center stage have been anchor points for Connolly as his career matured.

The Numbers: What Does His Success Look Like Monetarily?

As of the most recent widely cited estimates, Connolly’s net worth is around US $20 million.  This figure reflects decades of work across stand-up comedy, music, acting, television, and more recently, art — as well as prudent management of his assets, including sales of properties. One source notes that he sold his Scottish estate for several million pounds before relocating to the United States. 

It’s a level of financial success few entertainers — especially those who began life in Scotland’s working-class shipyards — ever reach. But for Connolly, wealth has always accompanied, not defined, a restless creative spirit.

Legacy Carved in Laughter, Art, and Authenticity

What makes Billy Connolly’s story enduring is less about the awards or the money — as significant as those are — and more about the sheer audacity of transformation. From welder to folk musician; from musician to stand-up comic; from stand-up icon to respected actor and artist.

He’s never relied solely on a single talent. Instead, he built a tapestry: music, humor, vulnerability, social commentary, and later, reflections on life and aging. He gave voice to the everyday, to the trials and absurdities of working-class life, with an honesty that resonated across generations.

His full birthdate — November 24, 1942 — and his many birthdays celebrated the world over mark more than years: they mark chapters in a life that refused complacency, always moving, always creating.

If there’s a lesson in the life of Billy Connolly, it’s this: reinvention isn’t just possible — sometimes it’s essential. And through reinvention, even the humblest voice can become legendary.