Billy Gardell Birthday & Fun Facts

Billy Gardell Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

William Gardell Jr.

Place Of Birth

Swissvale, United States

Age

54 years old

Birth Date

August 20 1969

Billy Gardell Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Actor

Education & Qualifications

Winter Park High School

Net Worth

$8,000,000

Current Partner

Patty Gardell

Children

William Gardell

Parents

Linda Gray, William Gardell

Siblings

Brian Gardell, Lisa Gardell

Billy Gardell is a successful actor, game show host, and stand-up comedian from Pennsylvania, having worked with comedy stars such as Dennis Miller and George Carlin.
He is best known for his role as Officer Mike Biggs on the CBS sitcom 'Mike & Molly.' Gardell has also appeared in several films, including 'You, Me And Dupree' and 'Young Sheldon'.
He launched his first comedy album, 'Billy Gardell: Throwback' in 2006. Billy Gardell career as a comedian came about through a bet while working at a department store job to try stand-up comedy. One of his colleagues bet him $50 that he wouldn’t go on the stage of a comedy club for open mike night. 'I had to do it. I couldn’t pay the bet if I didn’t', the actor said.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at Billy Gardell's life and career as an actor and comedian. We'll also discuss what he's up to currently and what fans can expect from him in the future!

What is Billy Gardell’s net worth?

Billy Gardell is estimated to have a net worth of around $8 million.

How much does Billy Gardell earn per year?

Gardell earns about $400,000 per year.

How tall is Billy Gardell?

Billy Gardell stands at about 5 ft 10 in (1.8 m).

How old is Billy Gardell?

Born on August 20, 1969, Billy Gardell is currently 52 years old. His zodiac sign is Leo.

Billy Gardell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he spent the first 10 years of his life. Following his parents' divorce, he, along with his mother and siblings Brian and Lisa Gardell, moved to Florida. They visited Western Pennsylvania only in the summers.
At 15, Gardell started a department warehouse job at Zayre where he would unload trucks and stack pallets.
On December 28, 1987, Gardell approached Joe Sanfelippo, owner of a small comedy room in Orlando called Bonkerz. Being just 17 at the time, Gardell found work there taking reservations and cleaning the place up.
Billy Gardell was part of the International Thespian Society in Winter Park High School, Florida.
Inexperienced in the comedy sector, Gardell was of the impression that you 'just had to be a funny person to be a comedian'. He learned later on in his career that it was all about experience and that he had a lot to work on.

Who is Billy Gardell’s partner?

Billy Gardell has been married to his wife Patty Gardell for over 20 years now. The pair were married in 2001 and had their son William two years later.
The actor has humorously revealed that Patty takes care of money matters in the family, saying he 'just handed her the checks and she made sure that everything was taken care of' and she 'gave him 500 bucks.'

Best Known For…

One of Gardell's best-known roles is Mike Biggs in the TV series 'Mike & Molly' that ran from 2010–2016. Gardell appears in 127 episodes of the show alongside co-star Melissa McCarthy, who played Molly Flynn.
'Mike and Molly' traces the romance between two overweight people who meet at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. Billy Gardell's character, Mike Biggs, is a Chicago police officer whose partner Carl McMillan (played by Reno Wilson) introduces him to Molly Flynn. The show aired for six seasons before being canceled in 2016.
Being an overweight actor on a show that commented on the American standards of beauty, Billy Gardell often had to deal with a lot of harsh and frankly unnecessary critique throughout his career.
Maura Kelly, a blogger at Marie Claire magazine, made headlines when she wrote an article called 'Should 'Fatties' Get A Room? (Even on TV?)' expressing how romantic scenes involving overweight people 'grossed' her out.
Gardell addressed the whole fiasco on a few talk shows. 'We have no hard feelings. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. The thing that I love is that the support we got for the show was tremendous,' he said.
Gardell also appeared as the Milwaukee Security Guard in 'Bad Santa' (2003), and voiced Santa himself in 'Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)'!
In the 2006 film 'You, Me and Dupree', Billy Gardell played the role of Bartender Dave. The film starred Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson, and Matt Dillon.

Charity Work

Billy Gardell has expressed that you have to be careful with your money, but if you have extra money you can give away, it's your responsibility to be charitable.
Gardell carried out a charity performance that was partly inspired by 'Saturday Night Live', called 'Winter Park Live.' The funds raised from the event were donated to the UK comedian-led charity 'Comic Relief.'

What awards has Billy Gardell won?

In 2016, Gardell was nominated for the Outstanding Game Show Host Daytime Emmy, for his role in 'Monopoly Millionaires' Club' (2015). 'Monopoly Millionaires' Club' was also nominated for Outstanding Game Show, which Gardell shared with his co-producers.

Billy Gardell’s Hobbies And Interests

One of Billy Gardell's most cherished pastimes is hanging out with his son. 'Being a dad is my favorite job', he says.
In an interview with USA Today, Gardell expressed that he hoped to retire by the time his son was 15-16 so that he could dedicate all his time to his family life and be his son's biggest fan.
As for his life goals, Gardell says that a house with a pool and a barbeque deck is all he really needs.
Billy Gardell is also an avid football fan and has supported the Pittsburgh Steelers for a long time.
Though he does exceptionally in his on-screen career, stand-up comedy will always have a special place in the heart of this actor.

Billy Gardell had already been good friends with 'Mike and Molly' co-star Reno Wilson for about eight years before they appeared on the show. It's no surprise they get along so well on set!
Gardell wasn't the only person who'd been in the International Thespian Society in Winter Park. Amanda Bearse who played Marcy on 'Married With Children' and Ben Rock from 'The Blair Witch Project' had also been part of it!
Billy Gardell took great inspiration from American actor Jackie Gleason, who Billy says 'was the greatest' for his comedic style.
Gardell is a man of many tastes, literally! The talented actor owns a pizzeria in Hunter's Creek, Orlando. Gardell Bros. Brick Oven Pizza is managed by Billy's brother Brian. According to the Gardells, the pizzeria is a purely family-driven business, inspired by their grandmother's Pittsburgh pizzeria in the '60s.
Main image credit: Featureflash Photo Agency /Shutterstock