NEWS: New Billy T James Movie Is On Its Way To Cinemas

One of NZ's true entertainment icons, Billy T James, is set to have the country in fits of laughter yet again with the announcement of a new film celebrating the late comics life. The film is being directed by Ian Mune (What Becomes of the Broken Hearted) and will be released nationwide on August 18th to commemorate 20 years since Billy’s death.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Billy T: Te Movie celebrates the life of the legendary Billy T James, New Zealand’s best-loved entertainer. The film explores Billy’s extraordinary talent as musician, singer, comedian, actor, writer and artist... it even attempts to uncover the source of his trademark giggle. With humour and love, the film tells of Billy’s meteoric rise to national fame and his tragic downfall into ill-health and financial collapse.

Featuring digitally re-mastered footage of Billy’s performances and never-seen-before archival images, Billy T’s story is set alongside interviews with his family, friends and colleagues. Audiences will leave with laughter in their hearts and tears in their eyes. Director Ian Mune (What Becomes of the Broken Hearted) cast Billy as the cult favourite hard-case Maori Mexican, ‘The Tainuia Kid’, in his 1984 movie Came a Hot Friday. Billy T: Te Movie is produced by Tom Parkinson and Robert Boyd-Bell through their company BTJ Movie Ltd. Parkinson discovered Billy performing cabaret in the Avondale Rugby League Club in 1978 and cast him as Dexter Fitzgibbon in the television variety series Radio Times and produced the TV series The Billy T James Show. Boyd-Bell is a long-time television documentary producer and author of New Zealand Television – the First 25 Years. The film is financed by the New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air and Sony Pictures, who are distributing it.

We are already counting down the days for this one. Here's a classic Billy T moment to get you excited.

What is your favourite Billy T James memory?