Billy Gardell facts for kids

Billy Gardell (born August 20, 1969) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is best known for playing police officer Mike Biggs on the TV show Mike & Molly. He also starred as Bob Wheeler in the TV series Bob Hearts Abishola from 2019 to 2024.

Billy Gardell has appeared in many other TV shows and movies. He even voiced Santa in the animated special Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas.

Early life

Billy Gardell was born in Swissvale, Pennsylvania. When he was a child, his parents divorced. He moved to Florida with his mother and younger siblings. He would only visit Pennsylvania during the summers.

He went to Winter Park High School in Florida. At 15, he started working at a department store warehouse. He would unload trucks and stack boxes.

In 1987, he began working at a local comedy club called Bonkerz. He cleaned bathrooms, seated people, and answered phones. One day, he made a dare with his co-workers to perform at the club's open-mic night. He took the stage on December 28 and started his comedy career. He later opened shows for famous comedians like Dennis Miller and George Carlin.

Billy Gardell was also part of the International Thespian Society Troupe 850. This group helps young people learn about theater.

Career

Billy Gardell is known for his funny acting roles. He has said that comedians like Jackie Gleason, Richard Pryor, and George Carlin influenced him. He also shared that his grandmother encouraged him to be a comedian when he was only eight years old.

Before his big role in Mike & Molly, Billy thought about working in radio. Being on the road for his comedy shows made it hard to spend time with his family.

He has been in several movies, including Bad Santa, You, Me and Dupree, and Avenging Angelo. He has also had many roles in TV shows like Yes, Dear, My Name Is Earl, Monk, and The King of Queens.

In 2006, Billy Gardell released his first comedy album called Billy Gardell: Throwback. He also had a comedy special on Comedy Central in 2008.

From 2010 to 2016, Billy Gardell starred in Mike & Molly with Melissa McCarthy. In 2011, he voiced Santa in Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. His stand-up special Halftime was also released that year. It was filmed in Pittsburgh and talked about everyday life for working people.

In 2015, Billy Gardell hosted the game show Monopoly Millionaires' Club. He was even nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Game Show Host in 2016.

Since 2018, he has appeared in the TV show Young Sheldon as Herschel Sparks. In 2019, he began his lead role as Bob Wheeler in the CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola, which ran until 2024.

Billy Gardell has also shared his health journey publicly. He has appeared in advertisements discussing his weight loss and lifestyle changes.

Personal life

Billy Gardell married Patty Knight in 2001. They have a son named William III, who was born in 2003. His parents still live in Florida, and he visits them sometimes.

He is a big fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. His favorite player when he was growing up was Jack Lambert.

Billy Gardell has talked about his weight loss journey. He shared that he weighed about 350 pounds at one point. In 2022, he said he had lost a lot of weight and was down to 212 pounds (96 kg). He achieved this by changing his lifestyle and having bariatric surgery.

Filmography

Film

Television

Comedy specials

See also

In Spanish: Billy Gardell para niños