Billy Gardell facts for kids

William Gardell Jr. (born August 20, 1969) is a well-known American actor and comedian. He is famous for playing Mike Biggs, a police officer, in the TV show Mike & Molly. Billy Gardell also voiced Santa in the animated movie Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. From 2019 to 2024, he starred as Bob Wheeler in the CBS TV show Bob Hearts Abishola.

Early Life and Comedy Beginnings

Billy Gardell was born in Swissvale, Pennsylvania. When he was a child, his parents divorced, and he moved to Florida with his mother and younger siblings. He visited Pennsylvania only during the summers. He has said that living in Florida was a good experience for him.

At 15, Billy started working at a department store warehouse. In 1987, he began working at a local comedy club called Bonkerz. He cleaned bathrooms, seated people, and answered phones. On December 28, he decided to perform at the club's open-microphone night. He had made a bet with co-workers that he would do it. Later, he even opened shows for famous comedians like Dennis Miller and George Carlin.

Billy Gardell's Acting Career

Billy Gardell is known for his funny roles. He has been inspired by comedians like Jackie Gleason, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, John Candy, and John Belushi. His grandmother also encouraged him, telling him he could be a comedian when he was only 8 years old.

Before his big role in Mike & Molly, Billy thought about working in radio. Being on the road for his comedy shows was taking too much time away from his family.

Movies and TV Shows

Billy Gardell has appeared in several movies. These include Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thornton, You, Me and Dupree with Owen Wilson, and Avenging Angelo with Sylvester Stallone.

He has also had many roles in different TV shows. Some of these include The Practice, Yes, Dear, Desperate Housewives, My Name Is Earl, Monk, and The King of Queens. He even appeared as himself on the Comedy Central show Make Me Laugh.

Mike & Molly and Other Main Roles

From September 2010 to May 2016, Billy Gardell starred as Mike Biggs in the TV show Mike & Molly. He acted alongside Melissa McCarthy in this popular sitcom.

In November 2011, he used his voice for Santa in the animated holiday special Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. In 2013, his comedy special Billy Gardell Presents Road Dogs was shown on Showtime.

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

Billy Gardell also had a recurring role as Herschel Sparks in the CBS show Young Sheldon. From 2019 to 2024, he played the main character, Bob Wheeler, in the CBS sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola.

Personal Life

Billy Gardell married Patty Knight in 2001. They have a son named William III, who was born in 2003. Billy's 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. In 2022, he shared that he had lost a lot of weight, going from 350 pounds (159 kg) to 212 pounds (96 kg). He made these changes by improving his lifestyle and having bariatric surgery.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Comedy Specials

See also

In Spanish: Billy Gardell para niños