Billy T. James
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Billy T James MBE |
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| Born |
William James Te Wehi Taitoko 17 January 1948 Cambridge, Waikato, New Zealand |
| Died | 7 August 1991 (aged 43) |
| Cause of death | Heart failure |
| Resting place | Mount Taupiri |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Occupation |
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William James Te Wehi TaitokoMBE (17 January 1948 – 7 August 1991) better known by his stage name Billy T. James, was a New Zealand entertainer, comedian, musician and actor. He became a key figure in the development of New Zealand comedy, and a household name during his lifetime.
Taitoko was of Waikato Tainui descent.
Taitoko joined the Maori Volcanics Showband in the 1970s and performed around the world. Going solo in Australia and then New Zealand saw him in great demand for his skits and impressions and his cabaret singing. He adopted the stage name Billy T. James because "it was something the Australians could pronounce".
In 1980 he appeared in the variety show Radio Times, the success of which led to his own comedy sketch show in 1981, The Billy T James Show (see section). The same year he was named New Zealand Entertainer of the Year.
In 1985 his cabaret act was recorded live and released on LP as "Billy T Live! at Pips Cabaret, Whangarei". Featuring standup comedy selections and live versions of songs such as Running Bear and When A Child Is Born, this title was out-of-print for more than a decade before being re-released in CD format in 2008.
He made a notable appearance in the 1985 feature film Came a Hot Friday and provided voice-talent for the popular animated film Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tail. Also in 1985 Billy was named New Zealand Entertainer of the Decade.
In 1986 James was appointed as a member of The Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment.
In 1986 Billy and Chris Slane published "Real Hard Case" which contained comic-strip interpretations of Billy's comedy. "Real Hard Case 2" followed in 1987.
During this period his name and likeness was used for the company "Billy T's Hangi Takeaways," with locations in Auckland. The business did not last and closed after several years.
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