White hair and a thick Scottish brogue filled the Key West Garden Club last week, when Scottish comedian, actor, musician and artist Sir Billy Connolly filmed an acceptance speech for an award he received from the British Academy of FIlm & Television Arts.
Born in a tenement apartment in Glasgow, Scotland, Connolly worked as a welder before becoming a folk singer. In the 1970s, he became a stand-up comedian, topping many UK polls as one of the greatest comedians of all time. As an actor, he performed in films such as “Indecent Proposal” (1993), “Pocahontas” (1995), “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996), “Mrs Brown” (1997) (for which he was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role), “The Boondock Saints” (1999) and others.
Connolly, 79, retired in 2018 when his Parkinson’s disease had progressed. He and his wife, Pamela Stephenson, bought a house in Key West in 2016 and now live here full-time.
Connolly’s acceptance speech will be shown when the BAFTA Awards presentation is televised in the UK and around the world.
