Billy Connolly net worth: Comedian has made millions from stand-up and acting

Billy Connolly, 78, is preparing to retire from live performing due to his advancing Parkinson’s Disease. The Big Yin, as he is fondly known in his native Scotland, announced he had been diagnosed with the illness in 2013.

However, despite rising fame in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, Billy struggled to break America until 1990, when he featured in HBO’s Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Connolly in Performance.

The 90s also saw him break into Hollywood, voicing Ben in Disney’s Pocahontas and starring as Billy Bones in Muppet’s Treasure Island.

His turn as John Brown in Mrs Brown, starring Judi Dench as Queen Victoria, saw him nominated for a BAFTA.

More recently, he played Dáin II Ironfoot in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

In his personal life, Billy has been married to Pamela Stephenson since 1989.

He has five children – two from his first marriage to Iris Pressagh and three with Pamela.

In 2017, Billy was knighted for his services to entertainment and charity, making his full title Sir William Connolly CBE.

Billy is far from the only comedian to make millions from making people laugh.

American comedian, actor, writer and musician Steve Martin first fell into the limelight in 1968 as a writer and performer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Since then he has starred in countless blockbuster movies and hit TV shows.

As a result, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com, Steve has accumulated a net worth of approximately $140 million (£103 million).

The 75-year-old is credited with over 45 films, having also collected an array of awards and accolades including an Emmy Award.

He is best known for his roles in the films The Jerk, The Man with Two Brains, All of Me, Three Amigos, Roxanne, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Parenthood, Father of the Bride, Cheaper by the Dozen, and The Pink Panther.

However, along with his on-screen roles, Steve is also a well-known comedian.

He has hosted “Saturday Night Live” 15 times, and a compilation of his greatest moments, “SNL: The Best of Steve Martin” was released on DVD in 2000.

He also frequently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

source: express.co.uk