Billy Redden is an American actor best known for his role as Lonnie, a banjo-playing boy, in the 1972 film “Deliverance”. In one of the film’s most iconic scenes, he is seen playing the banjo on a porch. After “Deliverance”. Billy Redden did not have a prolific acting career and mostly returned to a quiet life in Georgia. However, his role in the film left a lasting impact, and he remains an iconic figure in cinematic history.

In this article, you will get to know about Billy’s career, profession, net worth, and many more in detail. So, let’s dive into his life to understand more about him.

Billy Redden Wiki/Bio

Billy is an actor born on October 13, 1956, in Rabun Country, Georgia, United States who is famous for his part as a young boy from the countryside in the movie “Deliverance” from 1972. In the film, he played a character named Lonnie who played the banjo in the mountains of North Georgia. Lonnie has a memorable banjo-playing scene with Drew Ballinger.

Billy Redden is in the picture.
Billy Redden is an actor famous for his role as Lonnie.
Image Source: Themoviedb

Something interesting about the scene is that Billy Redden didn’t actually know how to play the banjo, so another young person’s hands were used to play the banjo for him in the famous “Dueling Banjos” part. In the movie’s music, the song was performed by musicians named Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell.

Career

Billy Redden is an American actor who gained fame for his role as a banjo-playing teenager in the 1972 film Deliverance. At the age of 15, Redden was discovered by Lynn Stalmaster, who was scouting for the movie Deliverance. Stalmaster recommended Redden to director John Boorman, and Redden was cast for the role.

After Deliverance, Redden became a tourist guide for people who wanted to visit the filming locations. He returned to acting in Blastfighter (1984), where he also played a banjo player, a trademark of his in his subsequent films such as a cameo in Tim Burton’s Big Fish (2003) and Outrage: Born in Terror (2009).

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Billy Redden is an actor, who gained fame for his role as Lonnie.
Image Source: Pinterest

In 2004, Billy Redden appeared as a guest on a TV show called “Blue Collar TV”. He played a character named Ray, who was a mechanic, in a funny skit about a “Redneck Dictionary”. In the skit, he represented the word “raisin bread” by saying “Ray’s inbred”. He also played the banjo in that skit.

In 2012, which was 40 years after “Deliverance” came out, Billy Redden was interviewed for a documentary called “The Deliverance of Rabun County (2012)”. This documentary looked at how people in Rabun County felt about the movie “Deliverance” four decades later. It explored their thoughts and memories of the film.

Billy Redden’s Eye Problem

Billy has a condition called aniridia, which affects his vision and can cause total blindness. However, it is important to note that aniridia is not an eye problem, but rather a condition that affects the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. Redden’s almond-shaped eyes are a result of his aniridia, which gives them an enchanting quality. It is not clear if Redden has any other eye problems, but he does not have a physical disability.

Net Worth

According to various sources, Billy Redden’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 million as of 2023. While this may seem low considering his iconic role in the movie Deliverance, it is important to note that Redden has not had a prolific acting career and has also worked as a tourist guide.

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What Is Billy Redden’s Most Famous Role

Billy, who was born on April 13, 1956, in Rabun County, Georgia, is an American actor. He’s famous for being Lonnie, the kid who played the banjo in the famous movie “Deliverance.” After that, he showed up in a couple more films. One was called “Big Fish,” which was made by Tim Burton. He also appeared in a documentary called “Deliverance,” and had a small part in the movie “Outrage: Born in Terror” in 2009.

Is Billy Redden Married or Not?

Billy has never gotten married or had any children. People are curious about why he hasn’t tied the knot, but he prefers to keep his personal life private and doesn’t talk about it in public. He’s had a few girlfriends in the past, but those relationships didn’t last long. He isn’t interested in being famous or making a lot of money, and he likes to live a simple and quiet life.

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Billy Redden has never been married to someone.
Image Source: Pinterest

He has always been a single guy and never had a family of his own. He did go on dates with a few women, but those relationships didn’t last very long. He’s not interested in being famous or making a lot of money, and he likes living a simple and peaceful life. He lives in Clayton, Georgia, and works as a Walmart greeter. Right now, he’s really enjoying his independent life, having a great time being on his own and appreciating the freedom it gives him.

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