Career
James 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.
In 1990 Billy received the prestigious Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc for a lifetime of excellence in the performing arts.
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