Gerry Connolly

Gerald William Connolly (born 15 November 1957) is an Australian comedian, actor, impressionist and pianist. He is best known for his satirical caricatures of public figures such as former Queen of the United Kingdom Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Neville Wran, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard, Bill Collins and Dame Joan Sutherland, among many others.

Early life Connolly was born in Rockhampton, Queensland. He studied at, and subsequently graduated from, the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane, with a Bachelor of Music.

Career Comedy Connolly has gained much notoriety in Australia and the UK, having much success at the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Adelaide Comedy Festival with his hit one-man shows, including Gerry Connolly - Alone or with Others and I, CONnolly. In 1986, his live performances earned him the Wallace 'Comedian of the Year' Award. He has also made many TV appearances, including spots on Fast Forward, Live and Sweaty, Tonight Live with Steve Vizard, Hey Hey It's Saturday and Kath & Kim, as well as his own series, The Gerry Connolly Show.

Television He played the Headmaster in ABC's Dead Gorgeous. Connolly appeared as himself in the ninth episode of the 1998 Australian television series The Games (in which he impersonated Bob Hawke). In 2019, Connolly auditioned for Britain's Got Talent impersonating Queen Elizabeth II while roasting the judges. He was eliminated in the 2nd semi-final.

Film In 1993, Connolly featured in a dramatic role portraying former Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen in the ABC telemovie Joh's Jury. He also had the major role of Lou Rickets in the Australian family film The Real Macaw in 1998, and made a cameo appearance as Father Murphy in The Wog Boy.

Theatre Connolly has also had a successful career in the theatre, working with such groups as the Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir St Theatre. He played the role of Mahoney in the Melbourne Theatre Company's 1999 production of Arturo Ui, which earned him a nomination for a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor. In 2022 he played the role of Mr Paravicini in the Australian tour of The Mousetrap.

Music He has played piano with the Melbourne, Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, being featured in concerts televised across Australia and the UK.

Filmography

Television Year Title Role Type 1988 The Gerry Connolly Show Various characters TV series, 6 episodes 1992 Acropolis Now Larry ('Wheel of Language' Host) TV series, 1 episode 1990–92 Fast Forward Various characters / Queen Elizabeth II TV series, 53 episodes Live and Sweaty TV series Tonight Live with Steve Vizard TV series Hey Hey It's Saturday TV series 1997 Australian Story Presenter TV series, 1 episode 1998 The Games Himself (as Bob Hawke) TV series, episode 9 1999 Dog's Head Bay Tony Du Clos TV series, 1 episode 2004 Kath & Kim Merrill Streep TV series, 1 episode 2007 Spicks and Specks Himself TV series, 1 episode 2010 Dead Gorgeous Headmaster Griffith TV series 2015 Open Slather Queen Elizabeth II TV series, 1 episode 2016 Fancy Boy Ian's Dad TV series, 1 episode 2018 Stage Mums TV series, 4 episodes 2019 Britain's Got Talent Contestant (impersonating Queen Elizabeth II) TV series (eliminated in 2nd semi-final) 2022 Irreverent Minister TV series, 1 episode

Film Year Title Role Type 1989 Police State Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen TV movie 1992 Over the Hill Hank Feature film 1993 Joh's Jury Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen TV movie 1993 A Royal Commission into the Australian Economy Bob Hawke / Prince Charles / Geoffrey Robertson / Queen Elizabeth II TV movie 1993 Camp Christmas Queen Elizabeth II TV movie 1995 The Search for Christmas Himself TV movie 1998 The Real Macaw Lou Rickets Feature film 2000 The Wog Boy Father Murphy Feature film 2000 The Magic Pudding Dobson Dorking (voice) Animated feature film 2012 Mystery of a Hansom Cab Reginald Valpy TV movie

Stage Year Title Role Type Gerry Connolly - Alone or with Others Himself Melbourne Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe Festival Different Things Joh Bjelke-Petersen Pianomaniac Joh Bjelke-Petersen 1986 Two Boys and Two Girls Belvoir Street Theatre for Sydney Festival 1986 Going Bananas Comedian Ringwood Cultural Centre, Melbourne 1987 Men and Women of Australia Joh Bjelke-Petersen / various characters Melbourne Athenaeum for Melbourne International Comedy Festival 1988 Not the 1988 Party! Belvoir Street Theatre for Aboriginal National Theatre Trust 1989 Little Murders Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1989 A Royale Commission Police Auditorium, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival 1989 Gerrymander Joh and the Last Crusade Joh Bjelke-Petersen Basil Jones Theatre, Brisbane 1990 Once in a Lifetime Sydney Opera House with STC 1991 A Royal Commission into the Australian Economy Prime Minister Bob Hawke, The Queen Elizabeth II / Prince Charles / Geoffrey Robertson Universal Theatre, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Space Theatre, Adelaide 1992 I, CONnolly - Icons and My Role in Their Demise Joh Bjelke-Petersen / various characters Fairfax Studio, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Space Theatre, Adelaide 1993 The Grand Opening Galah Comedian Canberra Theatre with Comedy Summit 1993 The Grand Finale Galah Comedian Canberra Theatre with Comedy Summit 1993, 1996 A Night of Infectious Laughter Comedian Melbourne Athenaeum for Victorian AIDS Council 1995 Lady Windermere's Fan Mr Cecil Graham Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1996 Gala Re-Opening of the Regent Theatre Artistic Performer Regent Theatre, Melbourne 1998 Die Fledermaus Lyric Theatre, QPAC Brisbane with Opera Queensland 1998 The Marriage of Figaro Dr Bartholo, the Count's Doctor Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane with QTC 1999 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Goodwill / Mahoney / Various characters Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company 2001–03 The Pirates of Penzance Major-General Stanley Lyric Theatre, Brisbane, Sydney Lyric, Canberra Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton, Mackay Showgrounds, Cairns Convention Centre, Townsville Convention Centre, Darwin Entertainment Centre, Melbourne Concert Hall, Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart with Essgee Entertainment 2002 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Opening Charity Gala Comedian Palais Theatre, Melbourne 2002 The Eighth Annual Duesburys Canberra Area Theatre Awards Actor Playhouse, Canberra 2004, 2006 Urinetown Caldwell B. Caldwell Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC, Sydney Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company 2005 Cyrano de Bergerac Subscriber / Priest Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2005 Summer Rain Harold Slocum Sydney Theatre with STC 2006 Tomfoolery Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2006 La Clique 2006 La Soirée Australia, New Zealand & UK tour 2008 Gala Southbank Theatre with MTC 2012 Richard Tognetti's Festival Maribor Master of Ceremonies Slovenia with ACO 2012 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Marcus Lycus Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne with GFO 2012 La Clique Royale Queen Elizabeth II The Famous Spiegeltent, Edinburgh Fringe 2013–14 La Soirée Queen Elizabeth II Spiegeltent, Southbank for Brisbane Festival, Sydney Opera House 2014 Wuthering Heights Nelly Dean Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane with Shake & Stir Theatre Co 2015 Anything Goes The Captain Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane, Sydney Opera House with Opera Australia / GFO Sydney Opera House: The Eighth Wonder Opera Australia 2016 The Opera Queen Elizabeth II Sydney Opera House 2018 Jive Cape Town Funny Festival Queen Elizabeth II Baxter Theatre, Cape Town 2019 PLEXUS: Phosphorescence Spoken voice Melbourne Recital Centre 2020 The Rise and Disguise of Elizabeth R Queen Elizabeth II / Prince Charles / Margaret Thatcher / various characters (also composer) Hayes Theatre Co 2021 The Variety Gala Festival Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA for Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2022–24 The Mousetrap Mr Paravicini Theatre Royal, Sydney, Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Newcastle Civic Theatre with Shake & Stir Theatre Co

Awards and nominations Year Nominated work Award Category Result 1986 Gerry Connolly Wallace 'Comedian of the Year' Award 1999 Arturo Ui Green Room Award Best Supporting Actor 2004 Gerry Connolly Mo Award Male Comedy Performer of the Year