Billy Redden was a typical local teen living in Georgia, handpicked by director John Boorman for the role of an odd banjo player in the Oscar-nominated classic Deliverance (1972). To Boorman, Redden had the exact look of a country boy, the mannerisms, and something different from the usual qualities needed for a part that could be suitable only for someone who wasn’t trained as an actor: a nonspeaking part in one sequence in which he plays a banjo duel against Ronny Cox. The sequence turned out to be one of the highest points of the thriller–and one of the most memorable moments of cinema.
After the exposition in Deliverance, Redden vanished from the screen but 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). By the time he appeared in Big Fish, he was working at a cafe near the film location.
We’re very happy to welcome Billy to Monsterama Jr!
