# Gerry Connolly (comedian)

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 Its Saturday and Kath & Kim, as well as his own series, The Gerry Connolly Show.

### Television

He played the Headmaster in ABC1's Dead Gorgeous. Connolly appeared as himself in the ninth episode of the 1998 Australia 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 Its 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 | | Won |
| 1999 | Arturo Ui | Green Room Award | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated |
| 2004 | Gerry Connolly | Mo Award | Male Comedy Performer of the Year | Won |