William Gardell Jr. (born August 20, 1969)^[1] is an American actor and stand-up comedian. Gardell playedChicago police officer Mike Biggs onMike & Molly. He also had a recurring role as Billy Colivida onYes, Dear, and appeared in a dozen episodes ofMy Name Is Earl as a police officer.^[2] Gardell voicedSanta inIce Age: A Mammoth Christmas, as well as starring onSullivan & Son in the recurring role of Lyle Winkler. From 2019 to 2024, Gardell played Bob Wheeler in theCBS sitcom seriesBob Hearts Abishola.

Born inSwissvale, Pennsylvania,^[3] Gardell attendedWinter Park High School inOrange County, Florida, during 1985.^[4] As a child, he moved to Florida with his mother and younger siblings after his parents divorced. After that, he only visited Pennsylvania in the summers.^[5] He has said living in Florida was a positive experience.^[6] At the age of 15, he started working at a department store warehouse in the receiving area, where he would unload trucks and stack pallets.^[5] In 1987, he started cleaning bathrooms, seating people, and answering phones at a local comedy club, Bonkerz.^[4] On December 28, he started performing at the comedy club's open-microphone nights after he made a dare with some co-workers. "If I didn't do an open mic night, I couldn't cover the bet. I was running my mouth that I would do it. They bet me I wouldn't," he explained. He eventually started opening forDennis Miller andGeorge Carlin.^[5]

Gardell was a member ofInternational Thespian Society Troupe 850, whose other notable alumni includeAmanda Bearse, who is a fellow graduate of Winter Park High School, andBen Rock ofThe Blair Witch Project.^[7]

Gardell is known for his comedic roles and is influenced byJackie Gleason.^[5] He has also listedRichard Pryor,George Carlin,John Candy,^[8] andJohn Belushi as his influences.^[9] Although Bonkerz helped launch his comedy career, he has credited the support from his grandmother, saying: "She told me when I was 8 years old that I could be a comic".^[6] BeforeMike & Molly, Gardell revealed that he considered a career in radio after being on the road for his comedy act began to affect his family time.^[5] He has performed in several feature films, includingBad Santa (withBilly Bob Thornton)You, Me and Dupree (withOwen Wilson), andAvenging Angelo (withSylvester Stallone andAnthony Quinn), as well as appearing numerous times in recurring roles in several US television series, includingNBC'sHeist,The Practice,Yes, Dear,Desperate Housewives,Lucky,Bones,My Name Is Earl,Monk, andThe King of Queens. Gardell appeared as himself on theComedy Central seriesMake Me Laugh. Subsequently, he appeared on Miller's television programDennis Miller, telecast on the US financial news networkCNBC (conducting "man-on-the-street" interviews). Notably, he created and staged anSNL-style charity performance of a piece calledWinter Park Live, the proceeds from which were donated toComic Relief.

Gardell continues to make weekly appearances on hometown local radio stationWDVE, appearing onThe DVE Morning Show.^[10] Gardell also appeared onChelsea Lately, as a roundtable participant. Gardell appeared on a special forComedy Central Presents in 2007 that aired on April 4, 2008. Gardell also played the host ofPizza Talk, an imaginary TV series, in commercials forRound Table Pizza. In 2006, Gardell's first comedy album,Billy Gardell: Throwback, was released.^[11]

From September 2010 to May 2016, Gardell starred inMike & Molly, alongsideMelissa McCarthy. In November 2011, he lent his voice toSanta inIce Age: A Mammoth Christmas. His stand-up specialHalftime was released in 2011 and aired onComedy Central. It was filmed in Pittsburgh and profiles working-class America.^[11] As of 2011, he continued to tour as a stand-up comedian in addition to acting.^[4] In a 2011Orlando Sentinel article, Gardell said he would not mind doing movies again.^[4]

In 2013, Gardell's comedy specialBilly Gardell Presents Road Dogs premiered onShowtime. In 2015, Gardell started the lottery game showMonopoly Millionaires' Club, featuring contestants who bought tickets for theMonopoly Millionaires' Club lottery game; the latter began on October 19, 2014. Gardell earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host in 2016, but lost toCraig Ferguson.

Gardell had a recurring role on the CBS spinoff sitcomYoung Sheldon as neighbor Herschel Sparks. In October 2018, he was cast as Bob in the CBS pilot ofBob Hearts Abishola,^[12] alongsideFolake Olowofoyeku. In May 2019, the series was ordered,^[13] and it premiered in September 2019.

Gardell began appearing in advertisements forA1C medicationOzempic in 2021.^[14] This followed his involvement in the Ozempic reality series “My Type 2 Transformation” two years previous.^[15]

Gardell has been married to Patty Knight since 2001.^[6][11] They have a son, William III, born in 2003. His parents still live in Florida, where he occasionally visits them.^[4]

Gardell is aPittsburgh Steelers fan and attended games atHeinz Field. His favorite player growing up wasJack Lambert.^[16]

Regarding his weight, Gardell explained in 2011 that he "always had a little gut" and weighed 350 pounds (160 kg) at one point.^[5] In 2022, during an interview withEntertainment Tonight, he discussed his weight loss and said that he reduced his weight to 212 pounds (96 kg). Gardell managed his weight loss by changing his lifestyle and havingbariatric surgery.^[17]

• Official website
• Billy Gardell atIMDb
• Billy Gardell atdve.com

• 1969 births
• Living people
• People from Swissvale, Pennsylvania
• American stand-up comedians
• American game show hosts
• American male voice actors
• American male comedians
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• Male actors from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Male actors from Florida
• 20th-century American male actors
• Winter Park High School alumni
• 20th-century American comedians
• 21st-century American comedians
• Comedians from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
• Comedians from Florida

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles with hCards