Deliverance 'banjo kid' unrecognisable after 'struggling to make ends meet' 50 years on

At 15, Billy Redden might have expected a career on the silver screen after appearing in Oscar-nominated movie Deliverance.

But despite being one of the most unmistakable faces in Hollywood for a brief period in the 1970s, his life went in a wholly different direction, a far cry from the bright lights of Tinsel Town.

Now 69, he's unrecognisable after "struggling really hard to make ends meet".

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Deliverance, a disturbing thriller directed by Brit John Boorman, was a smash hit when it came out in 1972. It was nominated for three Oscars - Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing.

Young Billy's appearance in the film was brief, but arguably the most memorable.

He was hand-picked by Boorman, who was scouting local schoolchildren in Georgia, US, for the iconic Duelling Banjos scene. He wasn't a trained actor nor could he play the banjo, but Boorman thought his haunted expression made him perfect for the role.

A musician hid behind him to create the illusion, but Billy's awkward stare made him a movie star overnight. In the film, he played “backwoods mountain boy” Lonnie, who gets into a musical duel with a businessman on a canoe trip.

Deliverance raked in millions and became a timeless classic, but Billy saw little of the profits. Paid only a modest fee for his work, he returned to small-town life once the cameras stopped rolling.

Initially, he tried to capitalise on the fame and organised tourist trips down the Chattooga River, which was featured in the film. He later worked a string of jobs, including store associate at Walmart, dishwasher and cafe hand.

Billy also played “banjo man” in a number of other films, including Tim Burton’s 2003 hit Big Fish, Outrage: Born in Terror, Blue Collar TV, and Blastfighter.

In the 2012 documentary, The Deliverance of Rabun County, Billy discussed his financial struggles.

He told producers: “I'd like to have all the money I thought I'd make from this movie. I wouldn't be working at Walmart right now. And I'm struggling really hard to make ends meet.”

He went on to defend the reputation of the county, adding: “We're not a bad people up here, we're a loving people. Rabun County is a pretty good town. It's real peaceful, not a lot of crime going on. Everybody pretty much gets along with everybody.”

Billy has now been retired for several years and has “mounting medical bills” and a lack of social security support, according to close friend Kip Ramey.

In 2023, he started a GoFundMe page to support the Hollywood legend and raised tens of thousands of dollars, the Spokesman.com reported.

Kip also drove Billy to a couple of fan conventions, where he got to meet some Deliverance acolytes and take photos with them.