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{{Infobox Comedian
{{Infobox Comedian
| image = Bill Engvall 2010.jpg
| image = Bill Engvall 2010.jpg
| name = Bill Engvall (2010)
| name = Bill Engvall
| imagesize =
| imagesize =
| caption = Bill Engvall
| caption = Bill Engvall (2010)
| birth_name = William Ray Engvall, Jr.
| birth_name = William Ray Engvall, Jr.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|7|27}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|7|27}}

Revision as of 22:01, 14 October 2010

Bill Engvall
Bill Engvall (2010)
Birth nameWilliam Ray Engvall, Jr.
Born (1957-07-27) July 27, 1957 (age 67)
Template:City-state, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Years active1990–present
GenresCountry Comedy
SpouseMary Gail Watson (1982-present)
Children1 son (Travis), 1 daughter (Emily)
Websitewww.billengvall.com

William Ray "Bill" Engvall, Jr. (born July 27, 1957)[1] is an American comedian best known for his work as a stand-up comic and as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy group. In 2007 TBS began airing his sitcom The Bill Engvall Show. He has released multiple comedy albums on Warner Bros. Records as well.

Biography

Early life

Engvall was born in Galveston, Texas. He attended Richardson High School in Richardson, Texas. He attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Xi Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. A staff member confirmed that Bill Engvall worked there at Inner Space Caverns many years ago when he was attending college, quickly mentioned in Engvall's autobiography, "Just A Guy." He also briefly mentioned this in one of the Blue Collar Comedy Tours. He left college, though, to pursue a career in the world of comedy.

Personal life

Bill and Gail Engvall (born August 1960) have been married since December 18, 1982. They have a daughter named Emily (born 1986), a recent graduate from the University of Puget Sound, as well as a son, Travis (born 1991), a sophomore at Northern Arizona University, who both appear regularly in his humor.

Career

Engvall began his career on the sitcom Designing Women. He hit his first big break when he went on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and from there won the American Comedy Awards Comic of the Year. He then joined the cast of Delta Burke's self-titled series Delta, which lasted for one year. He then began producing his own albums. Before becoming a well-known comedian, Engvall joined the popular talent show Star Search.

Engvall toiled in relative obscurity for several years until he turned his most famous routine, "Here's Your Sign," into a song by country music star Travis Tritt. The routine involves Bill offering signs (Which read "I'm stupid") to people to identify them as foolish upon them asking a redundant or obvious question.

He has appeared on The Jeff Foxworthy Show alongside best friend and fellow comic Jeff Foxworthy, with whom he starred in the hit film Blue Collar Comedy Tour (as well as its sequels and spin-off TV show). In the films and TV shows, Engvall performed his standup alongside Foxworthy, Ron White, and Larry the Cable Guy. He has also guest starred on the TNT series Leverage.

Comedy

Overall, Engvall has released eight comedy albums, seven on Warner Bros. Records and one on BNA Records. His debut, Here's Your Sign, is certified platinum by the RIAA, while 1998's Dorkfish is certified gold.

Discography

Albums

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US Country US US Comedy
1996 Here's Your Sign[A] 5 50
  • US: Platinum
1998 Dorkfish
  • Released: October 13, 1998
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
16 119
  • US: Gold
1999 Here's Your Christmas Album[B]
  • Released: September 28, 1999
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
44
2000 Now That's Awesome
  • Released: August 22, 2000
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
14 133
2002 Cheap Drunk: An Autobiography
  • Released: September 24, 2002
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
37
2003 Here's Your Sign Reloaded
  • Released: November 11, 2003
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
37 12
2004 A Decade of Laughs
  • Released: October 26, 2004
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
27 183 1
2007 15° Off Cool
  • Released: February 27, 2007
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
16 93 1
2009 Aged and Confused
  • Released: October 6, 2009
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
29 159 2
Notes

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US Country US CAN Country
1997 "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)" (with Travis Tritt) 29 43 72 single only
"Warning Signs" (with John Michael Montgomery) 56
1998 "It's Hard to Be a Parent" 72
"I'm a Cowboy" 60 Dorkfish
"Here's Your Sign Christmas" 50 Dorkfish / Here's Your Christmas Album
1999 "Here's Your Sign Christmas" (re-entry) 39
"Hollywood Indian Guides" 72 single only
2000 "Here's Your Sign Christmas" (re-entry) 46 Dorkfish / Here's Your Christmas Album
"Blue Collar Dollar" (with Jeff Foxworthy and Marty Stuart) 63 Blue Collar Comedy Tour
"Now That's Awesome"
(with Neal McCoy, Tracy Byrd and T. Graham Brown)
59 Now That's Awesome
"Shoulda Shut Up" 71

Music videos

Year Video Director
1997 "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)" (with Travis Tritt) Jim Yukich
"Warning Signs" (with John Michael Montgomery) Peter Zavadil
1998 "I'm a Cowboy"
"Here's Your Sign Christmas"
1999 "Hollywood Indian Guides"
2000 "Blue Collar Dollar" (with Jeff Foxworthy and Marty Stuart) Thomas Smugala
"Now That's Awesome" Peter Zavadil

List of works

Bibliography

  • Just a Guy: Notes from a Blue Collar Life St. Martin's Press ISBN 0312362676 (2007)

Filmography

References