Fan mail address
Billy Redden
253 Little River Lane
Rabun Gap, GA 30568-2411
USA
Address information
(Home Address)
253 Little River Lane
Rabun Gap, GA 30568-2411
USA
Billy Redden is an American actor most widely known for his unforgettable role in the 1972 film Deliverance, directed by John Boorman. Redden, a non-actor from Rabun County, Georgia, became an iconic figure in American cinema due to his portrayal of the “Banjo Boy” in the film’s haunting “Dueling Banjos” scene. His distinctive appearance and his portrayal of a backwoods boy playing the banjo have since become emblematic of the film’s chilling and foreboding atmosphere, adding a lasting sense of eeriness to a storyline that explores isolation, survival, and the dark side of humanity in the wilderness.
Born in 1956 in Clayton, Georgia, Redden grew up in a small, rural community, far removed from the world of Hollywood. He was discovered by the film’s casting team while they were scouting locals to appear in Deliverance. Boorman wanted authenticity for his adaptation of James Dickey’s novel about a group of men whose canoe trip down the fictional Cahulawassee River takes a violent and terrifying turn. The film’s exploration of cultural divides, particularly between city dwellers and rural Southern people, required Boorman to cast individuals from the local area. Redden was chosen for his unique look, which contributed to the film’s unsettling vibe.
In Deliverance, Redden’s character is introduced early on in the story when the main characters—played by Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox—stop at a gas station in rural Georgia. Redden’s character does not speak but instead sits on a porch holding a banjo. The now-famous “Dueling Banjos” scene begins when Ronny Cox’s character, Drew, plays guitar, prompting Redden to respond with his banjo in a back-and-forth exchange that evolves into an intricate musical duet. The scene quickly turns from an initially light-hearted interaction to an eerie foreshadowing of the harrowing events that the protagonists will face.
