Billy grew up as William James Te Wehi Taitoko, first in the Waikato town of Leamington (now part of Cambridge), then in Whangārei.

In his mid 20s, Billy T. was invited to join showband the Māori Volcanics, and was soon performing around the world, echoing the path of entertainers John Rowles and Frankie Stevens.

While living in Australia Billy went solo, dropping his Taitoko surname, and rearranging his birth names to "something the Aussies could pronounce".

Prince Tui Teka encouraged him to embark on a solo career[4] which saw him in great demand for his skits and impressions and his cabaret singing.

Featuring standup comedy selections and live versions of songs such as "Running Bear" and "When A Child Is Born", this title was out-of-print for more than a decade before being re-released in CD format in 2008.

[5] In 1986, James and Chris Slane published Real Hard Case which contained comic-strip interpretations of Taitoko's comedy.

During this period, Taitoko name and likeness were used for the company "Billy T's Hangi Takeaways," with locations in Auckland, but the business did not last and closed after several years.

[6] In 1990, Taitoko received the prestigious Benny Award from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc for a lifetime of excellence in the performing arts.

The second series saw James introduce his first recurring character Pierre the Painter who would paint pictures while telling a story.

He returned to the stage of the Aotea Centre in April 1990 for the variety special Billy T James, Alive and Gigging.

[16] In 2009, nearly 50% of respondents voted him the country's greatest comedian in a New Zealand Listener survey,[2] eighteen years after his death.

[17] In March 2011, it was revealed the film was to be titled Billy, and would star Tainui Tukiwaho as James and Morgana O'Reilly as wife Lynn.

Liberties were taken for dramatic purposes, including arguments with co-writer and television partner Peter Rowley and a minor heart attack while filming, neither of which occurred.