Billy Liar
“one guy ... three girls ... one ring!”
Synopsis
A young Englishman dreams of escaping from his working class family and dead-end job as an undertaker's assistant. A number of indiscretions cause him to lie in order to avoid the penalties. His life turns into a mess and he has an opportunity to run away and leave it all behind.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Stunning New 4K RestorationOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-06-01
Top Cast
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Tom Courtenay
William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher
Julie Christie
Liz
Wilfred Pickles
Geoffrey Fisher
Mona Washbourne
Alice Fisher
Ethel Griffies
Grandma Florence
Finlay Currie
Duxbury
Gwendolyn Watts
Rita
Helen Fraser
Barbara
Leonard Rossiter
Emanuel Shadrack
Rodney Bewes
Arthur Crabtree
George Innes
Stamp
Leslie Randall
Danny Boon
Patrick Barr
Inspector MacDonald
Ernest Clark
Prison Governor
Godfrey Winn
Disc Jockey
Jack Cunningham
Ticket Examiner (uncredited)
Harry Landis
Man on Train (uncredited)
E. V. H. Emmett
Newsreel Commentator (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 16, 1963
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
Undisclosed
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$36K
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Schlesinger
- Screenplay & Story
- Keith Waterhouse, Willis Hall
- Original Score
- Richard Rodney Bennett
- Original Title
- Billy Liar
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 38m
- Worldwide Gross
- $36K
- Production Studios
- Vic Films Productions, Waterfall Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Schlesinger
Keith Waterhouse, Willis Hall
Richard Rodney Bennett
Denys N. Coop
Roger Cherrill
Joseph Janni
Department Leadership Roster
John Schlesinger
Director
Keith Waterhouse
Screenplay
Willis Hall
Screenplay
Richard Rodney Bennett
Original Music Composer
Joseph Janni
Producer
Denys N. Coop
Director of Photography
Roger Cherrill
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Billy Liar.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Billy Liar.
Available 1960s
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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BFI Top 100 British Films
The BFI's 1999 poll of the 100 greatest British films of the 20th century.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Billy Liar
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Billy Liar about?
A young Englishman dreams of escaping from his working class family and dead-end job as an undertaker's assistant. A number of indiscretions cause him to lie in order to avoid the penalties. His life turns into a mess and he has an opportunity to run away and leave it all behind.
Who directed Billy Liar?
Billy Liar was directed by John Schlesinger.
Who stars in Billy Liar?
The principal cast of Billy Liar includes Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie, Wilfred Pickles, Mona Washbourne, Ethel Griffies.
When was Billy Liar released and how long is it?
Billy Liar was released in 1963 with a total runtime of 1h 38m.
How much did Billy Liar make at the box office?
Billy Liar grossed $36K in worldwide ticket sales.
Who composed the musical score for Billy Liar?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Billy Liar was composed by Richard Rodney Bennett.
Is Billy Liar based on a book or true story?
Billy Liar is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Keith Waterhouse".