I know that most of you boys have seen the movie Deliverance and its Immortal Banjo Scene (click here). But one of the most intriguing characters is the Inbred Banjo Pickin Boy in the Movie...

Who was he? Did he really play the Banjo? And if not him...who did?

The Boy's Name is Billy Redden
Then



Now



His Wikipedia Entry
Billy Redden (born 1956 in Rabun County, Georgia) is an American actor best known for his role as Lonnie—the "creepy banjo kid"—in the 1972 movie Deliverance.

Redden, then sixteen, earned his role in Deliverance during a casting call at Clayton Elementary School in Clayton, Georgia. To add authenticity and humor to the film, the filmmakers found Redden to fit the look of the inbred and mentally retarded banjo boy called for by the book, although Redden himself is neither. The scene depicts Redden playing the instrumental Dueling Banjos opposite actor Ronny Cox on guitar. Because Redden could not really play the banjo, another young banjo player knelt behind him and reached around his chest to reach the banjo, with Redden wearing a specially made shirt that made the man's arms appear to be his own. Additionally, the shot was filmed from angles that made it impossible to see the musician behind Redden on the porch. At the end of the scene, the script called for Redden to harden his expression towards Drew Ballinger, Cox's character; however, Redden was unable to fake dislike for Cox. To solve the problem they got Ned Beatty (whom Redden truly disliked) to step towards Redden at the close of the shot. As Beatty approached, Redden hardened his expression and looked away exactly as intended.[citation needed]

Jon Voight claimed Redden "was a boy who had a genetic imbalance – a product of his mother and his brother, I think. He was quite amazing, a very talkative fellow."[1]

Redden also appeared in Tim Burton's 2003 film Big Fish. Burton was intent on getting Redden, who hadn't appeared in a film since Deliverance, to play the role of a banjo-playing welcomer in the utopian town of Spectre. Burton eventually found him in Clayton, Georgia, where Redden works as a cook, dishwasher and part-owner of the Cookie Jar Café.

In 2004, Redden made a guest appearance on Blue Collar TV playing an inbred car repairman named Ray in a "Redneck Dictionary" skit, for the word "raisin bread" (Ray's-Inbred). When he was shown, he was playing a banjo.

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So who was the Banjo Player? Don Reno's Son: Don Wayne Reno look at his hands. These were the hands that you saw...playing the Banjo in the Movie Deliverence. What's interesting is for as good as Don Wayne Reno is...his right hand form is a little sloppy for 3 finger Scruggs Style playing. Notice how is pinky finger moves a little with his hand. In 3 finger Scruggs both the pinky and the ring finger of the right hand are supposed to be stationary to keep the hand stable when playing. This keeps the right hand speed even, when you are picking really fast.

And Yes...I play the Banjo...since 1979.