Billy Don't Be a Hero US version sold over three and a half million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in June 1974. Donaldson and the Heywoods's version was a massive hit in Latin America and Japan as well, but it remained largely unknown elsewhere as of late July 2017. "Billboard" ranked it as the No. 21 song for 1974. Despite the song's popularity, it was poorly received, and it was voted No. 8 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's readers' poll of "10 Worst Songs of the 1970s." The song is mentioned as having played on K-Billy's "Super Sounds of the '70s
Billy T. James and was based upon interviews with more than fifty friends and colleagues of Billy as well as wife Lynn and sister Ngaire. In December 2010, funding was given for the production of a biographical film based on Billy T. James' life. In March 2011, it was revealed the film was to be titled "Billy" and would star Tainui Tukiwaho as Billy and Morgana O'Reilly as wife Lynn. The film premiered on 21 August 2011 on TV One. 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