It was a show that showcased comedy in the forms of mime, slapstick, sketches parody and double-entendre. And although he was worth millions thanks to royalties from The Benny Hill Show, the late actor was extremely frugal and had a phobia of spending money. [23], "My father was mad about Benny Hill, Monty Python and The Avengers, Bond movies and the Peter Sellers films, so that's what I grew up watching. Not surprisingly, considering his lack of knowledge or interest in engines, Alfie Hill played no real useful part in the war. In 1969, his show moved from the BBC to Thames Television, where it remained until its cancellation in 1989, with an erratic schedule of one-hour specials. It was a sketch comedy show that aired on ITV, starring the iconic Benny Hill as the lead performer. of whom he had a close relationship with, but like his parents are also For Hill, after failing his second audition at the Windmill, it was back to the working mens clubs in parts of London like Streatham, Tottenham and Harlesden. And, if youre honest, youll just drag up from the depths all the times youve hated or felt passionately about something and play it. Reviewing a biography of Hill, Saucy Boy, in The Guardian in 1990, Burgess described Hill as "a comic genius steeped in the British music hall tradition" (as were Chaplin and Laurel, two of Hill's childhood idols) and "one of the great artists of our age". [28] The novelist Anthony Burgess made no secret of his admiration for Hill. Sitting exactly where he died a year later. In 1969, Hill signed a contract with Thames Television. DONATE, Before the money moved in, Kings Cross was a place for born-and-bred locals, clubs and crime, See what really went on during that time in NYC's topless go-go bars, Chris Stein 's photographs of Debbie Harry and friends take us back to a great era of music. British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, The Sound of ITV The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune, "Features | Britain's Most Watched TV | 1970s", "Hill, Alfred Hawthorne [Benny] (19241992), comedian: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography oi", "The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes Episode 1", "The Generation Game dames who gave legendary BBC TV game show glamour are nice to see again, nice", "05 Television (all broadcast dates are UK unless otherwise stated) (Ben Elton)", "John Howard Davies, British comedy producer and former child actor, dies at 72", "Benny Hill's World Tour - Greetings from New York DVD", "I owe film fame to dad's Scouse sense of humour", "Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The {Richard Pryor, Ally Sheedy, Rod Hull} (TV)", Snoop Dogg: 'Women are getting empowered. Despite his great wealth, Benny never wanted the responsibility of owning a home; he instead had a host of flats he used. Support for the Sussexes slumps: Now only Prince Andrew is less popular than Harry and Meghan and just a LORD ASHCROFT: The monarchy has to change, but the King has time and goodwill on his side. The hit song topped the UK Singles Chart, reaching the Christmas number one spot. He later servedin the British Army during World War II. On February 11, 1992, doctors warned him that he was overweight and recommended a heart bypass. In addition to operating a number of local television channels on Freeview, That's TV has another national slot on channel 65, meaning that Hill's show would be seen in full, nationwide on British television for the first time in nearly 20 years.[41][42][43]. Louise English is an English actress. Hill used all the expertise of the studio make-up department to great effect, and also utilised new technology enabling him to include recorded inserts in his sketches and use split screen trickery, for instance, to play all the panellists in parodies of programmes such as Whats My Line? He noticed one Windmill turn in particular, a man called Peter Waring whose scripts were written by Frank Muir, who at that time was still attached to the RAF. Hill and Reg Varneys double act was generally a success, and they were signed up for three seasons of Gaytime and subsequently a touring version of a London Palladium revue called Sky High. When Hill died in April 1992, his estate was worth an estimated 10 Its a mixture of lack of comedy personality and lack of comedy material. While the Three Stooges will almost always leave me hysterical with laughter, I know of others who view their antics stone-faced. Customization and personalization available. In 1989, his television career came to an end, after the production of 'The Benny Hill Show' was cancelled due to heavy production costs and reduced show ratings. That year he also released his comic song, 'Transistor Radio' and 'Pepys' Diary'. The Windmill Theatre on the corner of Great Windmill Street and Archer Street, just off Shaftesbury Avenue, was a magnet to many of the new wave ex-servicemen comedians, of whom there were many. Hill died on the same day that a new contract arrived in the post from Central Independent Television, for which he was to have made a series of specials. His father and paternal uncle were both professional circus clowns until they both left for military service during WWI. He may have bought scripts from various comedy writers, but if so, they never received an onscreen credit (some evidence indicates he bought a script from one of his regular cast members in 1976, Cherri Gilham, to whom he wrote from Spain, telling her he was using her "Fat Lady" idea on the show in January 1977). the duo fall in love at first sight and wind up getting married later in the series. The hard-hearted feminists couldn't stand seeing Benny running around with beautiful, young girls in their meager attire. Like taste in dogs, cars, colors, beautiful women or good-looking men, it is entirely a matter of individual taste. Berlin, Germany. Now! She died of lung cancer in 2015 aged 77. Web every day. He wore second-hand clothes until they were completely worn out. Hill was buried at Hollybrook Cemetery, near his birthplace in Southampton, on 28 April 1992. Hill made a few brief appearances in films, probably most notably in a relatively straight role at the toymaker in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968. Recurring players on his show during the BBC years included Patricia Hayes, Jeremy Hawk, Peter Vernon, Ronnie Brody and his co-writer from the early 1950s to early 1960s, Dave Freeman. By this time Hill had already appeared on BBC radio a few times but struggled to make his mark. Each episode is about 45 minutes long and consists of several skits, all featuring Benny and his loyal gang of players. It seemed at one point, just as many in the UK were starting to find his comedy rather old-fashioned and sexist, that the rest of the world thought Benny Hill WAS British comedy. The song was part of their hit album, 'Invisible Touch'. Short, bald Jackie Wright was a frequent supporting player who in many sketches had to put up with Hill slapping him on the top of his head. He definitely liked women, enjoyed their company, and fell very deeply in love. He was one of those people who was "alone, but not lonely. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop. [12] Elton later parodied himself in Harry Enfield & Chums as Benny Elton, a politically correct spoilsport, in which Elton ends up being chased by angry women, accompanied by the "Yakety Sax" theme, after trying to force them to be more feminist. One finger meant 1 while two fingers meant double. In Hollywood journalist Craig Bennett's new book, True Confessions of a Shameless Gossip, he recalls speaking at length aboutHill with one of the comedian's closest friends, the late Australian actress Sarah Kemp. was released. She earned herself a standing ovation. The list of comics who did perform at the Windmill is extraordinary, however, and included Jimmy Edwards, Tony Hancock, Arthur English, Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Michael Bentine, Bruce Forsyth, Dave Allen, Alfred Marks, Max Bygraves, Tommy Cooper and Barry Cryer. The program consisted of short, often risqu, comedy sketches and aired in more than 140 countries between 1955 and 1991. Shortly after his death in 1992, actress Annette Andre said that she turned down his proposal of marriage in the early 1960s. He lived alone in a rented apartment until his death, never owning a house -or a car. This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Van Damme, amusingly known as VD to everyone backstage, had an astute judgement of both English sexual taste and of what the Lord Chamberlain the national theatre censor would allow. It was only three years later that Kirkland found him dead in his apartment, just a stones throw from the Thames Television studios in Teddington. Benny out for dinner with Annette Andrc.1957, Annette Andr in the episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) called VENDETTA FOR A DEAD MAN. The song did immensely well, topping the charts. On January 15, 1955, he came out with the comedy show titled, 'The Benny Hill Show'. The following year, in 1990, The Benny Hill Show was broadcast in ninety-seven countries around the world, except, ironically, in Britain. Hill was buried at Hollybrook Cemetery near his birthplace in Southampton on April 26, 1992. On the same evening, having recovered from heart trouble himself just a few months earlier, Benny had sent Frankie a telegram: Stop stealing my act I do the heart attack jokes.. In 1971, he came out with the novelty song, 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West), which he wrote and performed. Theres enough room at the back to play rugby. However, Hill only managed to record one special called Greetings from New York (with regular cast members such as Henry McGee, Bob Todd and Sue Upton), with the show becoming billed as "his final TV appearance" when released onto DVD. Alfred Hawthorne Hill was born on the 21st January 1924 in Southampton, Hampshire, England, and was a comedian and actor, certainly best recognized for starring on TV in his own "The Benny Hill Show" (1955-1991). "I use a pretty girl the way Henny Youngman used his violin -as a bridge between one laugh and the next," he said, truthfully. After he had performed his musical comedy turn, Hill was told by Hedley Claxton, an impresario who specialised in seaside shows, that he had got the job. Sorry, but that was Spike Milligan's epitaph. Funny T-Shirts | Horror T-Shirts | Video Game T-Shirts. (1956), Light Up the Sky! He gave her a starting role on his show as one of his Hill's Angels, but her talent proved that she was meant for so much more. Benny Hill was to draw much of his comic inspiration. Louise English is the daughter of actress Liz English. The song did well on the UK Singles Chart. Luckily for us, it is easy to find and view the great Benny Hill on DVD and videotape or even on YouTube. In order to fulfil this dream, he came to London at the tender age of 16 to pursue a career in comedy. Around 1943 the theatre created its famous motto We never closed although wags quickly changed this to We never clothed. The theatre had been bought in 1930 by a seventy-year-old white- haired, bright-eyed little woman in mink called Mrs Laura Henderson whose late husband had been something in Jute. He started appearing on British television in 1955 with the earliest version of The Benny Hill Show. (1991), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. In 1963, he came out with the short comedy song, Harvest Of Love', which he also co-wrote and performed. He also pointed out that it was old men on the show who truly looked foolish, not the girls. Alfred Hill was later the manager of a surgical appliance shop. Girls are like pianos. There was a comedy revolution taking place and performers who, in a sense, had wasted years of their young adulthood on the war, were desperate to make up for lost time. All through his teenage years, he had dreamt of making it big in the world of entertainment. Artie Shaw came to prominence as a bandleader during the swing era. 6XL T-Shirts | 7XL T-Shirts | 8XL T-Shirts9XL T-Shirts | 10XL T-Shirts Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. He was gaining weight at a rapid pace. Des OConnor, just one of the comedians who got an early break at the Windmill, was on his fifth show of the day when he completely dried up. Click here to view up to the first 100 of this post's. Under the careful guidance of her manager Vivian Van Damme, a small neat man who more often than not would be smoking a cigar, the theatre slowly became a success. Id like a girl who works in an office or a factory or a shop. Knowing what was to follow, the venue was apposite. In 1969, Benny's show switched from the ultra-conservative BBC network that had been carrying his show and made the movie to Thames television. Sue Upton was one of the longest-serving members of the Angels. There was almost nothing in this Max Miller fans head but an ambition to succeed as a comic performer show business was in the familys blood; both his father and his grandfather had once been circus clowns. Controversial NHS Tavistock transgender clinic is threatened with court action by watchdog after failing to 'If I didn't build it, somebody else would've': The Godfather of A.I. At the time it was a run-down old cinema called the Palais de Luxe (actually one of the first in London) but she had the building extensively rebuilt, glamorously faced with glazed white terracotta and renamed the Windmill Theatre. Upton also appeared in Benny Hill's World Tour: New York, in 1991. When his mother died, he turned the apartment into a shrine, not changing anything. Attitudes have changed.. In those days the Soho agents never actually mentioned money and used to show the amount that was to be paid by laying fingers on the lapels of their jackets. Alfred Hawthorne Hill was born on 21 January 1924 in Southampton, Hampshire. Benny Hill never really recovered from the shock of the meeting with Howard Davies and he was certainly treated badly. For years after Hill would often joke that although he was no longer an ASM, he still had small parts. In 2002, D. J. Taylor of The Independent ranked him the third greatest British comedian of the 20th century after Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel.[40]. Benny Hill at his house in Twickenham in 1991. It was with these classic shows of the '70s and '80s that Benny really hit his stride as a comic, and for these shows he will always be remembered. He was called up in 1942 and trained as a mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, British Army. Who knows? He dined with the immortal Chaplin and was the first person, outside of family, to be invited to the Chaplin's private study. Specialty T-Shirts: St. Petersburg. In 1972, he was the recipient of the BAFTA TV Award for the category of 'Best Script' for 'The Benny Hill Show'. Benny Hill in Fine Fettle at the Palace Theatre in 1956. His show was among the most-watched programmes in the UK, and his audience was more than 21 million in 1971. [37] Writing his will three decades before his death, he left the bulk of his estate to his parents, who had predeceased him; ultimately, Hill's estate was divided among his seven nieces and nephews. This post is an except from Rob Bakers London historybook Beautiful Idiots and Brilliant Lunaticsbuy a signed copy here. In 2006, Hill was voted by the British public number 17 in ITV's poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars.[3]. [38], During the night of 4 October 1992, following speculation in the media that Hill had been buried with a large amount of gold and jewellery, grave robbers excavated the grave at Hollybrook Cemetery and broke open the coffin, the open grave being noticed by a passer-by the following morning. Benny Hill leaving hospital after heart trouble a few months before he died in 1992. He had only been seen in public a few days before when he had sat in the audience of Me & My Girl at Londons Adelphi Theatre. Henry McGee and Bob Todd joined Jackie Wright as comic supporting players, and the later shows also featured "Hill's Little Angels", a group of cute children including the families of Dennis Kirkland (the show's director) and Sue Upton. It made him sweat; literally shake with nerves. The new medium of television utterly suited Hill with his conspiratorial glances and anticipatory smirks to camera. Damn, I always get those two mixed up! introduced him to Burlesque Shows and the theatre from where the young They had seen the best of humanity and, of course, the worst. He was known for his raucous and racy sense of humour, involving scantily-clad young actresses,slapstick gags and cross-dressing. Following the war, he performed in London music halls and got his big break in television after MC'ing at a BBC entertainment show. In 1950, at a time when only one in twenty households owned a television, Hill, unlike many performers and agents who either feared it or thought it a flash in the pan, realised that television would be huge and all-consuming. [35] Hill was buried at Hollybrook Cemetery, near his birthplace in Southampton, on 28 April 1992. Comic writers started to be as important as the performers, perhaps even more so, and Hill started to write literally hundreds and hundreds of sketches, eventually submitting great numbers of them to the BBC. She was a regular performer on The Benny Hill Show from 1978 to 1986, as an actress and in dance group Hill's Angels (the show ran from 1955 to 1991), and has performed in West End plays and nationally touring musical-theatre productions. He had changed his first name in homage to his favourite comedian Jack Benny before becoming a household name on. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/alfred-hawthorne-hill-825.php, 20th Century Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century British Film & Theater Personalities. According to Ms Kemp, Hill spent hours confiding in her about how he felt unloved and unattractive to women - despite his oversexed on-screen persona. But in real life, the multi-millionaire entertainer was riddled with insecurities about his self-worth and had a morbid fear of spending money. Trivia It was rumoured that this English comedian was buried along with gold jewellery. The quote about Howerd had actually come from Hills friend, former producer and unofficial press agent Dennis Kirkland, who hadnt been able to get in contact with Hill and was starting to worry. It was a September night in 1961, they hadn . However, he could not connect with audiences while he was on stage and he wasnt quite successful with his attempt on radio either. It has been used as a form of parody in many ways by television shows and films. [16] A spokesman for the Broadcasting Standards Council commented that "the convention is becoming increasingly offensive ]] It's not as funny as it was to have half-naked girls chased across the screen by a dirty old man. Is that all right for you, Mr Hill? Thats lovely, that is, I really like that, I asked him why and he said, Well, its respectful - Benny Hill, Benny Hill in his flat in the kitchen on Queensgate, London, January 1969. The comments below have not been moderated. 'He's been dead for 130 years and can still satisfy the ladies': Social media goes wild over mystery woman Cancelled? Although he was to become world famous as the "dirty old man" who leered and cavorted with young women, in his private life, Hill had much less success with the ladies. [19] "The show was past its sell-by date", Davies told The Guardian newspaper. I had much the same reception at the Met, but at the Chelsea Palace I was lucky enough to arrange to see Harry Benet at his of office the next morning. Hill turned up at Benets Beak Street office and was offered 3 per week to be an assistant stage manager (with small parts) for a new revue called Follow the Fan. Sorry about that! Visit Eddie at his website or at Facebook. floor. In 1961, he came out with the comedy song titled, Gather in the Mushrooms', which did well on the UK Singles Chart. 7.6 (5,215) The Benny Hill Show was one of the most successful television shows in the United Kingdom during the 1970s and 1980s. Benny even said that the friendship between himself and Paula had to end in order for peace to reign. Best known for his TV comedy show, 'The Benny Hill Show', a hit comedy show which ran from 1955 to 1991. Benny was touched and always treasured this memory. "[20], In 1991, Hill started work on a new television series called Benny Hill's World Tour which would see Hill performing his sketches in various places around the world where his show had become popular. This, together with Van Dammes tasteful girl-next-door version of English femininity, made the Windmill Theatre a major symbol for Londons Blitz Spirit all around the world. The Flashback Shop For Great Wall Art Unique And Stylish Things To Buy, "I get a thrill when theyre kneeling there, between my knees and theyre looking up at me. Yes I have a dark side, doesnt everyone? Somebody, who had been at all the previous shows that day, shouted out: You do the one about the parrot next! During the later performances the audience that were sitting in the back of the stalls would wait for those in the front rows to get up and leave. Towards the end of the eighties Colin Shaw of the Broadcasting Standards Council issued a mandate: Although the half undressed woman has been a staple element in farce and light entertainment shows, the convention is becoming increasingly offensive to a growing number of people and should be used only sparingly Its not as funny as it was to have half-naked girls chased across the screen by a dirty old man. Hill was a prominent figure in British television for several decades. He also made several appearance on British radio in the early years. Later that year Peter Sellers secured a six-month booking at the Windmill performing in sketches or sometimes as an impersonator. When Hill procrastinated a little too long and told her he wasnt ready for marriage, she promptly left him. ", "Surprise TV return for 'sexist' Benny Hill", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benny_Hill&oldid=1151091009, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers soldiers, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2023, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from October 2022, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from October 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2023, Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia, Turner Classic Movies person ID same as Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 21:05. Is that all right for you, Mr Hill? Thats lovely, that is, I really like that, I asked him why and he said, Well, its respectful. And I want them to call me Mr Hill, not Benny. The life and times of Benny Hill Benny Hill was born Alfred Hill on January 21, 1925 in Southampton, England and is remembered by family and schoolmates as a 'class clown'. British comedian Benny Hill, however, was convalescing at London's Royal Brompton Hospital following a . He never married all through his life.To learn more interesting and intriguing facts about his childhood, personal life and achievements, scroll down and continue to read this biography. Comedian Benny Hill in 1986 with his Hills Angels: (top, l-r) Selina Caston, Lorraine Doyle, Sue Upton, Natalie Rolls; (bottom, l-r) Zoe Bryant, Liz Jobling. Check out NeatoShop's large selection of T-shirts When the revue opened at the Sunderland Empire the local newspaper wrote: I thought Reg Varneys personality pleasing and warming, but was not so taken with some of his comedy. Presumably out of kindness there was no mention of his comic partner. The year was 1992. The show made him famous in Britain, but this early show is like lukewarm tea compared to the wild later version of the show. Benny advertising Black and White whisky in 1971. This was commonly filmed using "under-cranking" camera techniques and included other comic features such as jogging instead of a run at full speed and characters running off one side of the screen and reappearing running on from the other. In October 1992, vandals desecrated his grave looking for valuables. While his show is . Benny Hill in the stocks for a 1961 series of the Benny Hill Show. Benny, rflchis avant de te marier !Suivez nous sur les rseaux :Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/imineoTVInsta : https://www.instagram.com/imineo_officiel Benny Hill at his house in Twickenham in 1991. The pioneering heart operation that only takes an hour and doesn't leave a scar is performed on first Briton, Martin Lewis reveals how to get a cheaper supermarket shop and FREE food.
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