Benny Hill

Alfred Hawthorne ***"Benny" Hill*** (January 21, 1924 – April 20, 1992) was an English comedian and actor, best remembered for his television programme The Benny Hill Show, an amalgam of slapstick, burlesque and double entendres in a format that included live comedy and filmed segments, with him at the focus of almost every segment.

A prominent figure in British culture for nearly four decades, his show proved to be one of the great success stories of television comedy. Among the most watched programmes in the UK, the audience peaked at over 21 million in 1971. The show generated impressive revenues for Thames Television, and retains a following in much of the world decades after Hill's death.

After leaving school, Hill worked at Woolworths, as a milkman, a bridge operator, a driver and a drummer before becoming assistant stage manager with a touring revue. He was called up in 1942 and trained as a mechanic in the British Army. He served as a mechanic, truck driver and searchlight operator in Normandy after September 1944 and later transferred to the Combined Services Entertainment division before the end of the war.

Inspired by the "star comedians" of British music hall shows, Hill set out to make his mark in show business. He changed his name to "Benny" in homage to his favourite comedian, Jack Benny.

Benny Hill's health declined in the late 1980s. After a mild heart attack in 1992, doctors told him he needed to lose weight and recommended a heart bypass. He declined, and a week later was found to have kidney failure. He died at the age of 68 on April 20, 1992. On April 22, after several days of unanswered telephone calls, his producer, Dennis Kirkland, climbed a ladder to the window of Hill's second-floor flat and upon seeing the body through a window had the neighbours call the police. The police broke into the flat and found Hill, dead, sitting in his armchair in front of the television. Hill's cause of death was recorded as coronary thrombosis.

Find out more at bennyhill.co.uk.

### Radio

After the Second World War, Hill worked as a performer on radio. He later had a radio programme lasting for three series called ***Benny Hill Time***, on BBC Radio's Light Programme, from 1964 to 1966. It was a topical show, such as a March 1964 episode which featured James Pond, 0017, in "From Moscow with Love" and his version of "The Beatles". He played a number of characters in the series, such as Harry Hill and Fred Scuttle.

### Television

Hill's first appearance on television was in 1950.

#### The Benny Hill Show

* January 15, 1955: first of three shows on BBC1 in 1955. Also broadcast on the BBC in 1957-58 (10 shows), 1961 (six), 1964-66 (nine), 1968 (four))
* November 9, 1967: first appearance on ATV on plus a Christmas special broadcast December 26, 1967
* November 19, 1969: first show for Thames Television (1969-1989)

***The Benny Hill Show*** is a British comedy television show that starred Benny Hill and aired in various forms in over 140 countries. The show focused on sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody, and double-entendre. Thames Television cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 (equivalent to £1,009,700 in 2015) per show.

The show's theme tune, "Yakety Sax", which has gained a following in its own right, was written by James Q. "Spider" Rich and Boots Randolph. The show's musical director was pianist and easy listening conductor Ronnie Aldrich, and vocal backing was provided by session singers the Ladybirds (who also frequently appeared on camera from 1969 to 1974). The saxophone soloist on Aldrich's version of "Yakety Sax" was Peter Hughes. "Yakety Sax" first appeared on November 19, 1969 edition, which was also his first show for Thames.

Apart from the theme tune, another signature of the show was the enthusiastic announcer intro: "Yes! It's The Benny Hill Show!" (The announcer was often cast member Henry McGee.) From 1975 onwards, Hill was also introduced at the start of each show as "The Lad Himself". The show closed with Hill's salute: "Thank you for being with us, and we look forward to seeing you all again—very, very soon. Until then, bye bye.".

#### February 23, 1962: Benny Hill

Between 1962 and 1963, he attempted a sitcom anthology, ***Benny Hill***, in which he played a different character in each episode.

#### June 24, 1964: ITV Play of the Week

In 1964, he played Nick Bottom in an all-star TV film production of William Shakespeare's ***A Midsummer Night's Dream***. He appeared alongside the likes of Patrick Allen as Theseus, and Cyril Luckham as Egeus, also Anna Massey, Peter Wyngarde, Alfie Bass, and Bernard Bresslaw. IMDb.com

### Films

Hill's film credits include parts in five full-length feature films:

#### December 17, 1968 (UK); December 18, 1968 (US): Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Hill played the relatively straight role of the Toymaker.

#### October 29, 1969: The Waiters

Benny Hill scripted and starred in a dialogue-free rendition of a posh dinner party ruined by two boorish waiters. IMDb.com

#### June 3, 1970: Eddie in August

A half-hour silent TV film, starring Benny Hill in a tale of unrequited love. IMDb.com

#### May 23, 1974: The Best of Benny Hill

A clip-show film spin-off of his early Thames Television shows (1969–73) was a theatrically released compilation of Benny Hill Show episodes.

#### "Gather in the Mushrooms" (1961)

***"Gather in the Mushrooms"*** is comedy song recorded by Benny Hill and released by Pye Records in 1961, under the production of Tony Hatch. It reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart.

Listen to "Gather in the Mushrooms" on Deezer.

#### "Transistor Radio" (1961)

***"Transistor Radio"*** is a comic song written by Benny Hill and Mark Anthony (a pseudonym of producer Tony Hatch), and performed by Hill. The song revolves around the story of a man whose attempts at intimacy with his girlfriend are constantly thwarted by music played from the girl's transistor radio. The song spoofs the Chipmunks, Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart", the BBC Shipping Forecast and Jimmy Jones' "Handy Man".

"Transistor Radio" finished with the now-married couple alone in bed, with the expectant wife disappointed when her husband asks "'Ere, where's the radio?" The song reached the #24 in the UK Singles Chart.

Listen to "Transistor Radio" on Deezer.

In 1972, Hill performed a radically revamped version of this song, now called "Portable TV Set," on his television show, on which he offered impersonations of Ironside, Clement Freud, Stars on Sunday host Jess Yates and Maggie Stredder of the Ladybirds. The role of his television-obsessed girlfriend was played by Jenny Lee-Wright.

#### "Harvest of Love" (1963)

***"The Harvest Of Love"*** is a short comedy song, co-written and originally performed by Benny Hill, released on Pye Records. The other writer was shown as "M. Anthony", a pseudonym for the producer, Tony Hatch. The song was a #20 hit in the UK Singles Chart in 1963.

The song is sung from the point of view of a farmhand who has fallen in love (or at least, lust) with a young lady. Hill's vocals were accompanied by the Kestrels (Roger Greenaway, Tony Burrows, Jeff Williams, and Roger Gullane), who instead of singing, provided a vocal back-up of farmyard impressions.

#### "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)" (1971)

***"Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)"*** is an innuendo-laden comedy or novelty song, written and performed by the English comedian Benny Hill. The song was first performed on television in 1970, and released as a successful recording, topping the UK Singles Chart in 1971, reaching the Christmas number one spot.

He also appeared in the 1986 video of the song "Anything She Does" by the band Genesis.