Benny Hill |
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Benny Hill Biography |
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He was born Alfred Hawthorn Hill in 1924. It was his grandfather who introduced him to Burlesque Shows and the theatre from where the young Benny Hill was to draw much of his comic inspiration. After his national service with the army during WW2, Benny came to London, adopted the stage name Benny Hill (in homage to his all time favourite comedian Jack Benny) and began appearing in variety shows. He briefly formed a double act with Reg Varney and did radio shows. But it was his talent for impressions and comic timing that were to give him his first big break on TV with the show "Hi There" in 1949. "The Benny Hill Show" (1955) began in 1955. Its pioneering combination of cheeky humour, songs and impressions were to make it a hit for the next 40 years.
Benny also broadened his career with cameo appearances in films such as The Italian Job (1969), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965). He also had a hit record in 1971 with "Ernie The Fastest Milkman In The West". In 1979 "The Benny Hill Show" (1955) was shown in America for the first time and Benny went on to become one of the biggest stars on US TV. The show itself has been seen in 109 countries and won a BAFTA as well as Golden Rose Of Montreaux Award. Benny Hill`s TV career came to an end in 1989, when his show was dropped, but his popularity continued and he completed a US TV special, Benny Hill`s World Tour: New York! (1991) (TV) shortly before his death in 1992. Biography Credit: www.imdb.com/name/nm0001350/bio |
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Quotes I thought I couldn`t afford to take her out and smoke as well. So I gave up cigarettes. Then I took her out and one day I looked at her and thought: "Oh well," and I went back to smoking again, and that was better. Just because nobody complains doesn`t mean all parachutes are perfect. The odds against there being a bomb on a plane are a million to one, and against two bombs a million times a million to one. Next time you fly, cut the odds and take a bomb. I`m not against half naked girls - not as often as I`d like to be. Those hot pants of hers were so damned tight, I could hardly breathe. Do unto others, then run. That`s what show business is, sincere insincerity. [When asked to comment on rumours that he had sexual affairs with women who appeared on his shows]: I never yell, I never tell, but I`m grateful as hell. "Girls are like pianos. When they`re not upright, they`re grand."Trivia Related to Holly Valance. His cousin is her grandfather. His simple but ingenious film-tricks are copied by many, for example "Austin Powers". Died of a heart attack while sitting in front of his television inside his apartment. He was found by a producer friend of his who had to climb through a window to let police in. Benny was in his pajamas (what he normally wore around his home). Sitting next to him on a small stand was an unsigned contract which Benny was considering to begin a new series with his friend. Born on the same day as Telly Savalas, whose "Kojak" (1973) character he impersonated on his 1969-1989 Thames TV show. His father and uncle were circus clowns, performing in the circus until they both left for military service during WWI. After complaints that his television comedy sketches were too sexual, he began casting children to appear on his shows. But instead of hiring professional child actors, he hired the children of the television crew, stating that their laughing to his sight gags were genuine. Despite his wealth and success, he never owned a car, did his own shopping, lived in a two room apartment, but never used the second floor. According to one of his obituaries, he once refused to repair the leaky roof in his mother`s home because it was "too expensive". At the time of his death, a large box was found in his apartment. The many awards and honours he had earned throughout his career had been placed in the box as if they were unimportant to him. Died in his favorite chair while watching television. Was one of only a handful of TV comedians (the others being Milton Berle and Jackie Gleason) who had control over the circumstances of production of their respective TV shows. was in British Army during WWII | ||
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