SimplyMoore

Any other fans of Benny Hill's here? What do you think of his show, how it changed over the years and how it ended? I heard that there was some controversy surrounding it right before it ended, but don't know the whole story.

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Cuffy

I'm a fan. Sadly, Benny Hill became a victim of political correctness.

I seem to remember that his UK show was axed more in the name of image than due to popular opinion. I think the final episodes were filmed in America as the UK networks wanted nothing to do with Benny Hill. Again, going from memory, those final shows were given a token screening in the UK at some point in the early 90's.

Any mention of his name is likely to spark a lively debate. On the one hand, people like myself thought it was entertainment of certain type that was taken too seriously by it's detractors. On the other side of the fence there are those who consider it was host to a number of evils ranging from simply being a dated format to accusations of it being extremely sexist and derogatory.

The whole saga was said to have had a huge effect on Benny and he died alone, slumped in front of his flickering TV screen.

SimplyMoore

I read in Michael Caine's autobiography that Benny Hill was a very shy person in real life and a very nice guy. Didn't they play in a movie together?

A close friend of mine from England said that Benny Hill was criticised for having "Hill's Angels" on his show in the later years. I have to admit, I personally prefer his older shows because they concentrated more on physical comedy rather than dancing, and in the later episodes you get to see more of Hill's Angels than Benny himself. But nevertheless all of his episodes were great, older and later.

I have a few on VHS and DVD. It was so hilarious in one of the skits, when he played a drunk at the table during a live broadcast and his wife was supposed to be a famous fashion designer. She was saying: "Wouldn't you like to see your wife in something long and flowing this season?" And Benny's character said: "Yeah, the river!" LOL

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penfold

That would be The Italian Job....
I'm sorry, I know it's become fashionable to praise Benny Hill, but as someone who grew up when he was on ITV almost permanently (or so it seemed) by the time the show was cancelled, it had long lost any pretension to being actually funny. Many of the routines were recycled from previous shows, only less well done. IMHO he had long since run out of ideas, had lost his timing, was totally formulaic and used 'The Angels' to paper over the cracks and to keep the viewers of a certain demographic tuned in.
Back in the fifities and sixties he was original. I wouldn't watch one of his eighties shows now if you paid me. He belonged to his time, and like the 1970's TV wrestling on World of Sport, the show was cancelled later than it should have been, and does not bear a repeat viewing now.

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

Cuffy

Yep, he played Professor Peach - a man of learning with a passion for the larger ladies.

Not in my experience. I've still got very vivid memories of being publicly chastened the last time I dared to suggest anything good about him. Quite why the subject was so emotive to the young man who approached me and suggested I ought to be "ashamed" for being a fan of "that dirty old man", I never shall understand (needless to say, my response was suitably appropriate). Although there have been exceptions, generally, I've not found many admirers in my neck of the woods.

I've found opinion largely the same of another of my favourites - Dick Emery. Incidentally, I find that harder to understand, given that (for obvious reasons) he wasn't able to continue throughout the 80's.

But I digress.....

It's a fair point and I won't deny for a second that Benny Hill went beyond his time. I've not seen the shows since they were last broadcast - the last being filmed in America I think - but I remember being pretty sad at the time to see the result.

Having said that, I still think that a lot of the Benny bashing was all out of proportion.

SimplyMoore

Cuffy, I agree with what you said. It was all done in good humour, and if some of it was a bit "naughty", it wasn't nearly as bad as what's shown in some movies and shows of today. I grew up in Russia and remember my brother had a tape of the best skits Benny did, some with and some without Hill's Angels, and we always enjoyed them. While I am not all that partial to slapstick, in Benny's case I make an exception.

I am yet to see The Italian Job. :)

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smudge

Dick Emery seems now to have been all but forgotten ; amazing when you consider what his viewing figures used to be.

I can't see why people would rope Dick in with quite the same 'politically incorrect' tag as Benny Hill. Dick's fondness for the ladies was much more in his private life than in his public shows ; although I am sure he would have come up against the PC lobby for his lampooning portrayals of homsexuality.

But then the gay lobby seems to have welcomed John Inman's OTT camp Mr. Humphries in ARE YOU BEING SERVED ? with open arms. Can somebody point out the difference between that and DE's Clarence 'Honky-Tonk' character for me...?

And yes, I agree, the BH bashing did get out of all proportion and I have never forgiven Ben Elton for jumping on that particular bandwagon ; talentless little waste of space that he is !

SMUDGE

Welcome to my house. Enter freely, and of your own will...

Johnny Rico

While his popularity around the World relies a lot on the Sight Gags , there are a few sketches which rely on word play. My memory is hazy although i seem to remember some were fairly funny.

However i was fairly young at the time and loved the naughtiness of the Sight Gags - somehow or other any Chap on screen would at some stage or other receive a Blow to the "Crown Jewels" ( I was 12! )

The semi clad women seemed an added Bonus at the time. However they upped the Raunch and it seemed a little...desparate.

I think that Ben Elton was attacking an easy target. It was the PC thing to do...Ben Elton was the up and Benny Hill was on the Downslope. It was just a little po faced.

Perhaps Benny Hill wasnt a Comedy Giant? He was a very Good Comedian with an undoubted talent ( You cant be rubbish and last as long as he did ). He found a niche and it was a huge success ( although it faded rather noticably at the end )

Stop anyone in the Street and say "Benny Hill". Not everyone will like him - everyone will know who he was though.

Couldn't You just try acting , Old Boy...It's so much easier

Johnny Rico

By the way , SimplyMoore - Benny Hill is something of a rarity insofar as he is a UK Comedian who is widely appreciated in the US. Many UK comedians tried very hard but somehow the humour didnt travel -Morecambe and Wise were huge in the UK at their peak ( 1970's to 1980's )capturing audiences of 20 million ( or 40% of the population. They are probably unknown in the US.

Having said that there are exceptions . Just watched the first episode of Extras - Season 2. Ricky Gervais is not everyones cup of tea but he has certainly huge in the US

It works in reverse - Ray Romano couldn't get arrested in the UK

Couldn't You just try acting , Old Boy...It's so much easier

SimplyMoore

Yeah, I actually miss Everybody Loves Raymond. But I think that most shows that run for a very long time, get old in the end and run out of ideas, and Benny Hill was no exception. But he was darn good in his day.

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penfold

Dick Emery may be due for a revival - or rather his shows may be....they're constantly being namechecked by the Little Britain crew...who I would guess would not make it in the States, but you never know. The one name from that era of TV comedy shows not mentioned thus far, and who is still with us, but retired, is the very wonderful Stanley Baxter ; BBC - Comedy Guide - Stanley Baxter again, I don't suppose for a moment anyone has heard of him in the States, but his lavish one-man shows, (So lavish he eventually only made one a year) for BBC and ITV, were legendary. However, possibly because he was less politically incorrect, and a relatively quiet man offstage, he is in danger of being forgotten too.
re. the damage alternative comedy figures did to the old troupers, the Not The Nine O'Clock News Team sketch The Two Ninnies is blamed in some circles for the demise of The Two Ronnies...Ronnie Barker took it rather to heart apparently....or at least took it as a signal for changing times.

Bit of a Bay Window, what??

harryfielder

I was working at Thames tv Teddington on a kids show in 82/83/84 while Benny and co were in the other studio.
Lunchtimes I would have a pint (or three) in the pub next door (the Anglers) and I would sit and have a pint with Bob Todd and Dennis Kirkland.

Bob would come onto our show (CBTV) whenever he could. We had great laughs.

Aitch,

http://www.turnipnet.com/aitch/aitch/gallery.htm

Nick Dando

Stanley Baxter is still working up in Scotland and has done a couple of series on Radio Four over the last few years, the last finishing last month.
The Beeb also recently broadcast an interview with him, but I haven't got this recorded unfortunately.

Nick

Cuffy

Dick Emery is probably my favourite of the era, it was good to see some of his shows being screened on one of the cable channels recently - although some were only shown as 5/10 minute shorts. Admittedly, I'd seen a lot of his work as recently as the early 90's, but it was still enjoyable stuff.

As for Stanley Baxter - agreed, it'd be a shame for him to be forgotten completely. I saw the recent BBC interview and it was interesting to get his words on how the annual shows came to be.

Although I certainly didn't dislike them by any means, the Two Ronnies shows were a bit of an up and downer for me. They did do a lot of clever stuff that sticks in the memory even after not being seen (by me) for 20-odd years but there were others that were a bit slow going for my tastes. It could be a generational thing, or perhaps they just had a lot of range?

I wasn't aware of the The Two Ninnies sketch, so apologies if I'm speaking out of turn here, but it seems sad to learn of another example of the new generation bashing what had gone before.

Marky B

I agree that Dick Emery has been forgotten about. It is a shame really,he was a clever comedian and actor. Likewise for Stanley Baxter,I think a re-run of their shows is well overdue as a reminder of what genius is.
Ta Ta
Marky B

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