Benny Hill was born Alfred Hill on January 21, 1925 in Southampton, England, and from his school years he was considered the “class clown”. He had good role models because his father and grandfather worked in the circus in this role and they inspired him to create new skits. In the meantime, however, he tried many jobs – including: a milkman, a salesman or a drummer. He even went to the front in Normandy during World War II, where he was responsible for equipment.
It was while serving in the British Army that he adopted the nickname “Benny Hill”, amusing soldiers while presenting entertainment programs. His stage name was his tribute to comedian Jack Benny. After the end of the war, he tried his hand at the BBC as a radio narrator, but it did not turn out to be a springboard to fame. This finally came in the 1950s, when he appeared on television.
Career flourishing. A unique sense of humor
He gained great recognition thanks to the program “The Benny Hill Faking Show”, created together with screenwriter Dave Freeman. He won the hearts of the British with his hoarse voice and rather “spicy” sense of humor. Every week he played exaggerated, caricatured characters, using humor in a truly slapstick style. He continued to use the legacy of his father and grandfather, chasing scantily clad ladies and irritating his entire team of co-workers. It was the ambiguity of his jokes that attracted millions of viewers to his show.
Benny Hill instagram.com/nicholas.kruger.7946
But this is another program formula – “The Benny Hill Show” turned out to be a real hit. Then the comedian achieved great fame not only in the United Kingdom, but also in the United States. Suffice it to say that over the next two decades it was broadcast in 140 countries around the world. It should be noted, however, that its witty humor was slightly tempered for broadcast in the USA. But it was then that skits appeared with characteristic, funny chases and slapping the bald head of one of the characters, which are parodied to this day. The unique song “Yakety Sax”, played at the end of each episode, has gained a cult following.
The 1980s saw the slow decline of Hill’s fame. Most viewers and comedians began to think that the elderly comedian’s pursuit of women had become “distasteful”. The younger generation even pointed out that his skits were sexist. Thus, it can be said that he became one of the first “victims” of political correctness, and his program was taken off the air in 1989.
Private life was not a bed of roses. The comedian was a loner
However, Benny Hill’s private life was very different from his stage image. The comedian suffered from chronic stage fright throughout his career, and his social life was very poor, to the point that he did not maintain close contact even with his relatives. He also failed to start a family because, as he said, “he was unlucky in love.” He once confessed that he was in love twice, but each time his crush dismissed his feelings.
Great fame also brought him millions in his account, but Hill was famous for his extraordinary “avarice”. He never bought a house or a car, and spent his free time in his small apartment. He could even patch up his old, worn-out clothes and glue the crumbling soles of his shoes and eat the cheapest food. However, he loved traveling, especially to France, where he spoke the local language fluently. He also knew Dutch, Italian and German.
Oblivion and the question of inheritance. Renewed interest in him
In the early 1990s, Hill’s health deteriorated due to his lifelong obesity. He also struggled with diabetes and kidney failure. Towards the end of his life, he also developed heart problems and depression, which resulted in the end of his appearances on television. The comedian died on April 20, 1992, when, after many days without contact, producer Dennis Kirkland decided to personally visit Hill at his apartment. He found his body lying on an armchair in front of the TV set.
Benny Hill was buried in his hometown of Southampton. A letter was found in his apartment, in which he indicated that he was leaving his entire estate to his collaborators who created “The Benny Hill Show” with him. However, the document had no legal force, so the estate worth PLN 7.5 million. pounds were donated to his family. Suddenly she remembered his existence. Interestingly, half a year after his death, unidentified looters dug up his grave in search of a large amount of treasure and jewelry with which he was allegedly buried. Nothing was found, and it was decided to cover his tombstone with a thick layer of concrete to prevent a similar situation from happening again.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
