Politically incorrect, controversial now and axed eventually by Thames Tv, but adored by many and legendary in The States.
Review Benny Hill
- Thread starter michaellevenson
- Start date
Ben Elton, a writer I much admire, particularly for his Blackadder series, really went over the top in his attacks on Benny Hill, despite here his claims of innocence.
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Is there any love for The Benny Hill show on this forum?
I've been watching the region one DVDs of the show and I've just reached the Hill's Angels years! Not new to me as I remember them with glee from the early eighties through to the late! Benny was a rascal and I still can't understand why people turned against him? He toned the show right down in the last few years but that wasn't enough for the anti mob! I mean his Chicken Chow Mein and similar characters were fantastic and always brought a smile to my face as well as the girls! The only thing against the show that I can see is that when he digs at politicians and shows from the era, those snipes would be lost on todays audiences for sure!
But he didn't deserve to be sacked from Thames not after the work he put into the shows and the cash that he made for the company!
JB
I've been watching the region one DVDs of the show and I've just reached the Hill's Angels years! Not new to me as I remember them with glee from the early eighties through to the late! Benny was a rascal and I still can't understand why people turned against him? He toned the show right down in the last few years but that wasn't enough for the anti mob! I mean his Chicken Chow Mein and similar characters were fantastic and always brought a smile to my face as well as the girls! The only thing against the show that I can see is that when he digs at politicians and shows from the era, those snipes would be lost on todays audiences for sure!
But he didn't deserve to be sacked from Thames not after the work he put into the shows and the cash that he made for the company!
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Alfred Hawthorne "Benny" Hill (21 January 1924 – 20 April 1992) was an English comedian and actor, best remembered for his television programme The Benny Hill Show, an amalgam of slapstick, burlesque and double entendre 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.[2] The show generated impressive revenues for Thames Television, and retains a following in much of the world decades after Hill's death.
Films and recordings
Hill's film credits include parts in five full-length feature films including Who Done It? (1956), Light Up the Sky! (1960), Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (1965), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), in which he played the relatively straight role of the Toymaker, and The Italian Job (1969). He also made two short subject films, The Waiters (1969) and Eddie in August (1970), the latter being a TV production. Finally, a clip-show film spin-off of his early Thames Television shows (1969–73), called The Best of Benny Hill (1974), was a theatrically released compilation of Benny Hill Show episodes.
Hill's audio recordings include "Gather in the Mushrooms" (1961), "Pepys' Diary" (1961), "Transistor Radio" (1961), "Harvest of Love" (1963) and "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)", which was the UK Singles Chart Christmas number one single in 1971.[8] He also appeared in the 1986 video of the song "Anything She Does" by the band Genesis.
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
I always really liked this song of his.....
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
I agree that it was a disgrace the way he was treated.
The Ben Elton thing rankles as he claims in the video that Benny ended every episode chasing women around the park, (while trying to turn Benny's audience against him and usurp his position) when in fact of course the reverse was true, with Benny being chased by angry women and authority figures.
In terms of genius and cleverness and brilliance, I also think that Elton pales next to Benny.
The Ben Elton thing rankles as he claims in the video that Benny ended every episode chasing women around the park, (while trying to turn Benny's audience against him and usurp his position) when in fact of course the reverse was true, with Benny being chased by angry women and authority figures.
In terms of genius and cleverness and brilliance, I also think that Elton pales next to Benny.
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
Benny any given day over rubbish like Elton!
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
ant-mac
Member: Rank 9
I'm surprised this hasn't already been #MeTooed, #Time'sUped or "woked" out of existence...
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
Incredibly, someone has just recently brought a load of film cans at auction - one of which was the earliest known Benny Hill episode and the only surviving episode from the first three seasons that we know of.
He had no idea that it was missing until he posted it on Youtube - and it's still there to be watched.....
He had no idea that it was missing until he posted it on Youtube - and it's still there to be watched.....
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Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
johnnybear
Member: Rank 6
The show was great but the jokes would mean nothing to today's audiences! The girls still do for a lot of us that haven't been woke as they call it too!
JB
JB
Doctor Omega
Member: Rank 10
A lot of comedy shows back then seemed to do a take on MASTERMIND.
Here's Benny's......
Here's Benny's......