Benny Hill

Biography

Benny Hill, an English comedian, actor, writer and musician, was called a major star for over forty years by the British Film Institute. Raised in Southampton, he began on radio in 1947 and reached television two years later, honing parodic sketches on BBC variety shows. In 1954 he was chosen as television personality of the year, and The Benny Hill Show debuted the following year, blending slapstick, burlesque, wordplay and innuendo; it ran on the BBC and, from 1969, on Thames Television until 1989. He won a BAFTA for writing and a Rose d'Or, and was nominated for a BAFTA entertainment performance award and two Emmys for variety. His film work included Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), along with The Italian Job (1969). His song Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West) topped the UK chart at Christmas 1971 and earned him an Ivor Novello Award.

68years old at death

Born January 21, 1924Southampton
Died April 18, 1992Teddington
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Alfred Hawthorne Hill (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 35 years1965 to 2000

Every film, newest first

2000The Filth and the FuryIMDb rating 7.6
1969The Italian JobIMDb rating 7.2
1968Chitty Chitty Bang BangIMDb rating 7.0
1965Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutesIMDb rating 7.0

Genres

Did you know?!

First role
Hill's first theater job was as Reg Varney's straight man, and he won the role over a then-unknown Peter Sellers.
Beyond film
Hill's comedy song "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)" was the UK Christmas number one in 1971 and earned him an Ivor Novello Award in 1972.
A change of course
Hill left Taunton's School in Southampton and took jobs at Woolworths in Eastleigh, plus work as a milkman, bridge operator, driver and drummer. He later became assistant stage manager for a touring revue.