The Benny Hill Show 

A skit based show with Benny Hill, often containing smutty humour.

Stars:

Benny Hill, Henry McGee, Jackie Wright

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Benny Hill	...	Himself - Host / ... 59 episodes, 1969-1989
Henry McGee	...	Himself / ... 46 episodes, 1969-1989
Jackie Wright	...	Himself / ... 44 episodes, 1969-1985
Bob Todd	...	Himself / ... 42 episodes, 1970-1989
The Ladybirds	...	Vocal Backing / ... 42 episodes, 1969-1989
Sue Upton	...	Various Roles / ... 28 episodes, 1977-1989

Storyline

A sketch-comedy series in which Hill would often play multiple characters and satirize popular British and American performers and stars. Common themes in the show were the husband-beating wife, buxom women, and silent, high-speed chase scenes between Hill and the other characters.

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Plot Keywords:

british | sketch comedy | variety show | sex | irreverence | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

January 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Benny Hill

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thames Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

51 min (58 episodes) 35 min (dubbed version) (edited) (dubbed)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (1970-1971) (3 episodes) Color (1969-1970 and 1971-1989)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The saxophone on the end title theme 'Yakety Sax' was performed by Rochdale-born session musician, Peter Hughes. It was recorded new every week.

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Quotes

Traveller: I say, is this Platt's Bottom?
Toddy: No, it's not, it's mine!
Traveller: Well, where do I find Platt's Bottom?
Toddy: Well, you don't start from there!
Traveller: Well, which direction is it?
Toddy: I don't know.
Paddy: Me neither.
Traveller: You're not very bright, are you?
Chirpy Chuckles: No, but we ain't lost!

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Alternate Versions

Several episodes of the U.S. half-hour syndicated version contained scattered portions of two other shows, and , which were made by outside the confines of his regular series of specials; the individual sections of these two programs were intermixed with sketches from the regular shows.

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Connections

Referenced in Two Lovers (2008)

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Soundtracks

Yakety Sax
Written by Boots Randolph and James Rich
(closing theme)

User Reviews

This was one GREAT TV show and Benny Hill was a genius

Benny Hill was an amazing man. He could write some of the greatest comedy in the history of the English language. His work included wit, satire, low brow, and any other kind of humor that comes to mind. I remember watching this show on American TV in NJ, and it was a HUGE hit. I recall that a local Philadelphia station put this show on opposite the 11:00 pm local news, and for a few years it was the highest rated show in its time slot. Amazing. Along with Benny I'd like to point out the great work of Jackie Wright and Henry McGee. My grandfather had been briefly stationed in England during WW II, and he had seen Jackie Wright perform in London. He said that Jackie was the funniest man he had ever seen on a stage. My grandfather loved the episode when Jackie went on a cheap (and dangerous) vacation. Benny generally used Jackie in many ways, but usually as a PROP! Benny would smack Jackie's bald head over and over again. Henry McGee, on the other hand, was a brilliant straight man to Benny's funny side, and McGee excelled whenever he would interview Benny as "Fred Scuttle." This was brilliant humor and Benny deserves to be ranked with Chaplin, Keaton, Bob Hope, and Woody Allen as the 20th century's greatest funny men.