What're peoples' opinions about Benny Hill?
Funny low brow comedy?
Comedian worth remembering?
More a clown than a comedian?
How to meet beautiful women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq1t1iFmsv0
The German professor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfuY5Q0BSBM
Comedy genius, much and unfairly maligned, the first comedian to truly understand the medium of TV. Times overtook him, but his humour was always gentle. The show couldn't go on forever but he didn't deserve the treatment he got, it is time he was reevaluated and given the credit he deserves, which is slowly happening.
It's very interesting, I don't think I have seen his TV shows on TV after his death.
Quote: Funny Johnny @ October 13 2012, 1:08 PM BSTIt's very interesting, I don't think I have seen his TV shows on TV after his death.
No some ridiculous eighties throwback has made him seem to some as politically incorrect. This is nonsense and I think a whole new generation would enjoy his stuff. If you look at his early BBC work you can see how innovative he was, especially things like the Juke Box Jury sketch, nothing like that had ever been attempted before. Bring back Hill he was a family entertainer, cheeky seaside postcard stuff, if his stuff is offensive I would hate to see what he would make of some of the cobblers they put out today, that is really offensive.
What Pingl says. A really, very unfairly undervalued genius of comedy. Naturally not all of the material stands up well today, but he is in no way deserving of the reputation he seems to have ended up with.
I think part of the problem was that towards the end of his career his shows did develop into a self-parody of humourless smut, but I would be interested in revisiting some of his earlier work.
Quote: Tursiops @ October 13 2012, 2:19 PM BSTI think part of the problem was that towards the end of his career his shows did develop into a self-parody of humourless smut, but I would be interested in revisiting some of his earlier work.
I think that is a fair comment, but the way Thames treated him was despicable.
Quote: Pingl @ October 13 2012, 3:23 PM BSTI think that is a fair comment, but the way Thames treated him was despicable.
I don't know if it was THAT bad overall. They seemed to panic at the eleventh hour after a new head had arrived and many other shows on other channels like Miss World, the TBAWMS and Russ Abbot's Madhouse had already gone. Those were nervous days for TV channels worrying about their image in a changing world.
And they'd employed him right through the 70s IIRC. The BBC would have ditched him long before, I reckon. He got paid more at ITV, the show got him the US syndication rights which gave him a new lease of life and lots more money. It never killed him off, he had a great late comeback right up till he died.
I think the thing that made it seem harsh treatment was the 'lad himself' buying a flat opposite the studios and not seeing that his time was up. The council preserved that huge tree in Teddington he chased Hill's Angels round. The hundreds of new flats had to be built around it. 
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ October 13 2012, 4:37 PM BSTI don't know if it was THAT bad overall. They seemed to panic at the eleventh hour after a new head had arrived and many other shows on other channels like Miss World, the TBAWMS and Russ Abbot's Madhouse had already gone. Those were nervous days for TV channels worrying about their image in a changing world.
And they'd employed him right through the 70s IIRC. The BBC would have ditched him long before, I reckon. He got payed more at ITV, the show got him the US syndication rights which gave him a new lease of life and lots more money. It never killed him off, he had a great late comeback right up till he died.
I think the thing that made it seem harsh treatment was the 'lad himself' buying a flat opposite the studios and not seeing that his time was up. The council preserved that huge tree in Teddington he chased Hill's Angels round. The hundreds of new flats had to be built around it.
He was a cash cow for Thames, and the least they could have done is gently phase his shows out, he was treated shabbily under a new management team that panicked in that climate. The US was good to Hill, as was France and most of Europe, but I think he died mystified as to what happened to him in the UK. Also it must be remembered Hill's humour became more racey because of the times, kenny Everett etc His show could have been finnessed and returned to a more traditional Hill style. But under the barrage of attacks by the likes of Ben Elton Hill was just destroyed here. I don't remember Thames banning the showing of Hill overseas or happily banking the money.
Here in the German speaking world we know Hill as a clumsy girl hunting fool that slaps really old men on their bald heads. You either like or hate him for that. But your comments do describe him as a man with more sensible humouristic vision. What do we miss out on over here? Did he have any essential sketch shows or stand up programmes which precede this show I described?
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ October 13 2012, 5:40 PM BSTHere in the German speaking world we know Hill as a clumsy girl hunting fool that slaps really old men on their bald heads. You either like or hate him for that. But your comments do describe him as a man with more sensible humouristic vision. What do we miss over here? Did he have any essential sketch shows or stand up programmes which precede this show I described?
No what you describe is very close to most of his output in his latter years. But he was on TV from the 1950s onwards, he made films, radio series, silent comedies such as 'The Waiters' and wrote some wonderfully clever songs. You cannot judge a career on its last decade, it must be seen as a whole and in the context of the time. His early BBC material is available on DVD as his early Thames work. There was much more to him than the fat man being chased round a park.
Benny was ok, he was for his time.. I liked some of his stuff when I was a mere slip of a thing. But yeah, it did get a bit smutty but then audiences in those days didn't mind that type of humour. The wishing well sketch was good. Watching Les Dawson yesterday he was fond of scantily clad women too although they were over 14 stone (roly polies).
Quote: Nigel Kelly @ October 13 2012, 5:51 PM BSTBenny was ok, he was for his time.. I liked some of his stuff when I was a mere slip of a thing. But yeah, it did get a bit smutty but then audiences in those days didn't mind that type of humour. The wishing well sketch was good. Watching Les Dawson yesterday he was fond of scantily clad women too although they were over 14 stone (roly polies).
You mustn't forget one of Les's most famous characters the gurning and lecherous Cosmo Smallpiece.
Quote: Pingl @ October 13 2012, 5:46 PM BSTHis early BBC material is available on DVD
Is it? What DVD is that?
Quote: Pingl @ October 13 2012, 5:56 PM BSTYou mustn't forget one of Les's most famous characters the gurning and lecherous Cosmo Smallpiece.
Indeed, that character was quite Hillesque
