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Benny Hill - Ben(ny) Elton


Guided Missile

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Apologies for the walk down memory lane, but it all started with the latest issue of Private Eye (Incorporating the News of the World). Without doubt the best one for many years and inspired by the demise of their favourite target since the 1970's, Rupert "the Digger" Murdoch. I loved the headline "Gotcha", and petty much everything in the gloatfest that comprised the only news publication that has retained it's principles (i.e. it never had any).

 

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Rupert Murdoch's wife is satirised in a brilliant Benny Hill parody: "Rye you not risten to me, Lupert...?"

 

...that brings me to Benny Hill. Who would have thought it? Southampton's own comedy legend, used to take the p!$$ out of a dodgy Aussie. To complete my weekend, I discover that total c*** Ben Elton has bombed downunder, after emigrating from the country he never stopped complaining about. Never funny, sold out and responsible for the death of the greatest comedy talent this country ever produced. Australia is welcome to him and he follows in a long line of c**** we sent there...

 

I could spend hours posting why Ben Elton is a total c*** and Benny Hill a genius, but maybe someone else could help...

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Its a bit harsh on Mr Elton...I just think that at that time back in the early 80's the received view of comedians was anti smut etc. Comedy had an intellectual aspect to it, pretty much lacking in Benny Hill.

 

Ben Elton gave us the joke about McDonald's fast food...if it got any faster we'd buy it and flush it straight down the loo.

 

I am a massive Benny Hill fan and was disgusted at the way he was considered and viewed by that in crowd....who is remembered now though eh? Learning all the time.....one of my favourite Benny Hill sketches

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Blackadder is a classic, markedly funnier once Elton was on-board. The Young Ones is also comedy genius, and has inspired a lot of other shows.

 

Benny Hill's demise can't entirely be attributed to comments Elton may have made. Attitudes were changing at the time. It wasn't alright for Jim Davison to do his Chalky gags any more, and although Benny's stuff was nowhere near as offensive, it got lumped in with all the rest.

 

Benny Hill's comedy will endure because it has universal appeal - but be honest, comedy has moved in a different direction, and history will see Elton as one of the people who got it to where it is today.

 

He should have followed Alexei Sayle's example and stuck to writing books, and has on occasion, been a bit of a nob.

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I know the following only has a very tiny link but Tony Hancock killed himself in Australia, a great loss IMHO.

 

My thoughts precisely, but Hancock was a lost cause by then. The BBC did a terrific docu-drama about him starring Alfred Molina, the final scene was Hancock giving a press conference in Australia about the tour he was doing, his cigarette smoke was gradually filling the room as he spoke while his voice faded away and the smoke slowly obscured the actors, then the end strapline about Tony topping himself came up on the smokefilled screen. Very clever, and very moving.

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My aunt has always claimed Benny Hill was her milkman - she used to live in the prefabs near the hospital. Don't know if that was true.

 

Mr TF reckons the Hills had a farm near Bishop's Waltham - don't know if that's true either.

 

Benny Hill's mother lived in Market Street, Eastleigh. The back of her house was opposite the one I grew up in.

 

The famous 'Ernie' used to deliver milk to my house.

 

Everyone over here knows Benny Hill, no one knows Ben Elton.

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Benny Hill used to live in Westrow Garden, about 2 minutes walk from The Dell. He would walk past my office in Archers Road, almost daily, on his way to Co-op in Bedford Place. I bumped into him on several occasions. If you greeted him, he would always reciprocate, and he was always smartly dressed, usually in a light grey suit, with an open necked shirt.

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Benny Hill in bed with one of the Hills angels , you hear the front door slam and the girl says 'oh my god my husband is home early'

BH 'What shall I do?'

HA 'Get into the wardrobe'

The husband bursts into the bedroom and shouts' The house is on fire'

Hills Angel 'What shall we do?'

BH in a low terrified voice 'Save the wardrobe'

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Benny Hill's mother lived in Market Street, Eastleigh. The back of her house was opposite the one I grew up in.

 

The famous 'Ernie' used to deliver milk to my house.

 

Everyone over here knows Benny Hill, no one knows Ben Elton.

 

Correct! Pretty well the whole world knows Benny Hill; I've found him on the telly everywhere from Germany to Latin America!

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