BENNY HILL (1925 - 1992)
Comedian, born in Southampton, Hampshire, S England, UK. An enthusiastic performer in school shows, he was a milkman, drummer, and driver before finding employment as an assistant stage manager. During World War 2 he appeared in Stars in Battledress, and later followed the traditional comic’s route of working-men’s clubs, revues, and end-of-the-pier shows.
An early convert to the potential of television, he appeared in Hi There (1949), and was named TV personality of the year in 1954. He gained national popularity with the saucy The Benny Hill Show (1957-66), and spent over two decades writing and performing in top-rated television specials that were seen around the world.