Benny Hill

Overview

Born
January 21, 1924 · Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
Died
April 20, 1992 · Teddington, Middlesex, England, UK (heart attack)
Birth name
Alfred Hawthorne Hill
Nickname
- King Leer
Height
1.77 m

Biography

Family

Parents
Relatives

Trademarks

Expert in featuring in fast moving, mute comic short subjects, with funny music, and massive persecutions at the end.
Parody of British Army salute.
His inimitable smirk in close-up looking directly into the camera
His famous use of Boots' Randolph's Yakety Sax which has since now been simply called "the Benny Hill music"

Trivia

When Hill died in April 1992, his estate was worth an estimated £10 million. The only will Hill created left his estate to his parents, who had died years before. Next in line were his brother and sister, neither of whom he had a close relationship with, but like his parents are also dead. As a result, Hill's estate was divided among his seven nieces and nephews.
Despite his wealth and success, he never owned a car, did his own shopping, lived in a two room apartment, but never used the second floor. According to one of his obituaries, he once refused to repair the leaky roof in his mother's home because it was "too expensive".
He was the star of Genesis' music video for "Anything She Does" in 1986 (from the "Invisible Touch" album). It was the band's idea to cast him. He played his "Fred Scuttle" character, who is the new head of backstage security. Needless to say his incompetence - due mainly to his wandering eye for the ladies (including Page 3 Model Linda Lusardi) - lets all manner of people into the band's dressing room. The video used many of Benny's trademark gags (smoke out of the ears, speed-ed up film..) and a separate, customized, version was shot to use as the opening to the group's world tour.
Hill was one of three siblings born to Alfred Hill (1893-1972) and Helen Hill (née Cave; 1894-1976). His father and paternal uncle were both professional circus clowns until they both left for military service during WWI. Alfred Hill was later the manager of a surgical appliance shop.
Following a non-fatal heart attack in February 1992, Hill had declined cardiac bypass surgery and was later diagnosed with kidney failure due to obesity throughout his adult life. Hill died of a coronary thrombosis (blood clot in coronary artery) which caused a subsequent myocardial infarction (heart attack) alone in his apartment while seated in his pajamas watching television. His body was discovered two days later by his producer, Dennis Kirkland, who was forced to climb through an open window of the locked apartment after being unable to reach Hill for several days. A large box, in which Hill had unceremoniously placed the awards and honors he had earned throughout his career, was later observed.

Quotes

[When asked to comment on rumours that he had sexual affairs with women who appeared on his shows]: I never yell, I never tell, but I'm grateful as hell.
Girls are like pianos. When they're not upright, they're grand.
Girls are like buses: If you miss one, don't worry - another one will be along in a few minutes. And at night there aren't as many, but they're faster.
Why get married? That's like burning down the house just to have a bit of toast. And why should I buy a book when there's such a good library in town!
That's what show business is, sincere insincerity.