The Benny Hill Show - Revision history

Kurt: /* Guest stars */

2024-09-07T00:58:02Z

Guest stars

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:58, 6 September 2024
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	{{col-end}}		{{col-end}}

	Occasionally, Hill would briefly chat with his guests on stage. In the 1980s, as the climate of [[political correctness]] continued to grow, Eddington and Wilcox refused to allow the episodes in which they appeared to be shown on British television again.~~{{citation needed\|date=October 2021}}~~		Occasionally, Hill would briefly chat with his guests on stage. In the 1980s, as the climate of [[political correctness]] continued to grow, Eddington and Wilcox refused to allow the episodes in which they appeared to be shown on British television again.

	===Musical guest stars===		===Musical guest stars===

Kurt at 00:33, 7 September 2024

2024-09-07T00:33:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:33, 6 September 2024
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	\| presenter =		\| presenter =
	\| starring = Benny Hill		\| starring = Benny Hill
	\| theme_music_composer = [[~~w:Boots Randolph\|~~Boots Randolph]]<br />James Q. Rich		\| theme_music_composer = [[Boots Randolph]]<br />James Q. Rich
	\| opentheme = "[[~~w:Yakety Sax\|~~Yakety Sax]]"		\| opentheme = "[[Yakety Sax]]"
	\| composer =		\| composer =
	\| country = United Kingdom		\| country = United Kingdom
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	\| executive_producer =		\| executive_producer =
	\| producer =		\| producer =
	\| camera = [[w:Multi-camera setup\|Multi-camera]]		\| camera = [[Multi-camera setup\|Multi-camera]]
	\| runtime = 45–60 minutes		\| runtime = 45–60 minutes
	\| company = [[~~w:BBC\|~~BBC]]<br />[[~~w:Associated Television\|~~Associated Television]]<br />[[~~w:Thames Television\|~~Thames Television]]		\| company = [[BBC]]<br />[[Associated Television]]<br />[[Thames Television]]
	\| distributor = [[w:Fremantle (company)\|Fremantle]] (Thames episodes)		\| distributor = [[Fremantle (company)\|Fremantle]] (Thames episodes)
	\| channel = [[w:BBC One\|BBC TV]]/[[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]		\| channel = [[BBC One\|BBC TV]]/[[ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]
	\| picture_format = [[~~w:4:3\|~~4:3]]		\| picture_format = [[4:3]]
	\| audio_format = [[~~w:Monaural\|~~Monaural]]		\| audio_format = [[Monaural]]
	\| first_aired = {{start date\|1955\|1\|15\|df=yes}}		\| first_aired = {{start date\|1955\|01\|15\|df=yes}}
	\| last_aired = {{end date\|1989\|5\|1\|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web\|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow\|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)\|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com \|access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>		\| last_aired = {{end date\|1989\|05\|1\|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web\|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow\|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)\|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com \|access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>
	}}		}}
	'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[w:sketch comedy\|sketches]] that were full of [[~~w:slapstick\|~~slapstick]], [[~~w:mime\|~~mime]], [[~~w:parody\|~~parody]] and [[~~w:double entendre\|~~double entendre]] (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[~~w:saucy seaside postcard\|~~saucy seaside postcard]] humour).		'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[sketch comedy\|sketches]] that were full of [[slapstick]], [[mime]], [[parody]] and [[double entendre]]s (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[saucy seaside postcard]] humour).

	At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[w:List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes\|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|title=Features \| Britain's Most Watched TV \| 1970s \|publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|archive-date=22 November 2005 \|access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[~~w:BAFTA Television Award\|~~BAFTA Television Award]] for [[w:British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama\|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[w:British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance\|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[~~w:Thames Television\|~~Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[w:Broadcast syndication\|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[~~w:Emmy Award\|~~Emmy Award]] nominations for [[w:Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s\|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[~~w:Rose d'Or\|~~Rose d'Or]].		At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes\|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|title=Features \| Britain's Most Watched TV \| 1970s \|publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|archive-date=22 November 2005 \|access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[BAFTA Television Award]] for [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama\|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance\|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[Broadcast syndication\|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s\|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[Rose d'Or]].

	Thames cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 ({{Inflation\|UK\|450,000\|1989\|r=-2\|fmt=eq\|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn\|UK\|df=y}}) per show. In a 2015 UK poll the show's theme song was voted number 1 on the [[w:ITV (TV channel)\|ITV]] special ''[[w:The Nation's Favourite\|The Sound of ITV – The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune]]''.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week38/sound-itv-nations-favourite-theme-tune\|title=The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes Episode 1\|publisher=itv.com\|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref>		Thames cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 ({{Inflation\|UK\|450,000\|1989\|r=-2\|fmt=eq\|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn\|UK\|df=y}}) per show. In a 2015 UK poll the show's theme song was voted number 1 on the [[ITV (TV channel)\|ITV]] special ''[[The Nation's Favourite\|The Sound of ITV – The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune]]''.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week38/sound-itv-nations-favourite-theme-tune\|title=The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes Episode 1\|publisher=itv.com\|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref>

	==Show format==		==Show format==
	''The Benny Hill Show'' features Benny Hill in various short comedy sketches and occasional, extravagant musical performances by artists of the time. Hill appears in many different costumes and portrays a vast array of characters. [[~~w:Slapstick\|~~Slapstick]], [[~~w:burlesque\|~~burlesque]], and [[~~w:double entendre\|~~double entendre]]s are his hallmarks. Critics accused the show of [[~~w:sexism\|~~sexism]] and [[~~w:objectification\|~~objectification]] of women, but Hill argued that the female characters kept their dignity while the men who chase them were portrayed as [[~~w:buffoon\|~~buffoon]]s.		''The Benny Hill Show'' features Benny Hill in various short comedy sketches and occasional, extravagant musical performances by artists of the time. Hill appears in many different costumes and portrays a vast array of characters. [[Slapstick]], [[burlesque]], and [[double entendre]]s are his hallmarks. Critics accused the show of [[sexism]] and [[objectification]] of women, but Hill argued that the female characters kept their dignity while the men who chase them were portrayed as [[buffoon]]s.

	The show often uses [[~~w:undercranking\|~~undercranking]] and [[~~w:sight gag\|~~sight gag]]s to create what Hill called "live animation", employing comedic techniques such as mime and parody. The show typically closes with a sped-up chase scene involving Hill and often a crew of scantily clad women (usually with Hill being the one chased, due to silly predicaments that he himself caused), accompanied by the instrumental "[[~~w:Yakety Sax\|~~Yakety Sax]]", in a send-up on the stereotypical [[~~w:Keystone Cops\|~~Keystone Cops]] chase scenes. Hill also composed and sang [[~~w:patter song\|~~patter song]]s and often entertained his audience with lengthy high-speed double-entendre rhymes and songs, which he recited or sang in a single take.		The show often uses [[undercranking]] and [[sight gag]]s to create what Hill called "live animation", employing comedic techniques such as mime and parody. The show typically closes with a sped-up chase scene involving Hill and often a crew of scantily clad women (usually with Hill being the one chased, due to silly predicaments that he himself caused), accompanied by the instrumental "[[Yakety Sax]]", in a send-up on the stereotypical [[Keystone Cops]] chase scenes. Hill also composed and sang [[patter song]]s and often entertained his audience with lengthy high-speed double-entendre rhymes and songs, which he recited or sang in a single take.

	Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[w:Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)\|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[~~w:Quinn Martin\|~~Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[w:Ironside (1967 TV series)\|Ironside]]'', ''[[w:McCloud (TV series)\|McCloud]]'', ''[[~~w:Kojak\|~~Kojak]]'' and ''[[w:Cannon (TV series)\|Cannon]]'', plus [[~~w:Hercule Poirot\|~~Hercule Poirot]].		Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)\|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)\|Ironside]]'', ''[[McCloud (TV series)\|McCloud]]'', ''[[Kojak]]'' and ''[[Cannon (TV series)\|Cannon]]'', plus [[Hercule Poirot]].

	During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[~~w:W. C. Fields\|~~W. C. Fields]], [[~~w:Orson Welles\|~~Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[~~w:Kenny Rogers\|~~Kenny Rogers]], [[~~w:Marlon Brando\|~~Marlon Brando]], [[~~w:Raymond Burr\|~~Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[~~w:The Six Million Dollar Man\|~~The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[~~w:Starsky and Hutch\|~~Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[~~w:The A-Team\|~~The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[~~w:Cagney & Lacey\|~~Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[~~w:Nana Mouskouri\|~~Nana Mouskouri]] and [[~~w:Miriam Makeba\|~~Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[~~w:Shirley Bassey\|~~Shirley Bassey]], [[~~w:Michael Caine\|~~Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[w:Alfie (1966 film)\|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[~~w:Reginald Bosanquet\|~~Reginald Bosanquet]], [[~~w:Alan Whicker\|~~Alan Whicker]] and [[~~w:Cliff Michelmore\|~~Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[~~w:Jimmy Savile\|~~Jimmy Savile]] and [[~~w:Tony Blackburn\|~~Tony Blackburn]], musician [[~~w:Roger Whittaker\|~~Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[~~w:Tony Hatch\|~~Tony Hatch]], political figures [[w:Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby\|Lord Boothby]] and [[~~w:Denis Healey\|~~Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[w:Dave Allen (comedian)\|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[~~w:Nicholas Parsons\|~~Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[w:Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)\|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[~~w:Richard Burton\|~~Richard Burton]] and [[~~w:Elizabeth Taylor\|~~Elizabeth Taylor]].		During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[W. C. Fields]], [[Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[Kenny Rogers]], [[Marlon Brando]], [[Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[Nana Mouskouri]] and [[Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[Shirley Bassey]], [[Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[Alfie (1966 film)\|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[Reginald Bosanquet]], [[Alan Whicker]] and [[Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[Jimmy Savile]] and [[Tony Blackburn]], musician [[Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[Tony Hatch]], political figures [[Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby\|Lord Boothby]] and [[Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[Dave Allen (comedian)\|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)\|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[Richard Burton]] and [[Elizabeth Taylor]].

	==Production notes==		==Production notes==
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	As of 2017, the show is currently being broadcast on Makedonia TV (M.tv) in Greece.		As of 2017, the show is currently being broadcast on Makedonia TV (M.tv) in Greece.

	~~Currently the~~ show ~~is also~~ available on [[YouTube]] by the channel English Comedy since 29 March 2020		The show has been available on [[YouTube]] by the channel English Comedy since 29 March 2020

	==Cancellation==		==Cancellation==

Kurt at 05:24, 5 February 2023

2023-02-05T05:24:25Z

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	~~{{Short description\|British comedy television series}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=September 2020}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=April 2021}}~~
	{{Infobox television		{{Infobox television
	\| image = The Benny Hill Show.jpg		\| image = The Benny Hill Show.jpg

Kurt at 20:49, 12 December 2022

2022-12-12T20:49:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:49, 12 December 2022
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	\| last_aired = {{end date\|1989\|5\|1\|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web\|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow\|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)\|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com \|access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>		\| last_aired = {{end date\|1989\|5\|1\|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web\|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow\|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)\|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com \|access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>
	}}		}}
	'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[w:sketch comedy\|sketches]] that were full of [[w:slapstick\|slapstick]], [[w:mime\|mime]], [[w:parody\|parody]] and [[w:double entendre\|double entendre]] (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[w:saucy seaside postcard]] humour).		'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[w:sketch comedy\|sketches]] that were full of [[w:slapstick\|slapstick]], [[w:mime\|mime]], [[w:parody\|parody]] and [[w:double entendre\|double entendre]] (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[w:saucy seaside postcard\|saucy seaside postcard]] humour).

	At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes\|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|title=Features \| Britain's Most Watched TV \| 1970s \|publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|archive-date=22 November 2005 \|access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[BAFTA Television Award]] for [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama\|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance\|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[Broadcast syndication\|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s\|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[Rose d'Or]].		At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[w:List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes\|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|title=Features \| Britain's Most Watched TV \| 1970s \|publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|archive-date=22 November 2005 \|access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[w:BAFTA Television Award\|BAFTA Television Award]] for [[w:British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama\|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[w:British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance\|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[w:Broadcast syndication\|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[w:Emmy Award\|Emmy Award]] nominations for [[w:Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s\|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[w:Rose d'Or\|Rose d'Or]].

	Thames cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 ({{Inflation\|UK\|450,000\|1989\|r=-2\|fmt=eq\|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn\|UK\|df=y}}) per show. In a 2015 UK poll the show's theme song was voted number 1 on the [[ITV (TV channel)\|ITV]] special ''[[The Nation's Favourite\|The Sound of ITV – The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune]]''.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week38/sound-itv-nations-favourite-theme-tune\|title=The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes Episode 1\|publisher=itv.com\|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref>		Thames cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 ({{Inflation\|UK\|450,000\|1989\|r=-2\|fmt=eq\|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn\|UK\|df=y}}) per show. In a 2015 UK poll the show's theme song was voted number 1 on the [[w:ITV (TV channel)\|ITV]] special ''[[w:The Nation's Favourite\|The Sound of ITV – The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune]]''.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week38/sound-itv-nations-favourite-theme-tune\|title=The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes Episode 1\|publisher=itv.com\|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref>

	==Show format==		==Show format==

Kurt: /* Show format */

2022-09-29T01:55:23Z

Show format

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:55, 28 September 2022
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	Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[w:Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)\|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[w:Quinn Martin\|Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[w:Ironside (1967 TV series)\|Ironside]]'', ''[[w:McCloud (TV series)\|McCloud]]'', ''[[w:Kojak\|Kojak]]'' and ''[[w:Cannon (TV series)\|Cannon]]'', plus [[w:Hercule Poirot\|Hercule Poirot]].		Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[w:Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)\|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[w:Quinn Martin\|Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[w:Ironside (1967 TV series)\|Ironside]]'', ''[[w:McCloud (TV series)\|McCloud]]'', ''[[w:Kojak\|Kojak]]'' and ''[[w:Cannon (TV series)\|Cannon]]'', plus [[w:Hercule Poirot\|Hercule Poirot]].

	During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[w:W. C. Fields\|W. C. Fields]], [[w:Orson Welles\|Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[w:Kenny Rogers\|Kenny Rogers]], [[w:Marlon Brando\|Marlon Brando]], [[w:Raymond Burr\|Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[w:The Six Million Dollar Man\|The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[w:Starsky and Hutch\|Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[w:The A-Team\|The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[w:Cagney & Lacey\|Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[w:Nana Mouskouri\|Nana Mouskouri]] and [[w:Miriam Makeba\|Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[w:Shirley Bassey\|Shirley Bassey]], [[w:Michael Caine\|Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[w:Alfie (1966 film)\|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[w:Reginald Bosanquet\|Reginald Bosanquet]], [[w:Alan Whicker\|Alan Whicker]] and [[w:Cliff Michelmore\|Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[w:Jimmy Savile\|Jimmy Savile]] and [[w:Tony Blackburn\|Tony Blackburn]], musician [[w:Roger Whittaker\|Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[w:Tony Hatch\|Tony Hatch]], political figures [[w:Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby\|Lord Boothby]] and [[w:Denis Healey\|Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[w:Dave Allen (comedian)\|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[w:Nicholas Parsons\|Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)\|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[w:Richard Burton\|Richard Burton]] and [[w:Elizabeth Taylor\|Elizabeth Taylor]].		During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[w:W. C. Fields\|W. C. Fields]], [[w:Orson Welles\|Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[w:Kenny Rogers\|Kenny Rogers]], [[w:Marlon Brando\|Marlon Brando]], [[w:Raymond Burr\|Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[w:The Six Million Dollar Man\|The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[w:Starsky and Hutch\|Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[w:The A-Team\|The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[w:Cagney & Lacey\|Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[w:Nana Mouskouri\|Nana Mouskouri]] and [[w:Miriam Makeba\|Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[w:Shirley Bassey\|Shirley Bassey]], [[w:Michael Caine\|Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[w:Alfie (1966 film)\|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[w:Reginald Bosanquet\|Reginald Bosanquet]], [[w:Alan Whicker\|Alan Whicker]] and [[w:Cliff Michelmore\|Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[w:Jimmy Savile\|Jimmy Savile]] and [[w:Tony Blackburn\|Tony Blackburn]], musician [[w:Roger Whittaker\|Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[w:Tony Hatch\|Tony Hatch]], political figures [[w:Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby\|Lord Boothby]] and [[w:Denis Healey\|Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[w:Dave Allen (comedian)\|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[w:Nicholas Parsons\|Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[w:Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)\|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[w:Richard Burton\|Richard Burton]] and [[w:Elizabeth Taylor\|Elizabeth Taylor]].

	==Production notes==		==Production notes==

Kurt: /* Show format */

2022-09-29T01:55:03Z

Show format

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:55, 28 September 2022
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	==Show format==		==Show format==
	~~{{Unreferenced section\|date=August 2016}}~~		''The Benny Hill Show'' features Benny Hill in various short comedy sketches and occasional, extravagant musical performances by artists of the time. Hill appears in many different costumes and portrays a vast array of characters. [[w:Slapstick\|Slapstick]], [[w:burlesque\|burlesque]], and [[w:double entendre\|double entendre]]s are his hallmarks. Critics accused the show of [[w:sexism\|sexism]] and [[w:objectification\|objectification]] of women, but Hill argued that the female characters kept their dignity while the men who chase them were portrayed as [[w:buffoon\|buffoon]]s.
	''The Benny Hill Show'' features Benny Hill in various short comedy sketches and occasional, extravagant musical performances by artists of the time. Hill appears in many different costumes and portrays a vast array of characters. [[Slapstick]], [[burlesque]], and [[double entendre]]s are his hallmarks. Critics accused the show of [[sexism]] and [[objectification]] of women, but Hill argued that the female characters kept their dignity while the men who chase them were portrayed as [[buffoon]]s.

	The show often uses [[undercranking]] and [[sight gag]]s to create what Hill called "live animation", employing comedic techniques such as mime and parody. The show typically closes with a sped-up chase scene involving Hill and often a crew of scantily clad women (usually with Hill being the one chased, due to silly predicaments that he himself caused), accompanied by the instrumental "[[Yakety Sax]]", in a send-up on the stereotypical [[Keystone Cops]] chase scenes. Hill also composed and sang [[patter song]]s and often entertained his audience with lengthy high-speed double-entendre rhymes and songs, which he recited or sang in a single take.		The show often uses [[w:undercranking\|undercranking]] and [[w:sight gag\|sight gag]]s to create what Hill called "live animation", employing comedic techniques such as mime and parody. The show typically closes with a sped-up chase scene involving Hill and often a crew of scantily clad women (usually with Hill being the one chased, due to silly predicaments that he himself caused), accompanied by the instrumental "[[w:Yakety Sax\|Yakety Sax]]", in a send-up on the stereotypical [[w:Keystone Cops\|Keystone Cops]] chase scenes. Hill also composed and sang [[w:patter song\|patter song]]s and often entertained his audience with lengthy high-speed double-entendre rhymes and songs, which he recited or sang in a single take.

	Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)\|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)\|Ironside]]'', ''[[McCloud (TV series)\|McCloud]]'', ''[[Kojak]]'' and ''[[Cannon (TV series)\|Cannon]]'', plus [[Hercule Poirot]].		Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[w:Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)\|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[w:Quinn Martin\|Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[w:Ironside (1967 TV series)\|Ironside]]'', ''[[w:McCloud (TV series)\|McCloud]]'', ''[[w:Kojak\|Kojak]]'' and ''[[w:Cannon (TV series)\|Cannon]]'', plus [[w:Hercule Poirot\|Hercule Poirot]].

	During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[W. C. Fields]], [[Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[Kenny Rogers]], [[Marlon Brando]], [[Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[Nana Mouskouri]] and [[Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[Shirley Bassey]], [[Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[Alfie (1966 film)\|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[Reginald Bosanquet]], [[Alan Whicker]] and [[Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[Jimmy Savile]] and [[Tony Blackburn]], musician [[Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[Tony Hatch]], political figures [[Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby\|Lord Boothby]] and [[Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[Dave Allen (comedian)\|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)\|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[Richard Burton]] and [[Elizabeth Taylor]].		During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[w:W. C. Fields\|W. C. Fields]], [[w:Orson Welles\|Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[w:Kenny Rogers\|Kenny Rogers]], [[w:Marlon Brando\|Marlon Brando]], [[w:Raymond Burr\|Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[w:The Six Million Dollar Man\|The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[w:Starsky and Hutch\|Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[w:The A-Team\|The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[w:Cagney & Lacey\|Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[w:Nana Mouskouri\|Nana Mouskouri]] and [[w:Miriam Makeba\|Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[w:Shirley Bassey\|Shirley Bassey]], [[w:Michael Caine\|Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[w:Alfie (1966 film)\|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[w:Reginald Bosanquet\|Reginald Bosanquet]], [[w:Alan Whicker\|Alan Whicker]] and [[w:Cliff Michelmore\|Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[w:Jimmy Savile\|Jimmy Savile]] and [[w:Tony Blackburn\|Tony Blackburn]], musician [[w:Roger Whittaker\|Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[w:Tony Hatch\|Tony Hatch]], political figures [[w:Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby\|Lord Boothby]] and [[w:Denis Healey\|Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[w:Dave Allen (comedian)\|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[w:Nicholas Parsons\|Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)\|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[w:Richard Burton\|Richard Burton]] and [[w:Elizabeth Taylor\|Elizabeth Taylor]].

	==Production notes==		==Production notes==

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← Older revision		Revision as of 20:49, 28 September 2022
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	{{Short description\|British comedy television series}}		{{Short description\|British comedy television series}}
	~~{{redirect\|Hill's Angels\|the Disney movie\|The North Avenue Irregulars}}~~
	~~{{multiple issues\|~~
	~~{{cleanup rewrite\|it is poorly structured\|article or section\|date=February 2013}}~~
	~~{{more citations needed\|date=August 2012}}~~
	}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=September 2020}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=September 2020}}
	{{Use British English\|date=April 2021}}		{{Use British English\|date=April 2021}}
	{{Infobox television		{{Infobox television
	\| image =		\| image = The Benny Hill Show.jpg
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| alt_name =		\| alt_name =
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	\| presenter =		\| presenter =
	\| starring = Benny Hill		\| starring = Benny Hill
	\| theme_music_composer = [[Boots Randolph]]<br />James Q. Rich		\| theme_music_composer = [[w:Boots Randolph\|Boots Randolph]]<br />James Q. Rich
	\| opentheme = "[[Yakety Sax]]"		\| opentheme = "[[w:Yakety Sax\|Yakety Sax]]"
	\| composer =		\| composer =
	\| country = United Kingdom		\| country = United Kingdom
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	\| executive_producer =		\| executive_producer =
	\| producer =		\| producer =
	\| camera = [[Multi-camera setup\|Multi-camera]]		\| camera = [[w:Multi-camera setup\|Multi-camera]]
	\| runtime = 45–60 minutes		\| runtime = 45–60 minutes
	\| company = [[BBC]]<br />[[Associated Television]]<br />[[Thames Television]]		\| company = [[w:BBC\|BBC]]<br />[[w:Associated Television\|Associated Television]]<br />[[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]]
	\| distributor = [[Fremantle (company)\|Fremantle]] (Thames episodes)		\| distributor = [[w:Fremantle (company)\|Fremantle]] (Thames episodes)
	\| channel = [[BBC One\|BBC TV]]/[[ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]		\| channel = [[w:BBC One\|BBC TV]]/[[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]
	\| picture_format = [[4:3]]		\| picture_format = [[w:4:3\|4:3]]
	\| audio_format = [[Monaural]]		\| audio_format = [[w:Monaural\|Monaural]]
	\| first_aired = {{start date\|1955\|1\|15\|df=yes}}		\| first_aired = {{start date\|1955\|1\|15\|df=yes}}
	\| last_aired = {{end date\|1989\|5\|1\|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web\|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow\|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)\|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com \|access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>		\| last_aired = {{end date\|1989\|5\|1\|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web\|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow\|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)\|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com \|access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>
	}}		}}
	'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is~~<!--Not "was," as per WP:TENSE-->~~ a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[sketch comedy\|sketches]] that were full of [[slapstick]], [[mime]], [[parody]] and [[double entendre]] (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[saucy seaside postcard]] humour).		'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[w:sketch comedy\|sketches]] that were full of [[w:slapstick\|slapstick]], [[w:mime\|mime]], [[w:parody\|parody]] and [[w:double entendre\|double entendre]] (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[w:saucy seaside postcard]] humour).

	At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes\|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|title=Features \| Britain's Most Watched TV \| 1970s \|publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|archive-date=22 November 2005 \|access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[BAFTA Television Award]] for [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama\|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance\|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[Broadcast syndication\|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s\|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[Rose d'Or]].		At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes\|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|title=Features \| Britain's Most Watched TV \| 1970s \|publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html \|archive-date=22 November 2005 \|access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[BAFTA Television Award]] for [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama\|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance\|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[Broadcast syndication\|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s\|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[Rose d'Or]].

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-08-16T00:27:29Z

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← Older revision	Revision as of 19:27, 15 August 2022
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en>Dr Greg: added Category:Television shows shot at Teddington Studios using HotCat

2022-05-22T14:13:56Z

added Category:Television shows shot at Teddington Studios using HotCat

New page

{{Short description|British comedy television series}}
{{redirect|Hill's Angels|the Disney movie|The North Avenue Irregulars}}
{{multiple issues|
{{cleanup rewrite|it is poorly structured|article or section|date=February 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2012}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = Sketch comedy
| creator =
| writer = [[Benny Hill]]
| director =
| presenter =
| starring = Benny Hill
| theme_music_composer = [[Boots Randolph]]<br />James Q. Rich
| opentheme = "[[Yakety Sax]]"
| composer =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer =
| producer =
| camera = [[Multi-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
| runtime = 45–60 minutes
| company = [[BBC]]<br />[[Associated Television]]<br />[[Thames Television]]
| distributor = [[Fremantle (company)|Fremantle]] (Thames episodes)
| channel = [[BBC One|BBC TV]]/[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| picture_format = [[4:3]]
| audio_format = [[Monaural]]
| first_aired = {{start date|1955|1|15|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1989|5|1|df=yes}}<ref name="epguide">{{cite web|url = http://epguides.com/BennyHillShow|title = The Benny Hill Show (A Titles & Air Dates Guide)|publisher = John Lavalie - [[epguides]].com |access-date = 1 January 2012}}</ref>
}}
'''''The Benny Hill Show''''' is a British comedy television show starring [[Benny Hill]] that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of [[sketch comedy|sketches]] that were full of [[slapstick]], [[mime]], [[parody]] and [[double entendre]] (which could be described as a filmatographic version of British [[saucy seaside postcard]] humour).

At its peak ''The Benny Hill Show'' was among the [[List of most watched television broadcasts in the United Kingdom#Most watched programmes|most-watched programmes]] in the UK with the audience reaching more than 21 million viewers in 1971.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html |title=Features | Britain's Most Watched TV | 1970s |publisher=British Film Institute (BFI) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122221511/http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/mostwatched/1970s.html |archive-date=22 November 2005 |access-date=22 October 2016}}</ref> In 1972, Hill received a [[BAFTA Television Award]] for [[British Academy Television Craft Award for Best Writer: Drama|Best Writer]], and he was nominated for the [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance|BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance]]. In the late 1970s, the [[Thames Television]] version of the show gained a following in the United States and would run in [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] until 1990. In 1980 and 1981, it received [[Emmy Award]] nominations for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series#1980s|Outstanding Variety]]. In 1984 Hill received a [[Rose d'Or]].

Thames cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 ({{Inflation|UK|450,000|1989|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}) per show. In a 2015 UK poll the show's theme song was voted number 1 on the [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] special ''[[The Nation's Favourite|The Sound of ITV – The Nation's Favourite Theme Tune]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1week38/sound-itv-nations-favourite-theme-tune|title=The Sound of ITV: The Nation's Favourite Theme Tunes Episode 1|publisher=itv.com|access-date=1 October 2019}}</ref>

==Show format==
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2016}}
''The Benny Hill Show'' features Benny Hill in various short comedy sketches and occasional, extravagant musical performances by artists of the time. Hill appears in many different costumes and portrays a vast array of characters. [[Slapstick]], [[burlesque]], and [[double entendre]]s are his hallmarks. Critics accused the show of [[sexism]] and [[objectification]] of women, but Hill argued that the female characters kept their dignity while the men who chase them were portrayed as [[buffoon]]s.

The show often uses [[undercranking]] and [[sight gag]]s to create what Hill called "live animation", employing comedic techniques such as mime and parody. The show typically closes with a sped-up chase scene involving Hill and often a crew of scantily clad women (usually with Hill being the one chased, due to silly predicaments that he himself caused), accompanied by the instrumental "[[Yakety Sax]]", in a send-up on the stereotypical [[Keystone Cops]] chase scenes. Hill also composed and sang [[patter song]]s and often entertained his audience with lengthy high-speed double-entendre rhymes and songs, which he recited or sang in a single take.

Hill also used the television camera to create comedic illusions. For example, in a murder mystery farce entitled "Murder on the Oregon Express" from 1976 (a parody of ''[[Murder on the Orient Express (1974 film)|Murder on the Orient Express]]''), Hill used editing, camera angles and impersonations to depict a [[Quinn Martin]]–like TV "mystery" featuring Hill in the roles of 1970s American television detectives ''[[Ironside (1967 TV series)|Ironside]]'', ''[[McCloud (TV series)|McCloud]]'', ''[[Kojak]]'' and ''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]'', plus [[Hercule Poirot]].

During his television career, Hill performed impersonations or parodies of such American celebrities as [[W. C. Fields]], [[Orson Welles]] (renamed "Orson Buggy"), [[Kenny Rogers]], [[Marlon Brando]], [[Raymond Burr]], and fictional characters that range from ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[Starsky and Hutch]]'' to ''[[The A-Team]]'' (parodied as "The B-Team", in which he played the roles of both 'Hannibal' and 'B.A.') and ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]''. He also impersonated such international celebrities as [[Nana Mouskouri]] and [[Miriam Makeba]] as well as British stars such as [[Shirley Bassey]], [[Michael Caine]] (in his ''[[Alfie (1966 film)|Alfie]]'' role), newscasters [[Reginald Bosanquet]], [[Alan Whicker]] and [[Cliff Michelmore]], pop-music show hosts [[Jimmy Savile]] and [[Tony Blackburn]], musician [[Roger Whittaker]], his former 1960s record producer [[Tony Hatch]], political figures [[Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby|Lord Boothby]] and [[Denis Healey]] and Irish comedian [[Dave Allen (comedian)|Dave Allen]]. On a few occasions, Hill even impersonated his former straight man, [[Nicholas Parsons]]. A spoof of ''[[Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film)|Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?]]'' saw him playing both [[Richard Burton]] and [[Elizabeth Taylor]].

==Production notes==
The show's closing theme tune, "[[Yakety Sax]]", which has gained a following in its own right, was written by James Q. "Spider" Rich and [[Boots Randolph]]. As the closing credits rolled, the theme was usually accompanied by a sped-up chase-sequence, often featuring scantily clad young women. The show's musical director was pianist and easy listening conductor [[Ronnie Aldrich]], and vocal backing was provided by [[Session musician|session singers]] [[the Ladybirds]] (who also frequently appeared on camera from 1969 to 1974). The saxophone soloist on Aldrich's version of "Yakety Sax" was Peter Hughes. For three episodes of the 1973–1974 season, [[Albert Elms]] filled in for Aldrich as musical director. "Yakety Sax" first appeared in the 19 November 1969 episode, which was also the first show for Thames.

Another signature of the show was the enthusiastic announcer intro: "Yes! It's ''The Benny Hill Show!''" (The announcer was often cast member [[Henry McGee]].) From 1975 forward, Hill was also introduced at the start of each show as "The Lad Himself". The show closed with Hill's salute: "Thank you for being with us, and we look forward to seeing you all again—very, very soon. Until then, bye bye.".

==Characters==

Hill created both long-running fictional characters, such as Fred Scuttle, and frequently spoof impersonations of other TV personalities of the day, usually tweaking names for comic effect:

*Johnny and Cranny Faddock (Johnny and [[Fanny Cradock]])
*Husky and Starch ([[Starsky and Hutch]])
*Cinema with Clive Janes ([[Clive James]])
*Charlene's Angels/ Archie's Angels ([[Charlie's Angels]])
*The Scarlet Pimple ([[The Scarlet Pimpernel]])
*Barry Normal ([[Barry Norman]])
*James Gaulstone ([[James Galway]])

==Cast==
The main supporting cast included [[Henry McGee]], Jon Jon Keefe, [[Ken Sedd]], [[Nicholas Parsons]], [[Bob Todd]] and [[Jackie Wright]].

The regular sexpot-type women include [[Jenny Lee-Wright]], [[Sue Bond]], [[Bettina Le Beau]], [[Lesley Goldie]], [[Cherri Gilham]] and [[Diana Darvey]]. In later years, the show included a dance troupe, the Hill's Angels, which was briefly preceded by the Love Machine. Regular Angels were [[Sue Upton]] and [[Louise English]], whilst [[Jane Leeves]] also appeared as a Hill's Angel in a few episodes in the early 1980s; among those who appeared only once were Susan Clark and [[Sue McIntosh]].

The female singing group [[The Ladybirds]], featuring the bespectacled Maggie Stredder, were regulars on the show as background singers to Hill, and occasionally singing numbers on their own.

Character actresses include [[Anna Dawson]], [[Bella Emberg]], [[Rita Webb]] and [[Patricia Hayes]].

===Guest stars===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* [[Don Estelle]]
* [[Paul Eddington]]
* [[Paula Wilcox]]
* [[David Prowse]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[Patrick Newell]]
* [[Hugh Paddick]]
* [[Kathy Staff]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[Trisha Noble]]
* [[Dilys Watling]]
* [[Stella Moray]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[Percy Thrower]]
* [[Liz Fraser]]
* [[Carl Wayne]]

{{col-end}}

Occasionally, Hill would briefly chat with his guests on stage. In the 1980s, as the climate of [[political correctness]] continued to grow, Eddington and Wilcox refused to allow the episodes in which they appeared to be shown on British television again.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

===Musical guest stars===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
* [[Petula Clark]]
* [[Alma Cogan]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[Kiki Dee]]
* [[Judith Durham]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[Cleo Laine]]
* [[Mike Sammes|The Mike Sammes Singers]]
{{Col-break}}
* [[Anne Shelton (singer)|Anne Shelton]]
* [[The Springfields]]

{{Col-break}}
* [[Design (UK band)|Design]]
* [[Sylvia McNeill]]

{{col-end}}

Hill also gave the first major exposure to some non-UK-based musical groups, including [[Luis Alberto del Paraná]] and [[Los Paraguayos]]. With few exceptions, most of the musical numbers did not make it to the U.S. syndicated series.

==International airings==
In 1976, Thames Television purchased a week of transmission time on two stations owned by [[RKO General]] that were offering a "Thames Week" schedule and were in the two largest American television markets: [[New York City]]'s [[WWOR-TV|WOR-TV]] and [[KCAL-TV|KHJ-TV]] in [[Los Angeles]]. This introduced the show to American audiences and became immediately popular; subsequent screenings involved a series of re-edited half-hour programmes culled from the [[ITV Network|ITV]] specials. As a result of heavy editing for fear of [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] licence revocation, the early US versions of the show have far less risqué material than those broadcast in the UK, though some brief female nudity and subtle sexual innuendo was apparently acceptable.

The show was awarded the 'Special Prize of the City of Montreux' at the [[Rose d'Or]] festival in 1984. Selected sketches from the first four years (1969–1972) of the Thames run were also edited into a feature film, ''[[The Best of Benny Hill]]'' (1974).

In 1977, Hill produced a special in [[Australia]] ''(see below)'' that provided material for some scattered episodes of the U.S. half-hour syndicated edits. The cast of that Australian show included [[Barry Otto]] and [[Ron Shand]].

The programme also aired on [[GBC TV]] in the British Overseas territory of [[Gibraltar]].

In Spain, the programme was immensely popular in the early 1980s. With the arrival of the commercial stations, [[Telecinco]], in its first guise, depended heavily on old programming, and ''The Benny Hill Show'' would usually air for 60–90 minutes every night before the 20:30 news programme.

In Chile, the programme was broadcast for [[Chilevisión|Universidad de Chile Televisión]] from 1981 to 1990.

===Repeats===
''The Benny Hill Show'' aired in one-hour portions (not corresponding to the original hour-long format), twice nightly on [[BBC America]] from October 2004 to April 2007, restoring much of the mature content not seen in previous American airings but also excising most of the musical segments. Half-hour edits also appeared on ITV.

As of July 2014, the show is being broadcast on [[Australia]]'s [[7Two]]. The show has also been aired in [[India]] on [[UTV (India)|UTV]], dubbed in various Indian languages.

[[Antenna TV]], a network created for [[digital subchannels]] in the [[United States]], started showing the show Friday and Saturday nights in three-hour blocks on New Year's Day, 1 January 2011. This version, while generally following the half-hour syndicated format, included many of the musical numbers.

As of 2017, the show is currently being broadcast on Makedonia TV (M.tv) in Greece.

Currently the show is also available on [[YouTube]] by the channel English Comedy since 29 March 2020

==Cancellation==
In May 1989, Thames Television's Head of Light Entertainment since March 1988, [[John Howard Davies]], invited Hill in for a meeting. Having just returned from a triumphant [[Cannes]] TV festival, Hill assumed that they were to discuss details of a new series. Instead, Davies informed Hill that his programme would discontinue production, and that he was dismissing Hill himself. In an episode about Hill from the documentary series ''Living Famously'', Davies stated there were three reasons why he did so: "the audiences were going down, the programme was costing a vast amount of money, and he (Hill) was looking a little tired." Hill announced that after 21 years with Thames Television he was quitting and taking a year off. His shows had earned Thames £100 million, with a large percentage due to the success of his shows in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=1 June 1989|page=16|title=Benny Hill To Call It A Day}}</ref> At its peak in 1977, 21.10 million viewers in the U.K. watched Hill's show. In 1989, the last Thames episode attracted 9.58 million viewers. Despite declining ratings in the UK, the show was still one of Britain's most successful TV exports, airing in 97 other countries [http://sabotagetimes.com/tv-film/the-truth-about-benny-hill].

Even though it was a ratings winner in the 1970s and 80s, in the 21st Century ''The Benny Hill Show'' was not repeated in full on national TV for 20 years, until That's TV announced that the programme would feature in its Christmas schedule, alongside other ITV programmes like ''Beadle's About'' and ''Kenny Everett's New Year Specials''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/benny-hill-back-on-national-tv-after-two-decades-809573636.html|title = Benny Hill back on national TV after two decades}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2021/11/18/49656/benny_hill_is_back_on_tv|title=Benny Hill is back on TV : News 2021 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.atvtoday.co.uk/188328-gold/|title=Benny Hill, Tommy Cooper, Jeremy Beadle, Kenny Everett and Mike Yarwood for Christmas TV|date=18 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/christmas-channel-freeview-freesat-thats-tv-xmas/|title = New Christmas Channel on Freeview / Freesat: That's TV Xmas|date = 18 November 2021}}</ref>

==Programme list==
* ''The Benny Hill Show'', broadcast on BBC Television/BBC 1 (1955, 1957–1958, 1961, 1964–1966, 1968) – 32 episodes were made (''in black & white'').
* ''The Benny Hill Show'', made by ATV and broadcast on ITV (1957–1960, 1967) – Nine episodes were made (''in b&w'').
* ''The Benny Hill Show'', made by Thames and broadcast on ITV (1969–1986, 1988–1989) – 58 episodes were made (''in colour, except ep. 6-8, in b&w due to the [[Colour Strike]]'').
* ''Benny Hill Down Under'' – 1977 special broadcast on [[Network 10|Channel 10]] – one episode (''in colour'').
* ''Benny Hill's World Tour: New York!'' - 1991 special broadcast on the [[USA Network]] - one episode (''in colour'').<ref>{{IMDb title|tt0200476}}.</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Gale Group|author2=Thomas Riggs|title=Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nuVkAAAAMAAJ|year=2002|publisher=Cengage Gale|isbn=978-0-7876-5114-5}}</ref>

==Other programmes featuring Benny Hill==
* ''Hi There!'', broadcast on BBC TV (1951). One episode was made.
* ''The Centre Show'', broadcast on BBC TV (1953). Seven episodes were made. After the first episode, this was retitled ''The Forces Show''.
* ''Showcase'', broadcast on BBC TV (1954). Eight episodes were made.
* ''Benny Hill'', broadcast on BBC TV (1962–1963). Sitcom where Hill played a different role every week. 19 episodes were made.
* ''The Waiters'' (1969). 30-minute silent film.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/473323/credits.html|title = BFI Screenonline: Hill, Benny (1924–1992) Credits|publisher = screenonline.org.uk|access-date = 13 October 2010}}</ref>
* ''Eddie in August'' (1970). 25-minute silent film.<ref name="VahimagiGrade1996">{{cite book|author1 = Tise Vahimagi|author2 = Michael Ian Grade|title = British television: an illustrated guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNMaAQAAIAAJ|year=1996|publisher = Oxford University Press|isbn = 9780198159278}}</ref><ref name="Ross1999">{{cite book|author = Robert Ross|title = Benny Hill: merry master of mirth; the complete companion|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=gDIcAQAAIAAJ|year=1999|publisher = Batsford|isbn = 978-0-7134-8422-9}}</ref>
*[[Omnibus (British TV programme)|''Omnibus'']] ''Benny Hill - Clown Imperial'' BBC One (1991). An hour long documentary of his life, with commentary from celebrities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Benny Hill – Clown Imperial|url=http://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150392303|access-date=17 November 2020|website=Collections Search {{!}} BFI {{!}} British Film Institute}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC One – 20 December 1991 – BBC Genome|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1991-12-20|access-date=17 December 2020|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

==DVD releases==
In 2004, the Thames specials were released uncut (except for ad-break bumpers) in [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]] DVD sets for the U.S. by [[A&E Television Networks|A&E Home Video]] (under license from [[Thames Television|Thames]], [[talkbackTHAMES]] and [[FremantleMedia International]]), entitled ''Benny Hill: Complete & Unadulterated''. Each set represents multiple years of the show in order of original airings, with "Benny Hill Trivia Challenges", a booklet and extras. Fifty-eight episodes of the Thames years were showcased in the collection, but Hill's 1977 Australian TV special ("Down Under") was not, and remains unavailable on DVD.

In 2005, the Thames specials began to appear uncut (including the original ad-break bumpers) in [[DVD region code#2|Region 2]] DVD sets, each representing one year and entitled ''The Benny Hill Annual''. Sets for each year from 1970 through 1989 have been released on DVD by Network. Two box sets were released of the 1970–1979 Annuals and 1980–1989 Annuals, with a set containing all the Annuals "double bundled up together". In 2005, [[Warner Home Video]] released a collection of the surviving episodes Hill did for the BBC (roughly half of them exist) on [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]] DVD as ''Benny Hill: The Lost Years''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{British Comedy Guide|tv|the_benny_hill_show}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0063869|title=The Benny Hill Show}}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.museum.tv/eotv/bennyhillsh.htm |title= The Benny Hill Show |website= [[Museum of Broadcast Communications]] |first= Albert |last= Moran |date= 25 October 2013 }}
* {{cite web |url= http://www.tnsf.ca/bennyhill |title= Benny Hill Songbook |website= True North, Strong and Free (TNSF) |date= 24 July 1998 }}
* [http://www.runstop.de Benny's Place] featuring [[Louise English]] & Hill's Angels

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[[Category:1989 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1950s British television sketch shows]]
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[[Category:Cross-dressing in television]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
[[Category:ITV sketch shows]]
[[Category:Television shows produced by Thames Television]]
[[Category:Television series by Fremantle (company)]]
[[Category:Television shows shot at Teddington Studios]]