Hill, Benny (1925-1992)

English comedian. His television shows, which first appeared in 1952, combined the bawdy humour of the seaside postcard with the manic slapstick of the silent cinema, a format which he perfected but never really changed.

Hill was born in Southampton. His early career included work as a milkman and a period in the army during World War II, where he also appeared as a forces entertainer. As well as writing all the scripts and music for his shows, he often played all the characters himself. Regarded as too risqué early in his career, he was later condemned for being sexist, but many critics nevertheless saw him as the last of the great visual comics. His TV shows were sold to 109 countries in his lifetime.