1991: BENNY HILL on his COMEDY SUCCESS | Omnibus | Comedy Icons | BBC Archive

[@TallSilentGuy]

Just seeing Benny being himself on camera was a real treat.

[@humbleopinion1499]

Best comment yet. Delightful to see the real person talking so casually about his life and times. Such a clever comedian.

[@slabbusterrtr7690]

Loved Benny Hill when I was a kid

[@itsahellofaname]

Two months after this, he had a heart attack. Two months after that, he was dead. He looks so well in this video!

[@valuetraveler2026]

yep enjoy life as much as you can while you can!

[@michellefalleur960]

​@@valuetraveler2026 -- too true

[@Johnnyrocks34]

Wow! Thx for info! He died young. Sad.

[@Tom_Mroz]

Gives all new meaning to this interview. So valuable.

[@Johnnyrocks34]

He looked very healthy and in great shape. Seemed very happy!

[@Zontar82]

his style of comedy was soo good that he didn't need any words, that's why he was famous all over the world

[@bladder1010]

From Canada, this is true. Wonderful comedian.❤

[@scottishwildcat]

I don't know what Benny Hill Shows you watched, but nearly all of his comedy was verbal. There were usually just a couple of silent sketches in each show.

[@goodiesguy]

@@scottishwildcat Probably the American (well mostly for America) half-hour edits. They basically were like putting his shows on Shuffle, but most it was the silent stuff, until they ran out of that and ended up using almost everything. But you are right, his original hour long (well 52 minutes) specials that we got here in NZ/AUS/UK generally only contained maybe one silent sketch, maybe two at most, not counting the closing chase.

[@GKsGS400]

Mr. Bean also. Universal comedy.

[@Sebastian-v9l8l]

From Poalnd, so true.

[@LordBraithwaiteMBE]

Benny was such a lovely warm and friendly man and I miss him dearly. I had the honour and privilege of working with him many years ago. I stayed in contact with him right up until his death. He really did mean what he said regarding money meaning nothing to him. He would regularly be sent cash cheques in the post for his work, but he would simply put them behind the clock on his mantle piece. When there was no more room behind the clock, he would go to the bank and pay them in. When Benny died, there were a large amount of these cheques in his flat that had never been paid into the bank.

[@bfyrth]

Yes, he was a damn fine fellow

[@Fip999]

So lovely to hear 🙏🏻

[@erviram5494]

From Albania lots of love and respect for benny and his team ❤

[@TheFlixFiles]

Growing up in the 70s/80s in the UK, I still remember how excited we'd all get as a family whenever a new Benny Hill show was on TV that night.

[@ColinBarrett001]

We were the same, and so were millions more.

[@BobAt101]

We where the same in Liverpool, he was excellent.

[@clavichord]

That'd be illegal now....

[@chriss7930]

Same, I was young but can remember my gran passing her self with laughter on Sunday evenings

[@chriss7930]

​@clavichord that's how wet society has got !!

[@ColinBarrett001]

A wonderful man and a brilliant comic. Sadly missed. He would have been 100 this year.

[@freddysquirenaranjo4859]

21 January

[@daviddd99]

Indeed....though at the end he went 'off the boil'. However, for many years from the late 60s he was truly innovative - technically and artistic (especially his Fanny Craddock and Johnny and his take-off of Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'

[@michellefalleur960]

​@@daviddd99 - Yes, oh I Loved them !! Absolutely brilliant !

[@wmbrown6]

@@daviddd99 - So far "off the boil" did Dennis Kirkland take "TBHS," we never got to see how Benny would have taken on the mid-'80's practice of colorizing old black-and-white films, the way he had with his spoofs of cut-up and warped-sound '30's movies or the way images and credits were cut off CinemaScope films as shown on TV. Stuff like his Burton/Taylor parody showed that, at his best, he was up there with Carol Burnett's celebrated vintage film spoofs. A lot of his later '80's show were about as wooden as Bob Hope robotically and mechanically delivering his monologues from obviously written-up cue cards in his '80's specials.

[@daviddd99]

​@@wmbrown6Direct opinions, but sadly on the target. I've never delved into to what extent he went off the boil due to, perhaps, laziness, or external factors such as Kirkland, Thames management etc. It's not as if he needed the money - he was quite frugal

[@TheChappers]

Fluent in six languages. Charlie chaplain had bundles of videos on him - he adored his work. Sad that he died alone and wasn’t found for a few days after. A true comic genius.

[@BruceLee-fd7uw]

Who was fluent in 6 languages.

[@kevphillips02]

He was fluent in 6 languages

[@Digmen1]

Ive never seen an interview with Benny before. I loved his shows so much

[@JavierGonzalez-oe1qq]

What a charming, affable, honest, lovable man. Yes I grew up watching The Benny Hill Show in San Francisco back in the 70's..naughty humor even by San Francisco standards, late night of course, safe harbor, that sort of thing. What an influence he's had on me. I love this guy. I hope to see this man in Heaven.

[@geegoudge9965]

Benny was a comic genius in his own right. Had us in stitches as kids. 😂❤

[@paulblatch01]

He still has me stitches today.

[@Picnicl]

'In his own right'? Superfluous words surely as in whose other right might have people been thinking in connection with him?

[@nudisco300]

A lovely man who sent me a hand signed and written photograph when I wrote to him as a 10 year old fan!

[@jjforcebreaker]

What a lad. They don't make them like they used to anymore.

[@mikkifarmer9626]

R.I.P to British comedy icon Benny Hill. Every Sunday night at 11:30 PM, I would be glued to the TV set watching his antics.

[@MarkJoseph-vv4pj]

Unbelievable. I have never seen him out of character doing an interview. Incredibly talented comedian and modest person. Thanks for posting. RIP Benny.

[@mrlotusmic]

Four months after the original broadcast Benny passed away April 1992.

[@DiRtYLaWs2007]

He also died the day after Frankie Howerd passed away, but both deaths were reported by the news simultaneously. Two British comedy behemoths gone within 24 hours of each other.

[@SurvivingTheApocalypse]

@@DiRtYLaWs2007there was even a quote from Benny in Frankie’s obituary in the papers, his press secretary didn’t know he was dead and gave it to the press when they called.

[@StephenH-ms9og]

Comedy genius and a gentleman. Great memories. RIP Benny.

[@Dee-no3xm]

I used to see Bennyhill at our nursing home he was a true gentleman..lovely man

[@katsuyaki7605]

I had been in southern England for about six months when I found out that Benny Hill had passed away, and it just crushed me. I thought he had already passed away, and if I had known that he was still alive when I first got there, I would definitely have tried to meet him. What a lost opportunity. Rest in peace, Mr. Hill.

[@wurly164]

The world is much better off, having Benny Hill in our lives

[@turnerthemanc]

what a gem that was. He seemed so well for someone who only had less than a year left.

[@kachdragonfly]

Benny Hill was huge in Australia. We loved him.

[@UKArtlover]

I wrote to Benny ( at the time “care of Teddington Post office ) just after this video was aired in the early 90s.. within a week I had a hand signed photo with kind comments about the puns I’d dared to send him 😂, treasured to this day 😊

[@narinoamor]

He seems such a lovely man! He brought so much joy to the world! It’s shame he doesn’t get the recognition and respect he deserves. Thanks for all the memories and laughs Benny! He absolutely loved in Colombia! He shows emptied the streets.

[@martinalarcon3108]

He is a wonderful 😮😢man , he is a wonderful man as he would say in one of his sketches 😮

[@Nina5144]

Oh I’m sure he knew how much he was loved - his series’ were very popular with high viewing figures.

[@petergedd9330]

What kind of recognition are you thinking of? Just about everyone loved him, his shows are still on TV probably all around the globe.

[@johntaylor6345]

Whatever people think of Benny Hill, he was very clever and hilarious. He was a brilliant wordsmith just like Les Dawson was. Sad how he died. He's right. You can only wear one shirt at a time etc.

[@TopDocsFullDocumentaries]

Miss you Benny, You we’re one of the BEST 💯👍

[@maximem1033]

A remarkable interview by one of greatest comedian of the 20th century ❤

[@stevem4005]

Dear Benny Hill, such a lovely man. Thank you for all the laughter.

[@NoosaHeads]

In his own way, he was a comic genius too. For Charlie Chaplin to have all of Benny Hill's videos, says it all.

[@davethejonny8002]

What a down to earth normal fella. Bravo Sir.

[@mikebutler3263]

Nice to hear Benny talking.

[@MadderMel]

Some people say it's very sad the way he lived and died , but in a way he didn't really care for fame or money , he just loved his comedy ! In many ways he was an ordinary person , just like me and you !

[@philipatoz]

It's truly inconceivable that Benny would be 100 if still alive today! His sketches would have me literally in tears of laughter! Benny and the Pythons were my first exposures to British humor. And while both were very silly, Benny leaned more toward the wet-the-pants silliness.

[@BigAmp]

What a delightful man; went way before his time, he still had so much more to give.

[@StephenLyons-tl8ie]

Bless him. May he always rest in peace.

[@melcrose]

The "He's cheaper.." was him defined. Out of nowhere, something you should have seen coming but didn't, he telling it side-eyed as he looks down and away.. flawless delivery.

[@fnln544]

My grandmother adored watching Benny Hill. No doubt Benny is bringing laughter to Heaven. Great his work is still available today!

[@BastianBlock]

That little clip changed my whole perception of Benny Hill as a "private" Person. Very insightful.

[@simonbletsoe7059]

Happy 100th, Benny. So much joy and laughter. RIP, mate.

[@Alfredromeothatsme]

Brilliant entertainer and master wordsmith with a natural comedic bent. Decades in the business with never a bad word spoken of him. The legend that is Benny Hill!

[@tasercs]

People can debate endlessly about Benny's style of humour. But they are debating today, with hindsight. Back in the 70's, the humour was unique, it was groundbreaking and it was funny. The fact is, he came into our living rooms during a long-lost time when the whole family came together, and you were guaranteed to laugh together. Everyone that experienced that can remember how nice that was. Just imagine the joy and laughter he brought to millions of people worldwide in his lifetime. A truly amazing legacy.

[@georgereynolds3422]

I first saw Benny Hill on T.V. here in the States in the late seventies/early eighties in half hour versions of his show, edited so that his age seemed to change because the bits were taken from different episodes. I loved them, then and now. The dvd sets are the best way to view the master at work. R.I.P. Mr. Hill...you've made so many people so very happy.( Insert Fred Scuttle salute here!)

[@rogerpritchard]

He came into our front room every week and made us all laugh. Yes it was silly but everyone laughed together. Thankyou Benny.

[@jimdoran7723]

My mother loved The Benny Hill Show, she'd laugh hysterically. She was really enjoying herself! Good memories!

[@pendragon4905]

Love this man! Eccentric, solitary and brilliant. He was treated disgracefully by ITV. The company for which he made a fortune! He brought joy to millions and fortunately we can still enjoy his genius today.

[@SunShine-dk6rk]

Grew up watching "The Benny Hill Show" as a youngster of the 70s we loved his show, Top of the Pops, Play School, Magpie, nice times, Thanks to the uploader,best wishes to eveyone ❤❤❤.

[@robertcolacino7310]

First guy in my neighborhood to get Benny Hill absolutely genius and had such a laugh every Benny Hill episode, I loved Benny Hill and the old bald man hahaha thanks Benny

[@robinh633]

What came through in this was, what a nice guy. Someone you could imagine yourself spending an evening talking with and come away feeling better for it.

[@westfield90]

God bless him. Bringing laughter to the world is the greatest legacy anyone can leave

[@andrewlorenz3139]

I went to a funeral last week. A joyous celebration of a life well lived. Ernie was played during the reflection. So appropriate and a great reflection of the way Dave lived his life and of Benny Hill. Had not heard it for years but the lyrics came back like it was yesterday. RIP both of you.

[@Voxac100b]

What an intelligent interesting man Benny was

[@AIDANC1999]

Never delved much into Benny Hill far past listening to Ernie the fastest milkman. What a brilliant down to earth bloke, really enjoyed watching that interview.

[@hilaryepstein6013]

A nice centenary (almost) tribute to one of the great comedians of my childhood.

[@Witchfinder.General]

You won't see a classic English comedian in the music hall tradition like Benny Hill again. A 20th century treasure

[@johnathanryan2117]

Brilliant fella , not many can cover all the disciplines from Music Hall to Blockbuster Film like Benny did. Sadly missed.

[@LeShark75]

Benny Hill has always been my favourite comedian. Like a lot of people I grew up with the show through the 1980's and Benny's humour made a major impression on my overall sense of humour and how I tell a joke to this very day. Where I used to work many years ago a woman in the office said "You like Benny Hill? You're a pervert!" I said "Stick around!" Lol. One of Benny's gags that folds me in half every time I see it is in the hospital sketch, when he does the reaction test on the nurses knee and she kicks him in the nuts. He's not even said anything and it kills me Lol. Good times, thanks Benny!

[@DenkyManner]

That was really interesting, I've never seen him talk like this before. Regardless of what i think of what he made it's nice to see a glimpse of his process He died the next year.

[@Traillblazer]

Legend.

[@miketurner1608]

Remember us lads saying next day did you see the benny hill show ?and laughing at it all over again. Great bloke 😅

[@sugarbertie1143]

Exactly the same amongst my friends mate. He was ALWAYS the topic of discussion the following day, his saucy comedy was legendary. God how I miss him.

[@Bootrosgali]

What a nice man ❤

[@vincent6670]

He doesn't have to say a word just the sight of him I burst out laughing😂😅

[@sugarbertie1143]

His facial expression and his cheeky smile said it all! He was an absolute diamond of comedy. God rest him.

[@SharonTateFan67]

Loved Benny's cheeky songs and his little gang , Bob Todd, Rita Webb, little Jackie Wright and Henry McGee

[@martinalarcon3108]

Still today sometimes I sing , please don’t blame my doggie 🐶 is not fault at all someone let a wt umbrella standing in the door 😮

[@darren5595]

What a shame there’s not legends on tv like him anymore to pc 😢

[@MargaretUK]

True, a lot of what he did would not be allowed nowadays 🙄

[@MultiVic1982]

Benny is such a legend, his work is eternal...

[@pmafterdark]

Grew up watching Benny as a kid. Still love and miss him dearly.

[@bsmith6646]

Ahh seemed like a very decent chap. I do remember as a kid when his passing was on the news. Only then realised how famous he was globally as there were tributes from all over the world, including from Michael Jackson and seem to remember Robert DeNiro gave a tribute. His show was wonderful. Yeah it's dated but he's a ledge. The Halitosis Kid was one I always remember 😂

[@americarsqueensland1667]

So nice to see this interview with Benny late in his life. He was a brilliant comedian.

[@adamdickson1404]

Great man - brought a lot of pleasure to a lot of people.

[@robertduncan6361]

A truly great comedian, it's about time Teddington put up a statue of Benny Hill.....after all Benny Hill put up with Teddington for long enough 😂.

[@ashleyhoward8926]

Two Ton Ted might have to move aside at last..

[@2_thumbs_up_baby]

Lovely to see this. Very natural interview. I was just going to say he's probably picking up his naughty mags at the newsagents and then the lady handed them to him 😅

[@barteknowak9555]

one of the greatest ever!

[@kevinprowse406]

I love Benny Hill. Used to watch him with my dad as a kid. Good memories.

[@johnmartin7158]

Me too. I miss the old days of TV and music as well. I’m 66 now.

[@milfordcivic6755]

WLVI 56 out of Boston used to show Benny Hill at 11pm when I was a kid in the 80s. It was past my bedtime, but I could still hear my father laughing while watching it from the living room.

[@alpha-male1959]

Man!! The world could use some Benny today Miss his comedy so much

[@dangaAgadanga]

I remember the original broadcast. I’m astonished that these clips are the entirety of his interview, worth 12 minutes, while the other 40 minutes would have been clips of his show (and clips of other notable guests talking about him)

[@goodiesguy]

Yep, I've got 3 different copies of this special (original BBC Omnibus, the VHS release as 'The World's Favourite Clown' and an extended French cut), but this is pretty much his entire interview. The only thing missing is him talking in french to a few reporters and to his french voice dubber Roger Carel.

[@MelliaBoomBot]

In all my years I have never seen him interviewed, fascinating..he is so full of energy..what a guy..spoke french apparently. I grew up in the 80's in the UK but now live in France now and once I visited Brest and there was a couple living upstairs and they were from south America..all of a sudden I hear the Benny Hill title music! That was brilliant..my friend told me that BH is really popular in France. Well there you go...

[@johnnysutherland5717]

What a beautiful video - to get to "see" and understand better, the real Benny Hill. A brilliant man and a wonderful entertainer. One of a kind.

[@goodiesguy]

I wish the BBC would make available his surviving BBC specials (apart from the Lost Years DVD) as those years contained some of his most innovative and original material, and would certainly raise his stature in the public eye.

[@marquonuk]

Absolutely. There's some of his B/W BBC stuff here on KZbin, but I would gladly pay for DVDs of all of it. The shows were, how do I put it, tamer? No, that makes it sound like they're not worth watching, and they really are! He made less use of pretty girls as backdrops in that era, and had some great comedy actors working with him, like Bella Emberg, who we associate more with Russ Abbott, and Patricia Hayes, who also appeared with Tony Hancock as semi-regular Mrs Cravat. The sketches were just as inventive as his 1970s stuff, and were where he first tried putting himself on screen as multiple characters simultaneously, for example, such as in his Juke Box Jury skit. :-)

[@wmbrown6]

I've oft wondered if it was his final departure from the BBC in 1969 for Thames that triggered them to accept John Cleese's proposal to have him and Graham Chapman joined by Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam for what went on the air in the fall as "Monty Python's Flying Circus" - especially since those four wrapped up the second (and as matters developed, final) series of "Do Not Adjust Your Set" for Thames at the time. Besides what was noted about "the Beeb," in retailiation, destroying the videotape masters of his last three shows for them.

[@wmbrown6]

@@marquonuk - His very first show for Thames, on Nov. 19, 1969, had a sketch, "The Russian Zone," about a honeymooning couple whose suite was divided into American and Russian zones, a morality play on how Cold War tensions could ruin even a simple honeymoon - something I would've expected "Monty Python" to do. The night that show was taped, the BBC aired the second "Python" episode with the "Marriage Counsellor" sketch which was everything Benny would later be accused of being.

[@pteg80]

It'll be his 100th birthday in a few days. I have fond memories of watching him with my dad when I was a kid. My dad loved comedy, but most of the stuff he watched went over my head. Not Benny, though. All ages could find something to laugh at from his work.

[@iamtryingtoassistyou]

Living people have birthdays. It will be the 100th anniversary of his birth.

[@MaoPangStudio]

This is delightful, absolute legend

[@russthebiker]

As professor Cherry ,in the Italian job,he captured the British psyche, still quoted today on building sites to ŕacous laughter

[@michellefalleur960]

...".. pity people aren't as nice as flowers.." 🌸 💐🌹 🌺 .. " take your flowers and get on the bus .." !

[@michellefalleur960]

He was called professor Peach , in that film

[@WhisperingWillow-hq5re]

Brilliant man.. Watched him as a child in the 70s - most of the jokes would have passed over my head but loved him dearly.

[@Simorgh9]

I grew up in Canada in the 80s and cannot explain how excited I would become when I could somehow catch the Benny Hill Show on television. Definitely an enjoyable part of my childhood. I'm glad I found this clip, he really comes across as having been a nice man. Rest in Peace, Benny!

[@jwgorman]

I've read so many things about the great Benny Hill that suggest he was a sad weirdo, and this video made me happy because it shows that that image of him was BS. He seems so down to earth here. Also, candid, decent, upbeat and insightful. Great video. RIP Benny!

[@bluecollarguy67]

There are very, very few people whom I greatly admire, but Benny Hill is definitely one of them. My other two people are Carl Sagan and Orson Welles.

[@buddyhell7100]

Thank you Alf, for the great laughter you caused every week across the world. You brought joy everywhere.

[@casted8034]

My dad and I used to watch his show together when I was a kid, and I loved it. I was allowed to stay up a little later and watch it. Great memories!

[@ricric9521]

My brothers and I would laugh so fn hard when we watched Benny Hill. We always looked forward to watching it. Thanks Benny

[@martinalarcon3108]

Me and my brother 😮too stay until 1130 or 12 PM to watch sometimes a little topless action , made our night 😮😢

[@stephenmandes5797]

I was in HS and would come home from work at around 11 PM ….just in time for Benny Hill in the U.S. on PBS (Thames TV). My parents would hear me laughing.

[@UXB-p5u]

A comic genius much missed but never forgotten ❤️

[@limeyosu2000]

This is the first time I have seen Benny do an interview! He is such a nice grounded man. So sad when he passed took 3 days to discover he had passed RIP Benny.

[@stephenblakely4463]

Bennys been my hero since im 12 yrs old. Me and my grandfather watchn his show was some of my very fondest memories. Thank Sir Benny

[@markbehr88]

Love Benny ❤

[@johnmartin7158]

Totally. I miss him a lot.

[@smallberries]

A friend or mine worked as a cameraman on his show. He said Benny was very, very serious about all his gags. A perfectionist. Not very light hearted about anything.

[@johnmartin7158]

Thanks for sharing.

[@curlyteeth3097]

Thankyou ....thankyou! ....wow what a great insight to a LEG-END! ....."They won't forget ernie! " ❤!

[@stevenfrost6441]

A True Comedy Icon. Me and my Dad watched Benny Hill Every Night before bed. Great Memories.

[@brandywell44]

This is wonderful, the real human side of Benny Hill

[@LieutenantGarber]

Never seen this, great stuff. Always exoected him to be a bit 'wacky' but nothing of the sort, a humble and warm man

[@porks8318]

I love this man!

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

We used to love watching his show when we were kids. I guess since it was a little "naughty" we thought it was cool that our parents let us watch it. I wish we could see it in re-runs, but I don't think that's going to happen. RIP Benny! 🕯️❣️

[@marquonuk]

In the UK, I think some of his stuff has been repeated on the That's TV (Freeview) channel most recently? Late last year? I have all of his 1970s episodes on DVD (probably his most successful shows) so I didn't watch it live.

[@miznic]

I never knew he was from Southampton. Lived there when I was a kid... and loved every part of it. This guy was one of my favorite Brit comedians growing up -- but I also am very aware that a lot of what he did for laughs... would never play well today. Which is a sad state of affairs. Dude was funny as hell.

[@kevinstrade2752]

I love this Guy.