Benny Hill

[Bounci]

Originally Posted by lonmol

I was shocked to learn that Benny Hill is now considered to be the anti-christ, and there's public outrage whenever a rerun of his show airs. So, they've basically banned Benny Hill. What's next, Bugs Bunny cartoons? Oh wait, episodes of that have already been banned. The Honeymooners isn't shown anymore, because it promotes violence towards women (I'm not kidding). Even Sesame Street and the Muppet Show have content disclaimers on them! People are f*cking insane, these days.

Sad to say, Benny was practically banned upon his death in 1992, and he's not the only one over here in the UK. Now the Carry On's have scenes cut out of them, and Are You Being Served? is also a no go. Yet today's 'comics' like Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle can say far more offensive things than anything olden comedy ever did, and as long as they ride out a storm of criticism their bosses stick by them. It's hypocrisy and it stinks, but there you go.

Anyway, here's another saucy scene from The Benny Hill Show (Series 7, Episode 1, to be exact), and is a musical number that features the lad himself Benny Hill, little Jackie Wright and the beautiful voice of Eddie Buchanan, who died far too young at just 47 in 1987. It's a sketch called "Mexican Cabaret", and as well as having a great song, it features Dilys Watling dancing around in a sexy purple costume that really doesn't cover her bottom. Benny and Jackie play the bongos while she cavorts all around them, throwing out various quips, and when Dilys decides to dance by Jackie, Benny glances at her bum and says "That's what the public want - New Faces!" And he's right. In his heyday, Benny got 21 million viewers (yes, 21 million!), and a good number of them women, so he must of been doing something right. As Ernie Wise said upon Benny's death in April 1992 "I think if you just look at it as entertainment and if it makes you laugh, that's what matters." Wise words indeed.

Oh, and lonmol, you mentioned that you liked Jacki Piper from the Carry Ons, so you may be interested in this somewhat revealing scene from Carry on Up the Jungle that I've posted in the Carry On thread here: https://forum.oneclickchicks.com/sho...9&postcount=58

[Bounci]

My 2nd video involving Dilys Watling comes from the same episode as above, and is from the western sketch "El Paso", with Benny Hill playing a cowboy going into a bar and ordering a drink - only for him to miss the drink slid down to him and covering Dilys at the end of the bar with drink. What's more noticable is that getting Dilys wet made her top see through, and you can clearly see her breasts through the top - quite surprising for an 'official actress.' And because of the nudity in this episode, it was cut from the American broadcasts when it was shown over in the States. I've slowed it down for you so you can get a good look for yourselves.

As for Dilys Watling, she took her surname from her stepfather after her father was killed in WW2. She made her screen debut in 1962 in TV series Compact before appearing in several things over the 60's and 70's, working with the likes of Morcambe & Wise, Dick Emery, Frankie Howerd and The Two Ronnies to name a few - and of course, Benny Hill. By the 1980's her TV work was few and far between, and she seems to of concentrated on theatre after that. She married twice, the second to actor Owen Teale, but sadly last August passed away after a long illness aged 79.

[Lotfw]

wow yes never saw this episode..although probably never would have picked up her nipples showing through on my old B+W TV . What is your source of these? Rebroadcast/DVD?

[Bounci]

Originally Posted by Lotfw

wow yes never saw this episode..although probably never would have picked up her nipples showing through on my old B+W TV . What is your source of these? Rebroadcast/DVD?

A couple I'd seen from the recent TV broadcast, but after noticing that a few episodes had clearly been cut or edited, I decided to look around on the net for any Benny Hill episodes, and found they have the entire series from ITV from 1969 to 1989 on the ok ru channel. It's there that I've been able to edit these videos from.

This one is from Series 8, and features the lovely Diana Darvey in a scanty costume performing a dance and routine, with Benny Hill and Jackie Wright trying to impress her. Not only is the costume a knockout (it even got mentions in popular magazine, pics of which I include here), but part of the joy is seeing Diana getting the giggles when it comes to a certain point near the end of the video. She was a regular on The Benny Hill Show in the mid 70's and her cheeky and happy features makes her a real joy whenever she appears on it.

Diana, it will be of no surprise to hear was the daughter of a former Windmill Girl (striptease club), and born in Bristol in 1945. Her early life mirrored that of Dilys Watling from the previous post, in that she lost her father when she was 2 and took on her stepfather's surname when she went into show business. After time as a Redcoat at Butlins and performing in revista theatre in Spain, she was spotted by Benny Hill during one show, who decided to cast her in his shows. She also appeared in the film Carry on Behind in 1975. After leaving The Benny Hill Show in 1977, she went back to cabaret, touring round the world. Married twice, she was another of Benny's co stars who died far too young, after a fall in 2000 aged just 54. At least seeing these shows we have some wonderful memories of her.

[bencal3]

Long shot request, but I recall some stills of a sketch where he plays a deliveryman or hotel employee delivering a package to a woman in a towel, and tosses it to her so she drops the towel. Anyone familiar with this?

[Bounci]

Originally Posted by bencal3

Long shot request, but I recall some stills of a sketch where he plays a deliveryman or hotel employee delivering a package to a woman in a towel, and tosses it to her so she drops the towel. Anyone familiar with this?

It sounds strangely familiar. If I come across it, I will see if I can upload it for you. As it is, I have a video clip from Series 10 of The Benny Hill Show. It's a musical sequence, and although technically the girls here weren't referred to as Hill's Angels until a year later, it is basically them in skimpy costumes that leave not much to the imagination. For more 'sensitive' (modern) audiences, it does feature Benny Hill blacked up, but as it's his show and like with most comedians of that time (see also The Two Ronnies), they played all the characters themselves, no matter what they were playing. All were fair game for spoofing. Rather more disconcerting is Sue Upton in a schoolgirl uniform, which always seemed a little dubious even when I was a kid. The other girls are Francesca Whitburn (leopard skin), Pauline Crawford (pink), Sarah Woollett (French Maid), Louise English (white),Nola Haynes (gold) and Abigail Higgins (in black).

[lonmol]

Originally Posted by bencal3

Long shot request, but I recall some stills of a sketch where he plays a deliveryman or hotel employee delivering a package to a woman in a towel, and tosses it to her so she drops the towel. Anyone familiar with this?

I remember it well. The girl was particularly beautiful (see photo). I was always on the lookout for her in future episodes, but never saw her again. Search YouTube for: HBO promo for the Benny Hill show (1984). She's at the very end of the clip.

[Bounci]

Originally Posted by lonmol

I remember it well. The girl was particularly beautiful (see photo). I was always on the lookout for her in future episodes, but never saw her again. Search YouTube for: HBO promo for the Benny Hill show (1984). She's at the very end of the clip.

Found the clip. It comes from Series 14, Episode 1 (1983), and is part of a musical sketch known as "Ship's Cruise." It was the last series where it was old school Benny regarding style and nudity, before pressure from feminist and "Alternative comedy" critics saw him change it to more family orientated style. You can't say the man didn't try to appease his critics, though try seeing today's comics do the same when asked!

The sketch mentioned comes at the end of the routine, which sees Jane Conaway surprised in a towel by Benny, who tosses a parcel at her to catch, only for her towel to drop. Before then there is a number of saucy numbers, the most revealing I've compiled into this video. It begins with Jackie and Jenny Lee Wright (no relation) being shown into their cabin by Benny, only to find a chest of drawers with Corrine Russell on the front naked with only a plant pot to spare her modesty. Then there is a fitness dance number by the Hill's Angels (Corrine Russell, Jane Conaway, Sue Upton, Louise English, Elfrida Ashworth, Gilian Adams, Maria Whittaker and Tracy Evans) with thong like costumes, before a cheeky beach ball sketch (which I've included in my Pat of Appreciation thread), then Hills Angels numbers involving only flowers covering their breasts (and also including sisters Sharon and Tina Bond), and lingerie, which also features Mandy Perriment and has Lousie English singing in both numbers. Finally, as mentioned, is Jane Conaway's towel dropping sketch. I thought as they were all from the same musical sketch, they might as well be included in one whole video, though it has meant reducing the number of pics of each sketch.

As for Jane Conaway, she only did the one series with Benny Hill in 1983, and is now a health practitioner and author.

[warm]

Do any ofthe Hot Gossamer clips emphasise the young Sarah Brightman??

[lonmol]

Originally Posted by Bounci

Found the clip. It comes from Series 14, Episode 1 (1983), and is part of a musical sketch known as "Ship's Cruise." It was the last series where it was old school Benny regarding style and nudity, before pressure from feminist and "Alternative comedy" critics saw him change it to more family orientated style. You can't say the man didn't try to appease his critics, though try seeing today's comics do the same when asked!

The sketch mentioned comes at the end of the routine, which sees Jane Conaway surprised in a towel by Benny, who tosses a parcel at her to catch, only for her towel to drop. Before then there is a number of saucy numbers, the most revealing I've compiled into this video. It begins with Jackie and Jenny Lee Wright (no relation) being shown into their cabin by Benny, only to find a chest of drawers with Corrine Russell on the front naked with only a plant pot to spare her modesty. Then there is a fitness dance number by the Hill's Angels (Corrine Russell, Jane Conaway, Sue Upton, Louise English, Elfrida Ashworth, Gilian Adams, Maria Whittaker and Tracy Evans) with thong like costumes, before a cheeky beach ball sketch (which I've included in my Pat of Appreciation thread), then Hills Angels numbers involving only flowers covering their breasts (and also including sisters Sharon and Tina Bond), and lingerie, which also features Mandy Perriment and has Lousie English singing in both numbers. Finally, as mentioned, is Jane Conaway's towel dropping sketch. I thought as they were all from the same musical sketch, they might as well be included in one whole video, though it has meant reducing the number of pics of each sketch.

As for Jane Conaway, she only did the one series with Benny Hill in 1983, and is now a health practitioner and author.

That was the episode when I first noticed that Louise English was the most beautiful girl in the world. There's just something about her.