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Things You Didn’t Know About Benny Hill
His career had some serious peaks and valleys.
In many ways Benny Hill was a paradox. He was a comedian who didn’t like to work in front of crowds. His humor often involved bawdy skits but in real life he was awkward around women. And in the later part of his career his act incorporated children.
Benny was wildly popular for a period of time until public sentiment turned against him because of the bawdiness of his material. In addition to his comedic talent, Benny was also gifted musically. He had perfect pitch. Against this background, here are some things you didn’t know about Benny Hill.
1: He was born Alfred Hawthorne Hill.
He took the name Benny after his favorite comedian, Jack Benny. Seems like he could have gone either way when naming himself after Jack Benny. I do think Benny Hill sounds better than Jack Hill.
2: He was a draft dodger during WWII, but the army eventually caught up with him and “suggested” he join.
Initially he was a mechanic, but that proved to be a poor fit. He was then transferred to the Combined Services Entertainment Division. There he developed an act that appealed to soldiers. It was not genteel.
