Benny Hill (Actor, Comedian)

Cause of death: Heart attack

Birth: Jan. 21, 1924
Death: Apr. 18, 1992

Best remembered for his comic antics on "The Benny Hill Show," which ran on television from 1955 to 1989. Born Alfred Hawthorn Hill in Southampton, England, where his grandfather introduced him to Burlesque Shows and the comic world of theater. Both his father and uncle were circus clowns, performing until they left for military service during World War I. During World War II, he served in the British Army, and after his discharge in 1945, he came to London where he began appearing in variety shows. He adopted the stage name “Benny Hill”, in honor of his favorite comedian, Jack Benny. He did radio shows and briefly formed a duo with Reg Varney, but it was his talent for comic timing and for impressions that got him his first break on television with the show, "Hi There" in 1949. He got his own show in 1955, and it was a pioneer in its day, with cheeky humor, songs and impressions, that kept it popular for the next 34 years. Benny also made cameo appearances in films such as "The Italian Job" (1969), "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968), and "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" (1965). In 1979, The “Benny Hill Show” was shown on television in the United States, where it became an immediate hit. After the show was dropped in 1989, Benny completed a television special in 1992, shortly before his death to a heart attack. He was reported to have died while sitting in his favorite chair, watching television, at his home in Teddington, England. At the time of his death, and despite his wealth and success, he never owned a car, did his own shopping, and lived in a modest, two-room apartment. After his death, his many honors and awards were found in a large cardboard box, as if they were unimportant to him. His estate was worth over 10 million pounds (about 15 million United States Dollars), which he had left to his parents (he was never married), but as they had passed away earlier, the estate was divided equally among his seven nieces and nephews.

Burial:
Hollybrook Cemetery
Shirley, Southhampton, England