Friday, January 21, 2022

Today in Comics History, January 21: Happy birthday, Benny Hill!

Born on this day in 1924: English funnyman Benny Hill, star of radio (Benny Hill Time), movies (The Italian Job, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines), records ("Ernie, The Fastest Milkman in the West"), and of course, television (The Benny Hill Show).

And comics! Coinciding with his radio success, Benny had a long-running feature page in the UK's Radio Fun and Film Fun, including cover appearances:


covers of Radio Fun Annual 1958 and 1960 (Amalgamated Press), artists unknown

And interior comedy strips!



from Radio Fun #1034 and 1039 (Amalgamated, 2 August and 6 September 1958), illustrated by Reg Parlett

Later, when Benny's show ran (constantly) on Britain's ITV channel, he was featured on both covers and via comic strips in the company's weekly magazine Look-In:




strips from Look-In #10/1977 and 38/198 (ITV, 5 March 1977 and 13 September 1980), script by Angus P. Allan, pencils and inks by Bill Titcombe

And even the occasional feature page or two!


"Trans-Atlantic Scuttle" from Look-In #38/198, by Terry Tanell

(Then again, Benny was always keen on putting the foot in the groin getting paid advertisement placement):


advert from Film Fun #1931 (19 January 1957)

Happy birthday, Benny Hill! Slap a little bald man on the head today for me!


from "The Mad Nasty File" in MAD #260 (January 1986), script by Tom Koch, pencils and inks by Gerry Gersten

at

2 comments:

  1. Danny Boy Bell1/23/2022 11:25 AM

    This (Jan 21) is my birthday, and while I knew Benny Hill was born on this day (as was Geena Davis), I had no idea Wolfman Jack was. (Not to mention Pete Ross. And I'm exactly the same age as Richard Brannigan, apparently.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bully1/23/2022 11:54 PM

    That's cool! I like it when commenters mention with whom their birthdays coincide with. Many happy returns, Danny — and have a great upcoming year!

    ReplyDelete