Apparently we're blessed with “Hills” aplenty in this land of no hills, (as mentioned in my introduction to these Little Histories). As a suffix the word Hill mysteriously, and misleadingly, adorns the names of a number of locations in my nook of S. W. London. So, bang on trend is, or was, Alfred Hawthorne Hill, who lived locally in a flat. Of course he did.
Better known as Benny Hill, he lived from 1924 until 1992, the last six years of which he rented in Teddington. He never owned property, being uncomfortable with the idea of parting with large sums of money. Pity. ‘Benny and the Debts’ has a ring to it.
He was the first British comedian to achieve fame through television, becoming a major star worldwide for over 40 years. His TV shows were sold to at least 109 countries, aided by his emphasis on visual humour which overcame language barriers.
Charlie Chaplin was a fan of Hill's work, (and vice versa), and invited him to his home in Switzerland where was surprised, and flattered, to discover Chaplin had a collection of his comedy work on video. Hill won the Charlie Chaplin International Award for Comedy at the 1991 Festival of Comedy in Vevey, Switzerland, which given his love of silent comedy, and respect for Chaplin, was a source of much pride.
There was another side to his comedy however, and the introduction of the dance troupe Hill's Angels in 1980 gradually reinforced the impression he was mutating from 'naughty boy' into 'dirty old man'. Considered by growing numbers to be vulgar and sexist Hill became unfashionable, and in 1989, after years of success, he was dropped by Thames with his comedy perceived as out of date. He was never to work in television again,
Worth millions due to royalties from The Benny Hill Show the late actor was frugal, indeed, so careful with money he would wear the same clothes until threadbare, and was not averse to gluing the soles of his shoes back on when they became loose (I remember days like those).
Hill spent his later years living in the aforementioned flat, a modest home in Waterfront House overlooking the river Thames, and a short walk to and from Teddington Studios, so saving on shoe leather and taxi fares. This, of course, is where Two-Ton Ted the bread man lived, against whom Ernie, the fastest milkman in the west, went to battle in 1971 over Sue at No. 22.
Flat 7, Fairwater House
On April 22nd 1992 Hill was found here at home where he had died from a heart attack four days earlier, sitting in front of the TV.
Teddington Studios
Unsurprisingly, many blue plaques adorned Teddington Television Studios, including those for Benny Hill, Sid James, Irene Handl and Tommy Cooper which were stolen just before the studios were demolished in February 2016. All remaining plaques were hurriedly placed into secure storage thereafter.
Red arrow: Fairwater House (Hill might’ve been able to watch Monty Python’s Fish Slapping
Dance live from his flat window, had he moved there fifteen years earlier).
Blue arrow: Teddington Studios, as was
Green arrow: A favourite pub on Teddington High Street where Hill would sometimes take a
drink, and / or lunch
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