The sight of Benny Hill scurrying after scantily clad ladies to the jolly
saxophone tune Yakety Sax became an iconic part of British comedy in the 1970s,
and his cheeky, bawdy, slapstick humour also found cult fame in the United
States with people such as Johnny Carson, Michael Jackson and even Snoop Dogg
declaring themselves fans. Born in Southampton, he served in the army as a
mechanic during WWII and began performing in the Combined Services Entertainment
division in 1944. He cut his teeth in theatre and radio, but was one of the real
pioneers of comedy on television, thanks t...