This page is an index of The Cast featuring info for each cast member and links to the Internet Movie Database. I apologise for any errors in spelling or the names themselves. I've also added a brief article for some of these cast members and any info about when they joined and left the show and so on that is available. This page will be updated further as time goes on. Please feel free to pinpoint any information that is incorrect.
The Cast
Page 1
Henry McGee (1929-2006)
Henry McGee interviews Chow-Mein in "At Home With Henry McGee" from the November 24, 1971 broadcast. You can learn more about Henry by reading the Henry McGee Tribute written by William Brown.
Jon Jon Keefe
Jon Jon Keefe as he appeared in the "Little Dimpton Street Party" of Feb. 10, 1982. Also known as "Street Party in the "Video Follies" compilation).
Bob Todd (1921-1992)
Bob Todd (top) as he appeared in the "Benny Quickies: Whatever The Weather" from A&E Set 4 of March 25, 1981. Also known as "Deset Island II" from "Home Video Drive-In" and in "The Appliance Revolt" sketch of April 16, 1980 (bottom), available in the A&E Set 4.
Jackie Wright (1905 - 1989)
Little Jackie Wright as he appeared in the "Sale of the Half Century" (top) on April 21, 1976 and making his first Thames appearance on TBHS in the "Lower Tidmarsh Hospital Service" sketch (bottom), of November 19, 1969. You can learn more about Jackie by reading the Jackie Wright Tribute written by William Brown.
Diana Darvey
(April 21, 1945 - April 11, 2000)
The late Diana Darvey as she appeared in the "It's So Nice (To Go Traveling)" number of March 12, 1975. You can learn more about Diana by reading the Diana Darvey Tribute written by William Brown.
Bella Emberg (b. Sep. 16, 1937)
Bella Emberg, (top) from the 12/5/73 "Spot Black" sketch. This is a rare case of her appearing as "herself" (i.e. instead of made up to look like a nagging wife or whatever) on the program. Among other things, she was in the "Manolo" quickies in 1973-74, a contestant in the 1976 "Sale of the Half-Century" parody, and also appeared in 1981-82 shows. Her working relationship with Mr. Hill dated back to an appearance on his Jan. 8, 1966 BBC special. Perhaps better known in Britain as "Blunder Woman" on Russ Abbot's show. Also, from "The Video Machine" sketch of Feb. 10, 1982 (middle) and the "Crow's Feet" quickie (bottom) of Feb. 11, 1981.
Louise English
For many, Louise English is considered the "unofficial" leader of Hill's Angels, alongside Sue Upton. They were both very important to the Benny Hill Show, not only as Angels, but as supporting actors in many short skits with Benny Hill. Of course today, Louise English doesn't seem to make any more TV appearances, but works on the theatrical stage in England. There was a brief period where she even had her own official website, but for some reason, the site was discontinued. Louise, if you're watching, we all miss you very much and would love to see you again in some connection with the Benny Hill Show, especially in a DVD tribute.
Jenny Lee-Wright (b.1947)
The lovely Jenny Lee-Wright, a.k.a. "The Sexiest Stooge," from the (top) 1971 B&W and (bottom) 1982 color versions of the "Learning All the Time" sketch. A trained dancer and former member of the Lionel Blair troupe, Ms. Lee-Wright's working association with Mr. Hill spanned nearly 18 years, starting with the Dec. 11, 1968 edition (Benny's next-to-last BBC show, which also marked Bob Todd's debut with Hill) and ending with the March 31, 1986 episode. Her gallery of memorable portrayals are too numerous to mention - but I'll mention 'em anyway: Miss Abigail in the Civil War "Home Is The Hero" sketch, Benny's telly-obsessed girlfriend in the "Portable TV Set" number, 'Sgt. Pepper' in "Murder on the Oregon Express," Jaime Sommers in "The Bionic Baby," and many more. In addition, she appeared with other top British comedians of the time such as Tommy Cooper, Des O'Connor, Les Dawson, Frankie Howerd, Mike & Bernie Winters, and Morecambe & Wise. She also was in films such as John Cassavetes' 1970 film Husbands (also with Ben Gazzara and Peter "Columbo" Falk) and Madhouse. Was featured in a 1976 British TV documentary spotlighting the 50th anniversary of Elstree Studios, in which she revealed what was then a spare-time hobby: work in the sound effects department as a foley artist, specializing in footsteps, dropping cups, screaming, gasping, purring seductively, and voice-overs in various accents. She attributed her sense of timing in this field to her dance training. But by the late 1980's, with her acting career winding down (her last major acting work was as a Greek lady in the 1986 revival of the TV Britcom Mind Your Language), foley work became a full-time occupation, starting with My Left Foot and continuing to the present day with movies ranging from Muppet Treasure Island to Shakespeare In Love. Runs a footsteps agency with another ex-dancer who was credited with her on many of the films she worked on behind the scenes.
Erica Lynley
Two shots of fan favorite Erica Lynley, from: (top) the Jan. 16, 1984 "Club Bizarre" number, and (bottom) the "Wake Up!" quickie of April 25, 1984. Was known prior to 1979 as Erica Ludlow, as she was credited on her first TBHS appearance on Dec. 26, 1978, at which time she was a member of the Sam's Set dance troupe choreographed by Samantha Stevens (qv); on that show she danced in the opening "Coconut Milk" number, was the 'Manchester Tart' in the "Holiday Time: Dimton on Sea" sketch, and one of the extras in the "Friday Night Fever" disco scene. After her name change, she was one of the charter Hill's Angels at their inception in 1980, albeit as a non-dancing extra in filmed sketches. But she made her greatest splash on the programme in 1984-85, appearing in four of the five shows that aired in those years. In that time, she was one of the dancers in the "Milord" number and the Aerobatics (Workout) routine; figured in several famous sketches and quickies, including the one previously mentioned and "Any Other Lovers?"; and most notably, as the singing duet partner of Louise English in such song-and-dance numbers as "Dumbkopf Men," the opening song to the "Vagabond" sketch, and the version of "Primavera" as on the parody of The Hot Shoe Show. Besides TBHS, Ms. Lynley's other TV credits included appearances on the Little & Large, Basil Brush and Dick Emery shows, Opportunity Knocks (when with Sam's Set), Be My Guest, and two episodes of the second series (1984) of the Britcom No Place Like Home (as "Nadia"); plus serving a brief spell in future Angels choreographer Libby Roberts' Lipstick troupe. The 1980/81 edition of The Spotlight (London), the first on which she was listed by her new surname, also listed a film called Discomania (where she was cited as playing the "Head Girl") in her credits, but there are no known references to such a movie with that title from that period on the Web.
Nicholas Parsons (b.1923)
From his final TBHS appearance on March 13, 1974, is Nicholas Parsons, who filled in ably as Benny's straight man whenever Henry McGee was not available. He has had a long and varied career, but is perhaps most famous in England as the host of the game show Sale of the Century (which, at this point, brought his run with Hill to an end, and which Benny later parodied). Since 1967, he has hosted every edition of the BBC radio series Just a Minute. (NOTE: I detected a link to his official website in the "Links" section).
Sue Upton
Benny Hill's favorite Angel (and many others', too), Sue Upton, seen in two ways: (top) as herself, from the Feb. 10, 1982 "Mimed Striptease" routine, and (bottom) as "Wondergran," in the Jan. 7, 1981 "Wondergran Meets Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hide" installment. She first joined the show during the 1977 series, among her highlights there being as the Bionic Boy's first crush. By her third appearance on Dec. 26, 1978 (she would be in every remaining Hill show from then on), Benny noticed her upturned face lent itself to an old lady character, which she first played in the "Grand Wheelchair Rally" sketch; this led not only to the "Wondergran" sketches, but a recurring characterization as a feisty old lady - the archetype once played in the show's early Thames years by such genuine old ladies as Connie Georges. On the next-to-last Thames show in 1989, she even played Stan Laurel to Mr. Hill's Oliver Hardy in a silent sketch. Ms. Upton also figured very prominently in the Hill's Angels routines in their early years, indeed is regarded as one of the unofficial leaders of the troupe (the other being Louise English); in the show's final years, she also had a hand in the selection of future Angels. Her children, Richard and Louise Whatling (qv's), were among the "Hill's Little Angels" in the fading years of TBHS; she and her family have been widely cited as being like a "second family" to Benny outside the confines of his show. There is a website, SueUpton.net, which can give more about her illustrious career, as well as film and TV credits other than the Hill show, and several photos (in one of which she posed with Mr. Hill, Suzy Mandel, Jenny Westbrook, Anne Bruzac, and the then-current members of Love Machine of which she had been a part before either they or she first appeared on the show), than can be put in so short a space here.
Rita Webb (1904-1981)
The late Rita Webb (1904-1981), who appeared in much TV and films - including a total of ten TBHS episodes, one 1967 ATV special, the next-to-last BBC show a year later, and eight Thames shows. Among her roles, was the old lady in the "Starsky & Hutch" parody from 3/23/77 and, as shown here, (top), a barmaid in the Court Jester sketch from her final TBHS on 3/5/80 and as she appeared in "The Reluctant Bridgroom", (also known as "The Wedding" in One Night Video Stand), (top) and (bottom) as she appeared in the "Double Date" quickie of Feb. 23, 1977.
