Charlie Chaplin who died in 1977 was an avid fan of Hill's work: Hill had earlier discovered that his childhood idol Chaplin was a fan when he was invited to Chaplin's home in Switzerland by Chaplin's family and discovered that Chaplin had a vast collection of Benny's work on video. Apparently, Hill and Dennis Kirkland (a friend, and director of Hill's show for many years) were the first people outside of family to be allowed into Chaplin's private study.
Radio and TV show host Adam Carolla has also claimed that he was an avid fan of Benny Hill and that he considered Hill "as American as the Beatles." Indeed, during an episode of The Man Show, Carolla performed (in what was billed as a tribute to "our favourite Englishman, Sir Benny Hill") in a slightly more risqué takeoff of the "undercranked" sketches that Hill popularised. Carolla played a rude and lecherous waiter—a role Hill essayed numerous times in his shows — and the sketch featured many of the staples of Hill's shows (including a Jackie Wright-esque bald man, as well as the usual scantily clad ladies).
Comedian Carlos Mencia is also known to give tributes to Hill at the end of his popular show, Mind of Mencia, saying that he was an inspiration to him.
Parramatta Eels legends, Peter Sterling and Brett Kenny, were ardent fans of Benny Hill, and it has been suggested some of their backline movements were inspired by Hill skits.
In a documentary (Benny Hill: The World's Favorite Clown) filmed before Hill's passing, a variety of celebrities (Burt Reynolds, Michael Caine, John Mortimer, Mickey Rooney, and Walter Cronkite, among others) expressed their appreciation of and admiration for Hill and his humour (and in Reynolds' case, the appreciation extended to the Hill's Angels as well).
In 2006, the broadcaster and critic Garry Bushell launched a campaign to erect a statue of Benny in Southampton, with the support of Barbara Windsor, Brian Conley and many other British comedy favourites. Those taking part in the first fund-raising concert included Neville Staple, Right Said Fred and Rick Wakeman. |
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