The fledgling comedian was soon appearing on radio and TV as "the British Bob Hope, for whom he had originally written jokes. One of the nicest people in this business, always found time to stop for a chat. Monkhouse's agent of 38 years, Peter Prichard, said . My recovery has been dramatic and I'm ready to go back to work.". The show lasted three series and showcased comedians of many generations. A day is wasted for me if I haven't done something even mildly creative.". She then presented a rocket launcher which she promptly 'fired', destroying a camera. . [4] His public profile growing, Monkhouse also began appearing in comedy films, including the first of the Carry On film series, Carry On Sergeant, in 1958. Brian L. Potter, CAMBRIDGE, England. Mr Prichard said he was "choked" to deliver "the very, very sad news". Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The show featured clips from comic silent films, many from his own private collection, some of which he had helped to recover and restore. ITV News, 29/12/2003.Not my copyright - just sharing found ephemera. Craig, Czech Republic (formerly UK), I'm shocked to hear of Bob's death. Bob Monkhouse's Comedy Heroes: Directed by Willy Smax. The format of the interviews varied between "true" chat and analysis of comedy to scripted routines in which Monkhouse would willingly play the role of the guest's stooge, as he did with Bob Hope.[11]. Alex Penn, Horsham, Sussex, It was a sad end to year for his family and friends, and an end to a era of one of the greatest comedians to have lived. [7] He established a comics writing and art partnership with Dulwich schoolmate Denis Gifford and the two formed their own publishing company, Streamline, in the early 1950s. Bob Monkhouse: Master of Laughter airs at 9pm tonight on Channel 5. Today is the 17th anniversary of Bob Monkhouses death. They had three children before they divorced in 1972 and he leaves one daughter, Abigail. The TV career of one of Britain's bestloved entertainers began in 1947, when he appeared with comic partner Denis Goodwin. Monkhouse was born on 1 June 1928[1] at 168 Bromley Road, Beckenham, Kent, the son of chartered accountant Wilfred Adrian Monkhouse (18941957)[2][3] and Dorothy Muriel Monkhouse (ne Hansard, 18951971). Each email has a link to unsubscribe. Friends said she never fully recovered from Monkhouse's death from prostate cancer in 2003. Despite being plagued by self-doubt, the late stars talent is best illustrated through his writing talent. Monkhouse died in 2003 of prostate cancer. In March, he received a five-minute standing ovation from fellow entertainers at an awards show and BBC1 screened a special on his 56-year TV career in October. With Julia Sawalha, Lucille Ball, Michael Barrymore, Jackie Clune. His knowledge and skill in comedy were without parallel. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. The Independent reported that many assumed he was hoarding porn after the bust but later it was revealed that wasnt the case. "He was a total professional and one of the funniest men in the world," he said. Monkhouse's other son, Gary, who suffered from cerebral palsy, died in 1993. "He's one of the bravest men I've met. Bob Monkhouse dies King of Comedy loses battle with cancer (December 2003) This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive Previous . The star, one of the UK's best known entertainers, battled prostate and bone cancer for more than two years. Ever the showman, he continued to work on a new series of the popular daytime quiz Wipeout, as well as a number of one-off shows. He worked with many l e g e n d a r y names in sh owb u s i --ness, including-Tommy Cooper, Benny Hill and Frankie Howerd. And what other career highlights should you keep an eye out for on the programme? He always had so many original one line jokes! In a piece written several years after Monkhouse's death, critic and satirist Michael Deacon suggested that although Monkhouse had feared that his legacy as a comedian would be limited, as many people knew him only from his decades of work as a game-show host, his style of writing and performing could be seen as influencing many contemporary British comedians, such as Jimmy Carr (whose book on comedy The Naked Jape quoted several Monkhouse jokes), Michael McIntyre, Peter Kay, John Bishop, Lee Mack and Tim Vine.[18]. None of this was known to Monkhouse, who appeared genuinely frightened (but the production crew were aware). Not only has Bob died today, but a huge chunk of showbusiness has too. God bless you, Bob. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. God Bless You BOB! [4][10] In addition, they were gag writers for American comedians including Bob Hope, supplying jokes for British tours. I always enjoyed his 'Smooth' act and his (sometimes v. naughty) innuendos. He later told his friend Colin Edmonds that this may have been a mistake, but that he wanted to be associated with a winner and he knew Margaret Thatcher could not lose the 1987 general election. Bob was the greatest comic/entertainer/game show host this country has ever seen. He wrote, produced, financed and syndicated the show worldwide. His stand up skills were truly impressive; there are many working in the business today who could learn from watching tapes of Bob at the microphone. The star died on 29 December aged 75, at his home in Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, after fighting bone and prostate cancer for more than two years. Bless you, Bob.John, South Wales, Fifteen years ago I met Bob in person in a hotel in Stoke-on-Trent. I only 'discovered' his magic some 4 years ago but am so glad I did. He went on to front Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House, Bob Says Opportunity Knocks and, more recently, the National Lottery Draw. I had the chance to see him in concert in the early '90s and it was only then that I realised exactly how funny this man was. In the early 1970s he appeared on BBC Radio in Mostly Monkhouse with Josephine Tewson and David Jason. Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse has died at his Bedfordshire home aged 75. If still alive today, Bob would now be 92! Too ill to contribute the programme instead featured narration and contributions from fellow professionals. He was also at the helm when infamously, on 30 November 1996, the lottery machine failed live on air, causing the draw to be delayed by 50 minutes until after that night's episode of Casualty aired. Amongst the discoveries were many radio and TV shows long thought lost. So long Bob.. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family.Ian Peter, Southport, England, A Great Man Monkhouse hosted Wipeout from 1998 until a few months before his death in 2003. He was 75. [23], Monkhouse was a vocal supporter of the Conservative Party for some years. In Jimmy Carrs 2006 book The Naked Jape, he cited some of Monkhouses jokes. With Bob Monkhouse, Mike Yarwood, Fiona Allen, Jon Culshaw. The golden shots Anne Aston, The man with a million jokes: Bob Monkhouse's legacy examined, Cache in the attic: Bob Monkhouse hid 50,000 comedy videos in his loft, True comedy gold: No one does humour quite like the British, Peter Prichard. The show was broadcast by the BBC in 2016 and again in November 2019 and April 2020. RIP sir.Tony Wallace, Nottingham, As a professional musician, I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Bob on several occasions. And by all accounts he was a nice bloke too! A real comedian and personality in the original sense of the word. Part of my childhood has gone and I am very sad.Trev Edwards, Preston, Lancashire, For me, this was the saddest loss of the year. While the comedians career continued to soar, he often admitted that he felt he had no talent and was frustrated that many would only know him as a game show host. The dozens of other shows Monkhouse presented included Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes and Bob's Full House. He always made you laugh and was such a professional. He was a great entertainer. The gun, launcher and camera were props. [10] His tenure ended with allegations, which he denied, that he had taken bribes to include branded goods on the programme as advertisements. Monkhouse lived in a house called "Claridges" in Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard, and had a flat in London and a holiday home in Barbados. John Walker, Walsall, England, He was a very good comedian but I think Bob Monkhouse will be best remembered for his work as a TV presenter I'm only old enough to remember the repeats of Bob's Full House onwards, and from there shows like The $64,000 Question, the updated version of Celebrity Squares, the National Lottery and of course, Wipeout. Monkhouse s u f f e r e d deeply after the death of his son, Simon, from a heroin overdose in a 1-a-night Thai guesthouse in 2001. 29/12/2003 One of the country's best-loved comedians, Bob Monkhouse, has died today after a two-year battle with cancer. Read more: Gemma Arterton in Black Narcissus: Bond girls raunchiest roles as nun drama gets sexy. Remarkably, he featured in an advert concerning prostate cancer over three years. Read a selection of your e-mails below. In his autobiography, he admitted to hundreds of sexual liaisons and affairs, but claimed that he only undertook this course of action because his first wife was unfaithful. He learned Yiddish to get Jewish function bookings and joined all three political parties to get their bookings. My best wishes go to his family & friends.Stephen, St Erth, Cornwall, One word.LEGEND!! The entire Monkhouse film and television archive is now held by Kaleidoscope, including all the material previously held by the National Film and Television Archive (NFTVA). He was 75. Unlike other hosts of the time, such as Sir Bruce Forsyth, the star had been spared the criticism of other comedians. "We've lost one of the greatest comics England has ever produced," he said. Browse Bob Monkhouse movies and TV shows available on Prime Video and begin streaming right away to . Mr Prichard, of International Artists Ltd, said Monkhouse's wife Jackie called him shortly after 5am with the news that he had lost his battle with prostate cancer. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Veteran entertainer Bob Monkhouse dies after cancer battle, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 15% off orders over 15 with this eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Monkhouse died of prostate cancer in 2003. The London Gazette, 21 February 1958, p. 1258. Jump to content. Bob, you will be missed!Simon Botley, Kuching, Malaysia, We'll miss you. You can opt-out at any time by signing in to your account to manage your preferences. A Man Already Greatly Missed. Speaking of his own sense of loss, Mr Prichard said: "I knew it was coming, but when you get the news you realise we have lost one of the greatest comics that England has ever produced.". He became much in demand as an after-dinner speaker and wrote a book about the subject, Just Say a Few Words (Lennard Publishing, 1988, 1999). Yet, in 2007, he made a "comeback", appearing in a new TV campaign advertising a prostate cancer charity. Mr Prichard, who was Monkhouse's manager for 38 years, said: "Sadly, I have to announce the death of Bob Monkhouse OBE. Born in Beckenham, Kent, in June 1928, Monkhouse started out as a comedy writer and rose to become one of the country's top comics with a highly polished on-screen persona that people seemed to either love or hate. Every word he spoke was so close to truth and honesty and was glossed with his unique style of wit and humour. In July 1995 two were stolen, and Monkhouse offered a 15,000 reward. What a sad loss. On Monkhouse's death, the books were bequeathed to Colin Edmonds. US Edition Change. He was 75. Among other writing, Monkhouse wrote more than 100 Harlem Hotspots erotic novelettes. Monkhouse also appeared in 12 films including Carry On Sergeant. The star, who died from prostate cancer aged 75 in 2003, is to appear in a campaign about the disease that killed him.The ad-makers have taken archive footag. Nobody since has done it like Bob. When do the clocks change in 2023? Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. His posthumous appearance involved computer animation and a voiceover from another actor. He also became a favourite with impressionists, and, as his comedy style fell out of favour in the 1980s, he was mocked[who?] In his final years, Monkhouse hosted a show on BBC Radio 2 called The Monkhouse Archive in which he provided humorous links to clips of comedy acts spanning the previous 50 years. Bob Monkhouse. Gary died of cerebral palsy in the early 1990s. The show also included a rare public appearance from Monkhouse's friend Mike Yarwood. Showbusiness agent. Thanks for the memories Bob, your wit and devilment was a wonderful gift you shared with all. Bob Monkhouse, one of the most enduring figures of British comedy, died at his home in Bedfordshire yesterday aged 75. British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, "Trace your Family Tree Online Genealogy & Ancestry from Findmypast findmypast.com", "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", "King Arthur, Attila the Hun and BobMonkhouse", "Bob Monkhouse A much-loved comedian and television personality who could also inspire harsh criticism", "BBC fooled into giving Bob his big break", https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-30127387.html, "Modern comedy's unlikely hero: Bob Monkhouse", "Winning Entry in CBS Outdoor 'Underground Writer' competition 2008", "CBS Outdoor announces The Communications Agency as "The Next Great Underground Writers", A review of Dying On Stage, a stage play loosely based on Bob Monkhouse's life and career, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Monkhouse&oldid=1136446727, Freemasons of the United Grand Lodge of England, Officers of the Order of the British Empire, People from Central Bedfordshire District, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple spouses, Articles lacking reliable references from September 2018, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from December 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 10:01. 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