Who's Who Of
The Benny Hill Show

Page 7
(Gaye - Hamilton)

A Special Thanks must go to contributing editor William Brown for submitting these photos and information on each of these actors / actresses. Many of them were regulars and some were actually guest stars. I have added links to the Internet Movie Database where I could find them. Hope you can find many of those stars you've been wondering about and maybe a few you hadn't thought of. If you don't find what you are looking for, fear not. This section will continue to expand. Thanks again to William Brown, who wrote all of the information. I have also taken this section and put all of the entries in alphabetical order. If you are looking for someone specific, simply place your cursor on the links on the right hand side of the page. A caption will pop up letting you know which names that link will take you to. Enjoy!

Debi Gaye

IMDB Entry

One of the charter Hill's Angels from the 1980 series, who appeared in the first two shows to feature the troupe, was Debi Gaye. She is seen here in the Jan. 16, 1984 "Fingers McNee" sketch, (top) where she played one of his accomplices (the other, of course, being Sue Upton). And (bottom), from the Jan. 16, 1984 "Club Bizarre" segment.

Harold Gee

IMDB Entry

Harold Gee, as seen in the Feb. 4, 1970 rendition of "The Old Fiddler." His only other known credit was as a fiddler in the 1962 movie Captain Clegg (released in the U.S. as Night Creatures). Beyond that, not much is known about him.

Connie Georges

IMDB Entry

Connie Georges, as seen here from the 1972 "Woodstick" sketch. Played many bit roles from the start in 1969 to early 1973.

Geraldine

IMDB Entry

A still of Geraldine, from her March 14, 1979 performance of "Casablanca." This Irish pop singer, who's also performed under her full name of Geraldine Branagan, had sung in the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest, performing "Toi" as a representative of Luxembourg. In 1982, three years after her TBHS appearance, she embarked on a national tour of South Africa with two native (South African) guitarists, Tony Cox and Steve Newman, doing a total of 92 shows. She has the distinction of being the very last of the "straight" variety show-style musical guests to appear on the Hill show; all future musical numbers (outside of Benny's opening songs) would be done within the framework of a Hill's Angels routine. She still occasionally records and tours today. Is married to British music legend Phil Coulter, who produced and co-wrote (with his then-songwriting/producing partner Bill Martin) "Casablanca."

Lee Gibson (b.1950)

IMDB Entry

The lovely Lee Gibson, as on her TBHS debut on March 29, 1973 performing "Mad About You." A mezzo-soprano (to start with) and trained dancer, she first came onto the show as one-half of a cabaret duo (the other being Jon Jon Keefe). Among her most famous roles was as the opera singer whose marriage to Gavin Blod (Benny) lasted all of three days, not the least of which because her piercing soprano voice shattered glass, vases and even Gavin's chamber pot; and the "Midnight in Soho" sketch where her vocal talents were also brought to the fore. Alas, from 1978 on she was used on the show solely as first a bit player, then as an extra in silent sketches (her last appearance, on March 25, 1981, wasn't even credited). Was credited as a Hill's Angel on the Jan. 7, 1981 telecast although she did not participate with the other Angels in the infamous "TV Workout" number. Today she is a highly-regarded jazz singer and music teacher. Her official website is www.leegibson.co.uk

Cheryl Gilham (b.1944)

IMDB Entry

The "drop-dead gorgeous" (per Robert Ross in one of his A&E box set liner notes) Cheryl (a.k.a. Cherri) Gilham, seen here from her last TBHS appearance on 9/24/75 (as Eddie Buchanan, with backing from "Arsenic and Old Lace," was starting off with the song "Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like"). Her high-water mark on the show was Feb. 7, 1974, where she figured in the opening "Gondor" quickie (with her famous line, "Oh, that's my fravorite!"), the "Mervyn Cruddy, Spy Catcher" sketch (she was the secretary who could see through Mervyn's disguise in the opening part of the sketch), "The Minstrel Boy" ("You must be out of your medieval mind!"), and, of course, her Mae West impression (opposite Benny's W.C. Fields) in the "Lulubelle" sketch. She also conceived the "I Have To Watch My Figure" sketch (for which Benny, as with any contribution from others, took full writing credit).

Tommy Godfrey (1916-1984)

IMDB Entry

Character/comedy actor Tommy Godfrey, seen here in Mr. Hill's 1970 Eddie In August as an unscrupulous used-car salesman who sells a lemon of an automobile to the title character.

Lesley Goldie

IMDB Entry

The lovely Lesley Goldie, seen here (top) in the "Adjudicating Panel" sketch of March 22, 1972, and (bottom) in her final TBHS appearance on Feb. 7, 1974. Her other credits include appearances with Mike & Bernie Winters, Frankie Howerd, Des O'Connor and Jimmy Tarbuck; such TV shows as Bless This House, Father, Dear Father and Tales of the Unexpected (on the last of which she had a small role in a 1981 episode, her last known acting role to date); the film version of Love Thy Neighbour; and appearances on the London stage including Suddenly at Home (as "Maggie Howard," in 1972-73) and The Gay Lord Quex (in 1975, directed by the legendary John Gielgud and also featuring such names as Dame Judi Dench and Sian Phillips). Also had a run as an English teacher.

Laurie Goode

IMDB Entry

A screen shot of actor Laurie Goode from the Oct. 25, 1972 "Woodstick" sketch where he played one of the hippies. In the years since this uncredited appearance, he has added to his resumé, with such TV shows as I, Claudius, Blakes 7, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Goodies and Doctor Who, and a few movies such as Star Wars (A New Hope) (1977), to his credit.

Walter (Wally) Goodman

IMDB Entry

Walter (Wally) Goodman, a bit player in TBHS episodes from 1969 to 1973, seen here from the "Jackie Wright's Holiday" sketch. Was also in "The Short Happy Life of Maurice Dribble," the original 1970 B&W "A Tribute to the Lower Tidmarsh Fire Brigade," (right) and "Woodstick" (among others).

Anita Graham

IMDB Entry

A headshot of Anita Graham from a mid-1970's edition of The Spotlight (London) casting directory. She was in the Feb. 23, 1977 show, where she figured in the opening of the "Scouts and Guides Annual Fete" sketch (her uniform was torn off by Benny and Jackie Wright as they were passing in their tandem bike). The Spotlight listed her height as 5' 10".

Debbie Greenhill

IMDB Entry

A shot of Debbie Greenhill from her only TBHS appearance on Sept. 24, 1975, seen here as from the "Tex Cymbal: Golden Boy" sketch. Was also featured in the Dibbles Health Farm segments that were part of the "Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like" series of quickies.

Johnny Greenland

IMDB Entry

Dancer/choreographer Johnny Greenland, seen here from the Dec. 5, 1973 "Band in the Park" segment. Was the man with the fast feet in the Spanish blooper runoff of March 24, 1971 (he was topless, Benny was pantless), appeared in the "Down Memory Lane" sketch of March 22, 1972, and may have also appeared in the French street dance blooper series of March 29, 1973. Choreographed five TBHS editions in all.

Judy Gridley (1946-1987)

IMDB Entry

Two headshots of the late actress and dancer Judy Gridley, from different editions of The Spotlight (London), taken in: (top) 1973, and (bottom) 1983. Ms. Gridley was listed amongst the cast of the Dec. 27, 1973 edition of TBHS, but it's unclear at this time what sketches she was in, or what roles she played (if anyone has the pertinent info, please let us know). Made her film debut in Frank Zappa's 200 Motels (1971), and had other credits in film and TV. Was perhaps most famous as "Elaine Pryor" on the long-running soap Coronation Street in the 1980's. Died after a long illness in 1987.

Denise Gyngell (b.1961)

IMDB Entry

Denise Gyngell, as seen in the March 25, 1981 "Remote Control Hill's Angels" (a.k.a. "Street Dance") routine. She is the sister of actors Paul Gyngell and Michael Gyngell; as child actors, they were all featured in the 1972 movie The Darwin Adventure, each credited on the IMDB as "Darwin's child" in the flick. Denise appeared in one more TBHS, as a non-dancing Angel in the Feb. 10, 1982 edition which was the last to credit individual Angels outside of Sue Upton and Louise English. After her run with the Hill show was over, Ms. Gyngell became part of a dancing/singing group called Tight Fit and recorded a version of "You Broke My Heart In 17 Places" which was made famous by comedienne Tracey Ullman. Was later married to record producer Pete Waterman (one-third of the Stock/Aitken/Waterman team which handled such acts as Rick Astley, Bananarama and early Kylie Minogue).

David Hamilton (b.1939)

IMDB Entry

Here's David Hamilton as seen in the "Mr. TV Times" sketch of Feb. 7, 1974. He was also seen in the Feb. 4, 1970 edition, introducing Miss Eira Heath's "Carnival" and the "Tommy Tupper in Tupper-Time" sketch. He is one of only two people I know of to have been both on TBHS in the Thames years, and Monty Python's Flying Circus. A long time radio DJ in Britain, as well as one of the main continuity announcers for Thames at the time.

Sandra Hamilton

In all likelihood, this is Sandra Hamilton, as seen in the disco scene of the Dec. 26, 1978 "Friday Night Fever" sketch. She was one of the four Sam's Set dancers who drew the line about wearing revealing clothing on the show.

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