One of British TV's most popular performers with a career that spanned
over four decades, funny-man Bob Monkhouse started off as a radio
broadcaster (1947) and stand-up comic. He earned success early on as a
gag writer, partnering with
Denis Goodwin.
In 1953, the duo won their own TV show called
Fast and Loose (1954), which was
sketch-comedy based. A nightclub comedian to boot, he also pursued
films on occasion appearing in such slapstick dillies as
Carry on Sergeant (1958),
Dentist in the Chair (1960),
Dentist on the Job (1961) and
A Weekend with Lulu (1961).
But TV would be his prime venue, and he moved quite easily into various
parlor game and variety show hosting duties.
For Love or Money (1959)
was his first, a Brit version of "Candid Camera". Along the way, he
found emceeing chores with
The London Palladium Show (1966),
The Golden Shot (1967) (which
made him a household name),
Celebrity Squares (1975)
(based on
The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965)),
Family Fortunes (1980), "The
$64,000 Question",
Opportunity Knocks (1956),
The National Lottery (1994),
and many others. Monkhouse died in 2003 of prostate cancer.
Bob Monkhouse on the Spot(1995)
Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show!(2000)as Mr. Hell
Big Bad World(1999)as Ambassador Howard
Rex the Runt(1991)as Johnny Saveloy
Jonathan Creek(1997)as Sylvester Le Fley
The Upper Hand(1990)as Ray
You Rang, M'Lord?(1988)
Bob Monkhouse: The Last Stand(2016)as Self
The Mark Steel Lectures(2003)as Self
Wipeout(1994)as Self - Host
Mike Yarwood: Thank You for the Laughs(2023)as Self
Hughie Green: The Rise & Fall of Mr Saturday Night(2023)as Self
Bob Monkhouse: Master of Laughter(2020)as Self
Quiz(2020)as Self
Jeremy Vine(2018)as Self
