Robert Allen Monkhouse (June 1, 1928 - December 29, 2003), was a British entertainer in the traditional sense, though primarily known as a comedian and game show host.
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2 Partial Filmography 3 Quotes 4 External links |
Biography
Bob Monkhouse was born in Beckenham, Kent, and worked briefly as an animator before his national service. On leaving the RAF in 1948, he was one of the first comedians to be given a contract by the BBC.
Originally employed as a scriptwriter for radio comedy, Monkhouse gradually moved over to television, hosting programmes such as Candid Camera in the early 1960s. He also appeared in comedy films, including some of the "Carry On" series. One of his biggest television successes was as host of The Golden Shot during the late 1960s. He went on to host several quiz shows, including Family Fortunes.
A keen movie collector, he presented Mad Movies in 1966, in which he presented clips from comic silent movies, some of which he had helped to recover and restore. His film collecting hobby caused a brush with the law in the 1980s when he was arrested for suspected theft, but was soon cleared.
Monkhouse became a favourite with impressionists, and, as his style of comedy fell out of favour, was often mocked for his slickness and apparent insincerity. He came back into fashion during the 1990s, and appearances such as guesting on Have I Got News For You restored his popularity. In July 1995, Monkhouse was in the headlines when he appealed for the safe return of his joke book which had been lost or stolen. The book, which contained notes on sketches and one-liners, for which Monkhouse was most famous, was eventually returned to its owner. He was awarded an OBE in 1993.
Monkhouse died at his home in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire of prostate cancer on 29th December 2003. He was 75.
Partial Filmography
TV
AS A PERFORMER
AS A WRITER
Films
Quotes
External links
