When he came on stage to entertain us the very first thing he said was that there was a lady in the audience who was celebrating her birthday today. The veteran star recalled the strained relationship he had with his son Simon, 46 - who died . He was 75. [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. Police went into his home after he had been wrongly accused of breaching copyright laws and later the case was dismissed. I always enjoyed his 'Smooth' act and his (sometimes v. naughty) innuendos. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He published his first cartoon when he was 12, and sold a joke to his hero, Max Miller, for five shillings when he was 15. [16] The archive consisted of 36,000 videotapes, going back to when Monkhouse first bought a home video recorder in 1966. The fledgling comedian was soon appearing on radio and TV as "the British Bob Hope, for whom he had originally written jokes. The veteran comedian, whose showbusiness career spanned more than half a century, was. Rest in Peace you dear sweet man. They were returned after 18 months,[10] but the thief, although arrested, was never charged. The London Gazette, 21 February 1958, p. 1258. . A le g endary drinke r Monkhouse would consume two bottles of wine and half a bottle of whisky a day, including "a large one" before going on stage. Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse has died after a long battle with prostate cancer. Bob Monkhouse. The funeral of the comedian Bob Monkhouse has been held at Amersham Crematorium in Buckinghamshire. Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. He will always be near the top of my fave comedians and famous people list. He went on to host more than 30 quiz shows on British television. The widow of comedian Bob Monkhouse has died suddenly, it has emerged. "I want to die in the saddle. He was 75. The former Family Fortunes host died in his sleep in the early hours at home in the village of Eggington, Bedfordshire, where he lived with his second wife Jackie. If still alive today, Bob would now be 92! Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. The next day I saw him sunbathing on Hayling Island beach alongside his enormous Pontiac car. Suddenly I was in fashion again and reaching new people. Born in Beckenham, south London, in June 1928, Monkhouse developed his talent for comedy while a pupil at nearby Dulwich College. When Bob Monkhouse's widow died and his house was being prepared for market, the amazing extent of his private collection of video and audio recordings was realized. Remarkably, he featured in an advert concerning prostate cancer over three years following his death. US Edition Change. In one gag, Monkhouse quipped: They laughed when I said I wanted to be a comedian. I first caught sight of him in the morning as I was entering the hotel to book in with my party. He has been a comedy presence all my life and will be missed. [23], Monkhouse was a vocal supporter of the Conservative Party for some years. [11], Monkhouse was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2001, and he died from this illness at his home on 29 December 2003. he was 20, which caused a rift with his parents. I've admired and taken a keen interest in him since. 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We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. Jackie Monkhouse, 71, was found by her maid at her home in Barbados. Our thoughts and prayers are with his . By the time he left Dulwich College at 17 he had a thriving cottage industry as a gagwriter, cartoonist and purveyor of pulp fiction. The . A day is wasted for me if I haven't done something even mildly creative.". Monkhouse married his secretary Jackie in 1972. From 1996 to 1998, Monkhouse presented The National Lottery Live show on Saturday evenings on BBC1, for which he created the catchphrase: "I know I'm a sinner, but make me a winner!" Monkhouse was working until six weeks ago, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites, Images from the veteran comic's lengthy career, Bob Monkhouse on Museum of Broadcast Communications, Bob Monkhouse interviewed by Off The Telly.co.uk - May 2003. Browse Bob Monkhouse movies and TV shows available on Prime Video and begin streaming right away to . Mr Prichard, who was Monkhouse's manager for 38 years, said: "Sadly, I . Bob Monkhouse died from prostate cancer in 2003 after a two-and-a-half-year battle (Image: GETTY) The Independent's Giles Smith commented that Monkhouse "told me this quite candidly" in a 1995. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family.Ian Peter, Southport, England, A Great Man Gary died of cerebral palsy in the early 1990s. Bob Monkhouse passed away due to prostrate cancer. Monkhouse said: Am I going to be nice? There will never be another like him. God bless you, Bob. After being a stalwart of chat shows, in the mid-1980s Monkhouse presented his own for the BBC, The Bob Monkhouse Show. His true character came out not on the game shows but when on the stage - watch these performances for a taste or real comedy.David, Ashton, England, Thanks for the memory Bob, you will be missed!Jim Poole, Gt Yarmouth. 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. I want to die in the saddle. Mr Prichard described Monkhouse as "one of the finest men I've ever known". I'd have paid good money to stay out of here. 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. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. In 1978 the police raided his Hertfordshire home and seized his collection of 16mm films. Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse has died at his Bedfordshire home aged 75. My thoughts are with his family and friends.Dominic Hill, Burnham, It was with great sadness I read of the death of Bob Monkhouse. Brian L. Potter, CAMBRIDGE, England. Despite being plagued by self-doubt, the late stars talent is best illustrated through his writing talent. It's a little one-reeler, French, and made, I should think, sometime in the Twenties.. After national service in the RAF, he conned his way into the BBC - by duping an Army psychiatrist into signing a letter requesting an audition, on the grounds that it would be the only cure for Corporal Monkhouse's delusional psychosis. Monkhouse went on to describe the scenes that were featured in the X-rated film. Basically my prostate exploded like a firework and distributed the Taliban throughout my system. Bob was as sharp as any comedian 50 years his junior. [6][bettersourceneeded] While still at school, Monkhouse wrote for The Beano and The Dandy and drew for other comics including Hotspur, Wizard and Adventure. You can unsubscribe at any time. And she goes to pluck the mushroom and continues plucking it for about five minutes.". It was claimed that Carrs one-liners were very similar to those of Monkhouse due to their brevity, their punchiness [and] their verbal economy. Monkhouse was said to have been furious by the discovery and stormed out, only to be confronted by Ms Dors. How do I choose my approach?". He was the host of television game shows including The Golden Shot, Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes and Wipeout. Monkhouse also appeared in 12 films including Carry On Sergeant. Now I know how brave Bob Monkhouse was. My thoughts are with his widow and daughter. Then I'm being patronising. I want to die in the saddle. B ob Monkhouse, the king of television comedy, died today after a long battle against cancer. 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]. When do the clocks change in 2023? BBC director general Greg Dyke said: "Bob was a major entertainment figure for nearly half a century with both the BBC and ITV.". He was also such a great stand up comedian in all my 40 years of life never did I here Bob repeat a gag. 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 . He was the host of television game shows including The Golden Shot, Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes and Wipeout . 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). It is only when you hear the likes of Ben Elton, Alexei Sayle and Rik Mayall talking, that you realise how influential Bob Monkhouse was on this new generation of comedians. Monkhouse, a self-professed cinephile, had a projection booth and an eight-foot-wide screen that descended from the ceiling. Around 1969 he was a partner, with Malcolm Mitchell, in the Mitchell Monkhouse Agency. He was appearing in south sea with Yana. Too ill to contribute the programme instead featured narration and contributions from fellow professionals. On Monkhouse's death, the books were bequeathed to Colin Edmonds. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. Monkhouse later became a game show host, fronting programmes including Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House and Bob Says Opportunity Knocks. I never got to work with him, but I did meet him once, and immediately, I could see why people who HAD worked with him called . Thanks for all the laughs, Bob xAngela Taylor, England, TV & the world of comedy will never be the same again.John Emley, Prestwick, Scotland, Usually when someone famous dies there is a dramatic outpouring of grief for someone most of us never knew - well in this case, I am truly saddened because Bob Monkhouse was a man who never failed to make me laugh - he was 'saucy' without being crude and he always put a smile on my face.Nichola, Dundee, There aren't many comedians that I went out of my way to watch and follow but Bob was the exception. with the Hudson Brothers and Joan Rivers, a job he hated. Chris Hankins, Pontypool, Gwent, S. Wales, What a sad loss. He died peacefully in his sleep after losing his two-and-a-half year battle against cancer, said Peter Prichard. In 1993 Monkhouse was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment. He was a great entertainer. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. 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. Bob was the greatest comic/entertainer/game show host this country has ever seen. 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. Thanks Bob, for years of quick-fire laughs.Stu, France, The ultimate hard working entertainer, who brought joy and laughter to all those who loved his quick fire humour. Jump to content. Read more: Gemma Arterton in Black Narcissus: Bond girls raunchiest roles as nun drama gets sexy. Died December 29, 2003 (75) Add to list Awards 2 wins Photos Known for Dentist in the Chair 5.0 Writer 1960 Carry on Sergeant 6.3 Charlie Sage 1958 The Big Noise TV Series Writer 1964 6 eps Dentist on the Job 5.2 Writer 1961 Credits Edit Writer27 Actor32 Music Department1 Additional Crew1 Self135 The show also included a rare public appearance from Monkhouse's friend Mike Yarwood. Will be sadly missed as a friend. He was a UK institution and will be missed by millions. "Anyone who understood comedy loved Bob. [26][27] Money raised went to the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation.[28]. During the interview she produced a handgun and fired it on several occasions, destroying a plant pot on the set and a series of lights in the studio roof. His two sons both died in tragic circumstances - Gary from cerebral palsy and Simon from a heroin overdose. Bob Monkhouse: Master Of Laughter airs on Channel 5 tonight Tuesday, December 29 at 9pm. Bob Monkhouse: The Last Stand: Directed by Mark Lucey. None of this was known to Monkhouse, who appeared genuinely frightened (but the production crew were aware). A Great Entertainer before walking away from his grave and disappearing. "I'm superficial. The show lasted three series and showcased comedians of many generations. 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 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). Bob was also a Royal Variety Performance staple and hosted numerous chat shows with his name attached. RIP sir.Tony Wallace, Nottingham, As a professional musician, I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Bob on several occasions. I have wonderful childhood memories of watching Bob's shows with my family. Bob Monkhouse. Mr Prichard described Monkhouse as "one of the finest men I've ever known. Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse has died at his Bedfordshire home aged 75. 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. Bob died peacefully in his sleep this morning at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer.". When his joke books containing his gag collection were stolen in 1995 it was headline news, with huge interest in the public appeal and a 10,000 reward offered for their return. Mr Prichard said he was "choked" to deliver "the very, very sad news". Born in 1928, the young Monkhouse spent his spare time at home in Beckenham writing gags and drawing cartoons. ", Monkhouse, 74 at the time, added: "I can still enjoy sex at 74 - I live at 75, so it's no distance.". Recalled the strained relationship he had originally written jokes 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while led. Caught sight of him in the Mitchell Monkhouse Agency five minutes. `` cancer. Memories of watching Bob 's shows with his son Simon, 46 - who died was &. Squares, Family Fortunes and Wipeout Bob died peacefully in his sleep after losing his two-and-a-half year battle against.. The strained relationship he had originally written jokes on Monkhouse 's death the... 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