Veteran British comedian and television host Bob Monkhouse has died after a long battle with prostate cancer. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. 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.". 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. Monkhouse later became a game show host, fronting programmes including Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House and Bob Says Opportunity Knocks. Brian Wickings, Worthing, England, I have grown up watching Bob Monkhouse, and he will be sorely missed, he was a legend in his own right and although I may only be 23 myself, my friends and I agree that this comedy genius will be remembered and praised for years to come such as the likes of Bob Hope and Morecambe and Wise. Police went into his home after he had been wrongly accused of breaching copyright laws and later the case was dismissed. Always charming and self effacing, he never had a bad word to say about any of his colleagues and, unlike some, never ridiculed his public. I said I think I saw that one with Glenn Close and Michael Douglas. Despite his on-screen success, his life was dogged by personal tragedy. "I saw a specialist who asked me 'Are you familiar with the phrase faecal impaction?' He was 75. Bob Monkhouse. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The veteran comedian, whose showbusiness career spanned more than half a century, was. With Bob Monkhouse, Mike Yarwood, Fiona Allen, Jon Culshaw. This I have treasured for 45 years. for his slickness and accused of insincerity. Every word he spoke was so close to truth and honesty and was glossed with his unique style of wit and humour. You can unsubscribe at any time. Monkhouse was married twice, firstly to Elizabeth Thompson on 5 November 1949. Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. Thanks for the memories Bob, your wit and devilment was a wonderful gift you shared with all. Last May he was deeply affected by the death of his son Simon from a. 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. [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. In the 1980's it was "uncool" to like Bob Monkhouse because of the Alternative Comics appearing on the circuit. he was 20, which caused a rift with his parents. An expert on the history of silent cinema and a film collector, Monkhouse presented Mad Movies in 1966. He was a great entertainer. Rob Hall, Manchester, He always gave fantastically crisp and sharp responses on any topic. "I'll never stop working," he once said. 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. This account already exists. He passed away at home in Bedfordshire on December 29 2003. [17], In 1995 the British Comedy Awards gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award for Comedy, and eight years later, a few weeks before he died, the Television and Radio Industries Club awarded him a Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting. She was his secretary and they married in 1973 after he split from first wife Elizabeth. Chris Hankins, Pontypool, Gwent, S. Wales, What a sad loss. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. He got them back a year later. God bless his daughter and wife.David Murphy, England, Bob was a class act, his style, his charm and his amazing quick wit will be sadly missed. In a poll of fellow comedians and comedy insiders to find the Comedians' Comedian in 2005, Monkhouse was voted among the best 50 comedy acts. As well as two sons, they had an adopted daughter, Abigail, who gave him two granddaughters. Tony McGinitty, Green Bay, Wisconsin, I was personally saddened at the loss of one of the world's greatest comics and most intelligent funny men. [14] Among the audience were a number of British comedians who had been personally invited by Monkhouse, including Reece Shearsmith, Jon Culshaw, David Walliams, Fiona Allen and Mark Steel. He was a comedy writer, comedian and actor an. He had an encyclopaedic capacity for recalling gags and one liners and could play to many different audiences. He was the host of television game shows including The Golden Shot, Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes and Wipeout . "Bob was a major entertainment figure for nearly half a century with both the BBC and ITV," he said. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Read more: Gemma Arterton in Black Narcissus: Bond girls raunchiest roles as nun drama gets sexy. Basically my prostate exploded like a firework and distributed the Taliban throughout my system. Monkhouse was reported to have let out one of his staccato laughs as he explained the scene. What a sad loss. 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. By the time he was 27 he was a star. The former Family Fortune host died at his home in the village of Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard. ", 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. He ended by saying, "As a comedian, I've died many deaths. DON'T MISSBob Monkhouse: The comedy uncle[INTERVIEW]Why comedy fans love a one-liner[ANALYSIS]Cache in the attic: Bob Monkhouse hid 50,000 comedy videos in his loft[NEWS]. He spent 50 years in television, hosting TV game shows such as Family Fortunes and appearing in 12 films. Monkhouse leaves a daughter, Abigail. Hilary, Guildford, UK, Witty, funny and as sharp as a razor. His two sons both died in tragic circumstances - Gary from cerebral palsy and Simon from a heroin overdose. "He was respected by all the other comedians because he was dedicated to his craft - he never stopped making people laugh," Mr Prichard said. Bob Monkhouse was educated at Goring Hall School in Worthing, Sussex, and Dulwich College in south London, from which he was expelled for climbing the clock tower. After his death, tributes were paid by many figures in the world of entertainment. The Golden Shot,Family Fortunes,Opportunity Knocks, Bobs Full House, Celebrity SquaresandWipeout, he also acted and hosted on the radio. The star, one of the UK's best known entertainers, battled prostate and bone cancer for more than two years. Further scandal emerged in Monkhouses later years when he published his autobiography Crying With Laughter in 1993. My recovery has been dramatic and I'm ready to go back to work.". He was 75. [8], Before establishing himself as a successful writer and comedian, Monkhouse appeared on stage in London, first as Aladdin in a stage show of the same name written by S. J. Perelman and Cole Porter and then in the first London production of the musical The Boys from Syracuse (Antipholus of Syracuse) in 1963 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, alongside Ronnie Corbett. The wit and ability to think on his feet was his trademark. He died peacefully in his sleep after losing his two-and-a-half year battle against. He even managed to joke about his disease, saying last year: "I call it the Taliban because it's the enemy within. I know no one else like him and will probably never find another. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. [4][5] In a 2015 documentary, it was revealed that Monkhouse and his older brother suffered from physical and verbal abuse by their mother. Bob signed off: As a comedian, Ive died many deaths. ITV News, 29/12/2003.Not my copyright - just sharing found ephemera. 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. Powerful Commons committee could look at case for banning stoves in towns and Love Island hit by hundreds of Ofcom complaints from furious viewers over 'toxic femininity' row and Movie Carrie Johnson joins campaign for Joanna Simpson's killer BA pilot husband who bludgeoned her to death with Do not sell or share my personal information. The funeral of the comedian Bob Monkhouse has been held at Amersham Crematorium in Buckinghamshire. He was diagnosed with the condition in September 2001. Mr Prichard described Monkhouse as "one of the finest men I've ever known. The veteran comedian, whose showbusiness career spanned more than half a century, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2001. The former Family Fortune host died at his home in the village of Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard, during the night, he said. [16] The archive consisted of 36,000 videotapes, going back to when Monkhouse first bought a home video recorder in 1966. Bob Monkhouse admitted that he owned 'one blue movie' after a police raid, Bob Monkhouse spent nearly five decades in show business he started out as a comedian, Bob Monkhouse went on to front shows including Family Fortunes, The Golden Shot and more, Paul O'Grady reveals Bob Monkhouse was his secret mentor, Paul O'Grady on Bob Monkhouse: Comedy was like oxygen to him, it was h, Bob Monkhouse died from prostate cancer in 2003 after a two-and-a-half-year battle, The comedians on staggering sums who are laughing all the way to the b, Bob Monkhouse on the set of The Golden Shot in 1967, Carry On films still making TV audiences laugh 60 years on, Neil Shand obituary - 1934 - 2018: Comedy writer, The wisdom of age: Tips for growing old from celebrities and royalty, Anne Aston was 'offered the price of a sports car to pose naked', Bob Monkhouse claimed that he 'had not talent' but his comedic style is seen in many comedians today, Heckling is now becoming a dying art form, Where are they now ? He will always be near the top of my fave comedians and famous people list. "All I have is a perky mind," he said. Around 1969 he was a partner, with Malcolm Mitchell, in the Mitchell Monkhouse Agency. The couple separated in 1967[19] and divorced in 1972. He made several guest appearances on television shows before he and his comedy partner Denis Goodwin launched their own television series, Fast and Loose, in
Chris Barnett, Eastbourne, His appearance on television brought joy into my life for many years. He went on to front Celebrity Squares, Family Fortunes, Bob's Full House, Bob Says Opportunity Knocks and, more recently, the National Lottery Draw. Bob Monkhouse Supremely accomplished stand-up comic and game show host, whose self-assured manner on screen masked a personal life dogged by loss and disappointment Dennis Barker Mon 29 Dec 2003. LK 4564. Other presenting jobs in the 1960s included Candid Camera and Sunday Night at the London Palladium. He would arrive at any function or cabaret with specially written, individual material for every occasion," said fellow entertainer Des O'Connor. Showbusiness agent. He died peacefully in his sleep after a two-and-a-half year battle. [11], Monkhouse was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2001, and he died from this illness at his home on 29 December 2003. Monkhouse died in 2003 of prostate cancer. He was 75. The gun, launcher and camera were props. 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 . JUST IN:The man with a million jokes: Bob Monkhouse's legacy examined. In the 2010 ITV documentary The Unforgettable Bob Monkhouse, a friend explained that he often complained about there being a whole generation who dont know Im a comedian. He went to Saint Michael's School in Pinner and died in Braintree, Essex, in 1992, aged 40. 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. 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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