Rupert Bear is a children's comic strip character created by the English artist Mary Tourtel and first appearing in the Daily Express newspaper on 8 November 1920. Rupert's initial purpose was to win sales from the rival Daily Mail and Daily Mirror. In 1935, the mantle of Rupert artist and storyteller was taken over by Alfred Bestall, who was previously an illustrator for Punch and other glossy magazines. Bestall proved to be successful in the field of children's literature and worked on Rupert stories and artwork into his 90s. More recently, various other artists and writers have continued the series.

The comic strip was, and still is, published daily in the Daily Express, with many of these stories later being printed in books, and every year since 1936 a Rupert annual has also been released. Rupert Bear has become a well-known character in children's culture in the United Kingdom, and the success of the Rupert stories has led to the creation of several television series based on the character. The character also has a large fan following, with such groups as The Followers of Rupert.

Characters and story[link]

Rupert is a bear who lives with his parents in a house in Nutwood, a fictional idyllic English village. He is drawn wearing a red jumper and bright yellow checked trousers, with matching yellow scarf. Originally depicted as a brown bear, his colour soon changed to white to save on printing costs,^[1] though he remained brown on the covers of the annuals.

Most of the other characters in the series are also anthropomorphic animals (animals with humanoid forms). They are all scaled to be about the same size as Rupert, regardless of species. Rupert's animal friends are usually referred to as his "chums" or "pals". Aside from his best friend Bill Badger, some of the most enduring pals include an elephant (Edward Trunk), a mouse (Willie), Pong-Ping the Pekingese, Algy Pug (who actually pre-dates Rupert^[2]), Podgy Pig, Bingo the Brainy Pup, Freddie and Ferdy Fox, and Ming the dragon. The kindly Wise Old Goat also lives in Nutwood, and helps Rupert in some of his adventures. One of the most unusual and evocative characters is Raggety, a woodland troll-creature made from twigs, who is often very grumpy and annoying. In the recent^[when?] TV series, Raggety has been transformed into a friendly elf with broken English.

There are also a few human characters in the stories, such as the Professor (who lives in a castle with his servant), Tiger Lily (a Chinese girl), her father "the Conjuror", and several less frequently occurring characters such as Sailor Sam, Captain Binnacle and Rollo, the Gypsy boy. There is also a reoccurring Merboy.

The series often features fantastic and magical adventures in faraway lands. Each story begins in Nutwood, where Rupert usually sets out on a small errand for his mother or to visit a friend, and then develops into an adventure to an exotic place such as King Frost's Castle, the Kingdom of the Birds, underground, or to the bottom of the sea. Sometimes one of the Professor's inventions opens the door for one of Rupert's adventures. At the end of the story Rupert returns to Nutwood, where all is safe and well, and where his parents seem perfectly sanguine about his adventures.

Style[link]

Unlike most modern comic strips, Rupert Bear has always been produced in the original form of strip with illustrations accompanying text, as opposed to text being incorporated into the art through the use of speech bubbles, etc.

Bestall developed the classic Rupert story format, whereby the story is told in picture form (generally two panels each day in the newspaper and four panels to a page in the annuals), in simple page-headers, in simple two-line-per-image verse and then as running prose at the foot. Rupert Annuals can therefore be "read" on four levels. He also established the shape and form of the Rupert stories themselves.

History[link]

Rupert's unspectacular début was in a single panel, the first of 36 episodes of the story "Little Lost Bear" written and drawn by Tourtel.

Bestall expanded the stories and plots of Rupert; and in addition to precise and detailed drawings for the Daily Express panels he also created beautifully crafted illustrations in the Rupert Annuals. Bestall drew the Rupert stories for the Daily Express until 1965; and continued to illustrate the covers for the annuals until his 1973 retirement. Much of the landscape in Rupert is inspired by the Snowdonia landscape of North Wales, the Sussex Weald and East Devon.^{[citation needed]} The successor to Bestall was Alex Cubie. Cubie created Rupert annual artwork between 1974 and 1977. His images are recognisable from the thicker black outlines around the characters and the use of more vibrant colours than Bestall employed. A Rupert Annual is still produced every year and Rupert appears each day in the Daily Express newspaper. In 1978 his new adventures became illustrated by John Harrold; his drawings in the annual usually coloured by Gina Hart. In 2008 John Harrold was succeeded by Stuart Trotter and a new style of annual (sans serif typeface) with a more modern Rupert to tie-in with the CGI-animation Rupert Bear, Follow the Magic... began.

The Rupert Annual for 1960 contained a story "Rupert and the Diamond Leaf", in which he visits "Coon Island," whose inhabitants are little "Coons".^[3] The Coons previously appeared on the cover of The New Rupert: The Daily Express Annual, 1954 and in the interior story "Rupert and the Castaway".^[4] The first appearance was in the 1946 soft cover summer special "Rupert on Coon Island".

Rupert appeared in Paul McCartney's 1984 music video "We All Stand Together"; McCartney also made an animated video starring Rupert called Rupert and the Frog Song.

Tourtel's home was in Canterbury in Kent, and the Rupert Bear Museum, part of the Museum of Canterbury, has collections that cover much of the history of Rupert and his Friends, as well as Tourtel and other illustrators. The museum is geared toward families and to those interested in the general history of Rupert.

On 31 October 2005, UK Media Group Entertainment Rights (which was later bought by Boomerang Media) purchased majority interest to the Rupert Bear character from the Daily Express. There are plans for a film, books, Limited Edition Prints and DVDs that will see Rupert joined by new friends in addition to established characters.

Books[link]

Rupert Bear Annuals[link]

Every year since 1936, a Rupert Bear annual has been released, even during the years of World War II, during a paper shortage.

• 01-38 = Alfred Bestall
• 39–42 = Alex Cubie
• 43–72 = John Harrold
• 73–76 = Stuart Trotter

Rupert Little Bear Library[link]

All of these books were written and illustrated by Mary Tourtel and originally published from 1928–1936, by Sampson Low. There were 46 books in the original series.

1. Rupert and the Enchanted Princess (1928)
2. Rupert and the Black Dwarf (1928)
3. Rupert and his Pet Monkey (1928)
4. Rupert and his Friend Margot (and Rupert, Margot and the Fairies) (1928)
5. Rupert in the Mystery of Woody (1929)
6. Further Adventures of Rupert and his Friend Margot (and Rupert and the Stolen Apples) (1929)
7. Rupert and the Three Roberts (1929)
8. Rupert, the Knight and the Lady (and Rupert and the Wise Goat's Birthday Cake) (1929)
9. Rupert and the Circus Clown (1929)
10. Rupert and the Magic Hat (1929)
11. Rupert and the Little Prince (1930)
12. Rupert and King Pippin (1930)
13. Rupert and the Wilful Princess (1930)
14. Rupert's Mysterious Plight (1930)
15. Rupert in Trouble Again (and Rupert and the Fancy Dress Party) (1930)
16. Rupert and the Wooden Soldiers (and Rupert's Christmas Adventure) (1930)
17. Rupert and the Old Man and the Sea (1931)
18. Rupert and Algy at Hawthorn Farm (1931)
19. Rupert and the Magic Whistle (1931)
20. Rupert Gets Stolen (1931)
21. Rupert and the Puss in Boots (1931)
22. Rupert and the Christmas Tree Fairies (and Rupert and Bill Badger's Picnic Party) (1931)
23. Rupert and His Pet Monkey Again (and Beppo Back With Rupert) (1932)
24. Rupert and the Rubber Wolf (1932)
25. Rupert's Latest Adventure (1932)
26. Rupert and Humpty Dumpty (1932)
27. Rupert's Holiday Adventure (and Rupert's Message to Father Christmas and Rupert's New Year's Eve Party) (1932)
28. Rupert's Christmas Tree (and Rupert's Picnic Party) (1932)
29. Rupert, the Witch and Tabitha (1933)
30. Rupert Goes Hiking (1933)
31. Rupert and Willy Wispe (1933)
32. Rupert Margot and the Bandits (and Rupert at School) (1933)
33. Rupert and the Magic Toyman (1933)
34. Rupert and Bill Keep Shop (and Rupert's Christmas Thrills) (1933)
35. Rupert and Algernon (and Rupert and the White Dove) (1934)
36. Rupert and Beppo Again (1934)
37. Rupert and Dapple (1934)
38. Rupert and Bill's Aeroplane Adventure (1934)
39. Rupert and the Magician's Umbrella (1934)
40. Rupert and Bill and the Pirates (1935)
41. Rupert at the Seaside (and Rupert and Bingo) (1935)
42. Rupert Gets Captured (and Rupert and the Snow Babe's Christmas Adventures) (1935)
43. Rupert, the Manikin and the Black Knight (1935)
44. Rupert and the Greedy Princess (1935)
45. Rupert and Bill's Seaside Holiday (and Rupert and the Twins' Birthday Cake) (1936)
46. Rupert and Edward and the Circus (and Rupert and the Snowman) (1936)

Some of the titles were later published for the Woolworth's retail chain, with only 18 of the original titles. However, the titles and numbers for this series did not relate to the earlier published series.^[5]

1. Rupert and the Magic Toy Man
2. Rupert at the Seaside
3. Rupert and the Enchanted Princess
4. Rupert and Edward at the Circus
5. Rupert and Bill and the Pirates
6. Rupert and the Magician's Umbrella
7. Rupert in the Bush of Mystery
8. Rupert and Prince Humpty Dumpty
9. Rupert and the Magic Whistle
10. Rupert and Dapple
11. Rupert and the Greedy Princess
12. Rupert and the Wonderful Boots
13. Rupert and Willy Wispe
14. Rupert and Bill Keep Shop
15. Rupert and the Magic Hat
16. Rupert's Holiday Adventure
17. Rupert Goes Hiking
18. Rupert, the Manikin and the Dark Knight

Brainwaves Limited[link]

Brainwaves Limited of Basingstoke, Hampshire, produced a series of Rupert storybooks in 1991 (no author or artist credited):

• Rupert and the Golden Acorn
• Rupert and the Elfin Bell
• Rupert and the Popweed
• Rupert and the Iceberg

In addition, they published other Rupert series:

• Rupert Mini Board Books
• Rupert Hookbooks
• Rupert Storytime Books
• Rupert Shaped Board Books
• Rupert Flap Books

Television series[link]

[edit] The Adventures of Rupert Bear (1970–1974)

Rupert first appeared on television in an ITC series produced for the ITV network that ran for over 100 ten-minute episodes. The characters were all puppets, although the opening sequence featured a toy Rupert bear sitting in a live-action child's bedroom. Rupert's friends and flying chariot appeared straight from the Daily Express pages, although he was joined by some new friends including a sprite called Willy Wisp.

One of the most memorable elements of the series was the catchy theme song, written by Len Beadle (aka Frank Weston) and Ron Roker, sung by Jackie Lee, which reached number 14 in the UK charts in 1971. The song included the erroneous lyric "Rupert the Bear", even though Rupert has never had the definite article in his name.

A short film directed by Geoff Dunbar based on ideas/music/songs by Sir Paul McCartney was made in 1985, titled "Rupert and the Frog Song." It follows Rupert as he explores the country one night and finds a special gathering of frogs. The film contains a song titled "We All Stand Together," written by McCartney and arranged by the Beatles' producer George Martin. The band Wings performs with McCartney.

[edit] Rupert (1985–1988)

Rupert returned to television in 1985 to the BBC, in the form of 36 short five-minute stories [1]. These were cartoons, but were not animated; instead each episode consisted of a series of still illustrations and narration. The sole narrator was Ray Brooks [2], and the dialogue rhymed. The short title music is credited to Brave New World. A selection of the episodes have been released on a number of VHS videos, no official DVD releases are so far available as at 2011.

[edit] Rupert (1991)

In 1991, Rupert Bear got his own 2D cartoon animated television series, with 39 episodes produced by Nelvana (Canada), Ellipse (France) and Scottish TV, and with another 26 episodes by Nelvana alone to bring the total to 65. The show greatly followed the style and tone Bestall established in the Rupert newspaper series, with many of the stories being almost direct adaptations of his or others' panel stories from the Daily Express.

It was broadcast in syndication on YTV in Canada. In the United States the show first aired on Nickelodeon before moving to CBS [3]; repeats of the series came to qubo's digital service in January 2007. The show was broadcast in the UK on CITV. In Australia, the show was broadcast on the ABC and on TV 2 in New Zealand as part of the Jason Gunn Show. The series has been re-aired in the UK on the satellite and cable channel Tiny Pop. As of 2009 the show also airs daily on Qubochannel, although only the latter 26 episodes are currently being shown.

[edit] Rupert Bear, Follow The Magic... (2006)

In 2006 a new Rupert Bear CGI-animated television series was produced, skewing almost entirely towards small children. Notable changes to the characters are that Rupert wears trainers and his fur has a slight tan; Pong Ping has become a girl who uses magic and had his name reversed; Raggety, who rarely appeared before, became a friendly tree elf; Ming became a baby dragon and Ping Pong's pet; Edward no longer has tusks, his trunk has been straightened and he wears an orange T-Shirt and brown shorts; and one of the fox twins (Ferdie) has been changed into a girl named Freda. There are new characters like Miranda the mermaid and characters like Podgy Pig, his self-obsessed sister Rosalie and the timid Willie Mouse make no appearances.

Rupert Bear, Follow The Magic ... was broadcast on Five from 8 November to 7 December 2006. Thirteen ten-minute episodes were broadcast and subsequently repeated.

Video games[link]

The British 1980s video games publisher, Quicksilva adapted Rupert Bear for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum 8-bit consoles. This company published two game instalments, the 1985 Rupert and the Toymaker's Party and the 1986 Rupert and The Ice Castle.

References[link]

Sources[link]

• Daily Express 1 November 2005

External links[link]

• Rupert (1991) at the Internet Movie Database
• The Followers of Rupert
• Rupert And The Frog Song
• Rupert Little Bear Library
• Rupert Bear Museum – Canterbury
• Rupert and the Toymaker's Party – Mobygames.com
• Rupert and the Ice Castle – Gamespot.com

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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2007)

Jackie Lee (born Jacqueline Norah Flood, 29 May 1936, Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish popular music singer, who has recorded under various names.

Career[link]

Lee was a musical child prodigy. She won a scholarship and trained as a soprano for four years. Upon finishing her studies she became a vocalist with the top showbands playing prestigious Irish venues.

Lee experienced similar success when she moved to London and joined the popular dance band; The Squadronaires. In 1955 her first solo record was released, followed by a further two the next year.

From 1959 to 1964 Lee was a member of The Raindrops, a successful quartet who made countless appearances on British TV and variety shows, had a BBC Radio show and released a string of records, the majority of which had Lee as lead vocalist. The Raindrops also included Les Vandyke and Vince Hill in its line-up.

In 1962 she entered the UK heats of the Eurovision Song Contest as a solo act with "There's No-one in the Whole Wide World" and performed it at the British national finals for BBC TV. This number was later covered and performed by The Beatles in concerts during this period.

Lee decided to become a solo artist in 1965 and it is this period, 1965–1967, which defines her cult status through the 'Beat' records she released.

One of these recordings reached the NME chart however; "Just Like a Man". The B-side; "I Gotta Be With You", became a 'Northern Soul' classic. Lee recorded this single under the name of Emma Rede for EMI Records.

Lee also had an alternative career as a respected session singer, through her groups The Jackie Lee Singers and Tears of Joy. She provided the backing vocals for such global number ones as "Green Green Grass of Home" by Tom Jones and "Release Me" by Englebert Humperdink.

She demonstrated her unique vocal range, ability and versatility on such diverse recordings as "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix; and much of the James Last catalogue at the time. At one point Elton John was employed by Lee, as a member of her session singers.

In 1968 - as 'Jacky' - she had a UK Top Ten hit with "White Horses", the theme from a Children's TV programme. In 2003, her definitive version was voted the best TV theme tune of all time by 'The Penguin Television Companion'. Her Jazz styled album of the same name was also released in 1968, which included contributions from Dudley Moore as pianist.

By 1970, 'Jacky' reverted to 'Jackie Lee' and had another hit record; "Rupert" from the TV show based on the famous cartoon character, Rupert Bear (erroneously referred to as "Rupert the Bear" in the song's lyrics). This recording also had a place in the "Best TV themes of all time" list from 'The Penguin Television Companion' at Number 7, thus consolidating Lee's reputation. Albums by her were also released in 1971 and 1972 on Pye Records.

In 1973, Jackie supplied the lead vocal for yet another children's series, "Inigo Pipkin"

It was shortly after this that she prematurely retired due to vocal complications and throat trouble, yet she remains a respected vocalist who has high collectability status, and, it has been said, that her work has "firmly embedded itself in the subconscious of a generation."^[1]

2007 saw the release of a CD entitled End Of A Rainbow - A Pye Anthology comprising all of Lee's later recordings, made for Pye Records between 1969 and 1973. A second CD, 'The Town I Live In', issued in 2009, collects all of her 1966/1967 recordings for EMI. Two further CD anthologies are planned.

Single discography[link]

• "White Horses" - UK #10 - 1968 - (Philips BF 1647)
• "Rupert" - UK #14 - 1971 - (Pye 7N 450003)

^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

• jackielee.org - The World of Jackie Lee (official site)
• Jackie Lee discography at Discogs

Robert Alan 'Bob' Monkhouse OBE (1 June 1928 – 29 December 2003)^[2] was an English entertainer. He was a successful comedy writer, comedian and actor and was also well known on British television as a presenter and game show host. Monkhouse was famous for his one-line jokes.

Early life and career[link]

Bob Monkhouse was born at 168 Bromley Road, Beckenham, Kent, the son of Wilfred Adrian Monkhouse (1894–1957), and Dorothy Muriel Monkhouse née Hansard (1895–1971). Monkhouse had an elder brother, John, born in 1922. Monkhouse's grandfather was a prosperous Methodist businessman who co-owned Monk and Glass, which made custard powder and jelly.^[3][4]

Bob Monkhouse was educated at Goring Hall School in Worthing and Dulwich College, from which he was later expelled. While still at school, Monkhouse wrote for The Beano and The Dandy and drew for comics including Hotspur, Wizard and Adventure comics ^[2]. He established a comics writing and art partnership with Dulwich schoolmate Denis Gifford and the two formed their own publishing company in the early 1950s. Among other writing, Monkhouse wrote more than 100 Harlem Hotspots erotic novelettes.^[2]

Monkhouse completed his national service with the Royal Air Force Regiment in 1948. He won a contract with the BBC after his unwitting RAF Group Captain signed a letter Monkhouse had written telling the BBC he was a war hero and that it should give him an audition.^[5]

This anecdote was among many which Monkhouse recalled in the BBC Radio 2 documentary Caught In The Draft, written by Terence Pettigrew and presented by Michael Aspel. The programme took a nostalgic look at compulsory national service, which operated in Britain from the wartime years until the beginning of the 1960s. Taking part in the programme along with Monkhouse were Leslie Thomas, the author of The Virgin Soldiers, and the BBC Radio 2 presenter John Dunn.

Monkhouse starred 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.^[6]

Writing and acting success[link]

Monkhouse's adult career began as a scriptwriter for radio comedy in partnership with Denis Goodwin, a fellow Old Alleynian with whom he also compèred Smash Hits on Radio Luxembourg. Alongside performing as a double act, Monkhouse and Goodwin wrote for comedians such as Arthur Askey, Jimmy Edwards, Ted Ray and Max Miller.^[3][7] In addition, Monkhouse was a gag-writer for American comedians including Bob Hope when they wanted jokes for British tours.

In 1956, Monkhouse was the host of Do You Trust Your Wife?, the British version of an American game show. He went on to host more than 30 different quiz shows on British television.^[3] 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. He appeared in Dentist in the Chair and later regretted not choosing the Carry Ons over the dental comedies. Other presenting jobs in the 1960s included hosting Candid Camera and compèring Sunday Night at the London Palladium. Around 1969 he was a partner, with Malcolm Mitchell, in the London Agency Mitchell Monkhouse. In 1979 he starred in a sketch comedy television series called Bonkers! with the Hudson Brothers, a job he hated.

In the early 1970s he appeared on BBC Radio in Mostly Monkhouse with Josephine Tewson and David Jason.

Stand-up comedy[link]

Monkhouse was a respected stand-up comedian. Known for his talent at ad-lib, he became a sought-after speaker for dinners and similar events. In 1976 he was the speaker at the Mars, Incorporated sales conference at the Excelsior Hotel on Bath Road opposite Heathrow Airport. He had been in a television advert for Polaroid cameras, and he told the joke, 'I am the only man ever allowed to say on television "you take it out and hold it in your hand, and in only 20 seconds it develops - or a minute if you want it in colour."'

Game shows[link]

Monkhouse was well known for hosting television quiz shows. One of his biggest successes was The Golden Shot during the late 1960s and early 1970s. This was broadcast live for 52 weeks a year and drew in up to 17 million viewers.^[7] The dozens of other shows Monkhouse presented included Celebrity Squares, Bob's Full House and Family Fortunes. Audiences regularly topped 15 million.^[2] In the late 1980s he hosted two series of the revival of the talent show Opportunity Knocks which aired as Bob Says Opportunity Knocks. He then moved to ITV to front two more game shows, Bob's Your Uncle and the $64,000 Dollar Question, neither of which were popular successes.

Between 1996 and 1998, Monkhouse presented the National Lottery show on Saturday evenings on BBC One for which he created the catchphrase "I know I'm a sinner, but make me a winner!" The opening to each show would see him deliver several minutes of topical jokes, and on one occasion where his autocue failed, he improvised a new and still topical routine. This talent was used in Bob Monkhouse On The Spot, a return to pure television comedy, in which audience members suggested topics and Monkhouse came up with a routine. Monkhouse returned to quizzes in 1998 when he took over hosting duties on Wipeout from Paul Daniels.

Chat show[link]

After being a stalwart of chat shows, in the mid-1980s Monkhouse presented his own chat show for the BBC, The Bob Monkhouse Show. The show lasted two series and featured many guests from the world of films and comedians of every age. Monkhouse was known among young comedians as a keen supporter of new comedy, and he used the show to introduce older audiences to new comedians. The format of the interviews varied between "true" chat and analysis of comedy, to scripted routines in which Monkhouse would willingly play the role of the guest's stooge. The most notable guest was the comedienne Pamela Stephenson who, after prior arrangement with the show's producer, appeared in a series of fake plaster casts, apparently the result of accidents whilst at home. 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. She then presented a rocket launcher which she promptly 'fired' destroying a television camera. The gun, launcher and camera were replicas. None of this arrangement was known to Monkhouse (although the production crew were aware), who appeared genuinely frightened.

Film and television archive[link]

An expert on the history of silent cinema and a film collector, Monkhouse presented Mad Movies in 1966, in which he presented clips from comic silent films, some of which he had helped to recover and restore. His private film collection was the cause of a court case at the Old Bailey in 1979 after he was charged with attempting to defraud film distributors, but he was acquitted. Many of the films in his collection were seized and destroyed (including what would have been the only surviving copies of many films) before the acquittal.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, the British Film Institute was contacted by Monkhouse's daughter, Abigail, who asked if they would like to view the collection and provide some advice as to the best way of preserving it. Amongst the discoveries were many radio and TV shows thought long vanished. Dick Fiddy, the archivist said "It's a huge, unwieldy collection which deals with a number of areas. It's not just film and TV. Initially we found half a dozen TV shows that we knew to be missing."

Amongst those shows rediscovered were many that feature Monkhouse himself, including The Flip Side, a 1966 play starring Monkhouse as a television DJ with his own late night show, and the 1958 series of his comedy My Pal Bob including an episode in which he is suspected of an extramarital affair.^[8] The archive consists of 36,000 videotapes, going back to when Monkhouse first bought a home video recorder in 1966. His film archive began in the late 1950s.

The entire Monkhouse film and television archive is now held by Kaleidoscope, including all material previously held by the NFTVA. It was catalogued and restored to digital formats for a major event at BAFTA on 24 October 2009. Chris Perry, part of Kaleidoscope and Kaleidoscope Publishing, said, "We are painstakingly transferring the important contents of the video tapes and restoring radio shows. There are many incredible finds, and the event in October will be an exciting time for all concerned."

In his final years, Monkhouse hosted a show on BBC Radio 2 called The Monkhouse Archive, in which he provided humorous links to clips of comedy acts spanning the previous 50 years. As both an enthusiast of classic comedy, and a keen supporter of young acts, he was ideally placed to select clips.

Awards and influence[link]

Monkhouse became a favourite with impressionists, and, as his style fell out of favour in the 1980s, he was mocked for his slickness and accused of insincerity. He came back into fashion during the 1990s, and appearances on Have I Got News For You restored his popularity. The British Comedy Awards handed him the Lifetime Achievement for Comedy honour in 1995. The Television and Radio Industries Club awarded him a Special Award - for outstanding contribution to broadcasting in 2003.^[9] He was surprised on This Is Your Life twice in 1982 and then just before his death in 2003. In a 2005 poll of fellow comedians and comedy insiders to find the Comedians' Comedian, Monkhouse was voted among the best 50 comedy acts.

Personal life[link]

Monkhouse was married twice, to Elizabeth Thompson on 5 November 1949 (divorced in 1972), and then to Jacqueline Harding (b. 1936 d. in Barbados 28 March 2008)^[10] from 4 October 1973 until his death. He had three children from his first marriage, but only his adopted daughter Abigail survived him. His son Gary Alan, who had cerebral palsy, died in Braintree, Essex, in 1992, aged 40; this led to Monkhouse's being an avid campaigner for the disabled. His other son Simon, from whom he had been estranged for almost ten years, died of a heroin overdose in a hotel in Northern Thailand in May 2001.^[3][11]

Monkhouse lived in Eggington, near Leighton Buzzard, and had an apartment in London and a holiday home in Barbados.

In his autobiography, he admitted to hundreds of sexual liaisons and affairs, including one with a transsexual, but claimed he only undertook this course of action because his first wife was unfaithful.^[12] His regular lovers before his second marriage included the actress Diana Dors, about whose parties he later commented after her death: "The awkward part about an orgy, is that afterwards you're not too sure who to thank."^[13]

For most of his career Monkhouse had jotted down jokes, odd facts, one-liners, sketches and ideas in a series of ring binders, which he took with him everywhere. In July 1995, they were stolen and Monkhouse offered a £15,000 reward. They were returned after 18 months^[7], but the thief, although arrested, was never charged.

Monkhouse was a vocal supporter of the Conservative Party for some years. He was appointed an OBE in 1993. He died of prostate cancer on 29 December 2003.

Posthumous advertisement[link]

On 12 June 2007, Monkhouse posthumously appeared on a British TV advertisement promoting awareness of prostate cancer for Male Cancer Awareness Week. Using reanimation techniques, Monkhouse was seen in a graveyard next to his own grave (though in reality he was cremated) talking about the disease seriously, interspersed with humorous asides to another camera ("What killed me kills one man per hour in Britain. That's even more than my wife's cooking."). He ended by saying, "As a comedian, I've died many deaths. Prostate cancer, I don't recommend. I'd have paid good money to stay out of here. What's it worth to you?" before walking away from his grave and disappearing. The advertisement was made with the support of Monkhouse's family and supported by poster campaigns, including award-winning panels displayed in London Underground trains.^[14][15] Money raised went to the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation.^[16]

Partial career summary[link]

Television[link]

As a performer[link]

• Fast and Loose UK 1954 (with Denis Goodwin)
• Christmas Box UK 1955
• The Bob Monkhouse Show UK 1956
• Beat Up The Town UK 1957
• My Pal Bob UK 1957
• The Bob Monkhouse Hour UK 1958
• The Big Noise UK 1964
• Thirty Minute Theatre:The Flip Side (BBC2 Drama as Jerry Janus)UK 1966
• Mad Movies UK 1966
• The Golden Shot UK 1967-1972, 1974-1975
• Friends In High Places UK 1969
• The Bob Monkhouse Comedy Hour UK 1972
• Celebrity Squares (UK version of Hollywood Squares) 1975-79, 1990-93
• I'm Bob, He's Dickie UK 1977
• Bonkers! UK 1979
• Family Fortunes (UK version of Family Feud) 1980-83
• The Bob Monkhouse Show UK 1983
• Bob's Full House 1984-1990 (later remade as One To Win with Andrew O'Connor (BBC in 1991 & Lucky Numbers with Shane Richie for ITV from 1993 in the UK and Trump Card in the US)
• Opportunity Knocks UK 1987-89
• The $64,000 Question (UK version of The 64,000 Dollar Question) 1990-93
• Bob's Your Uncle UK 1991-92
• All or Nothing at All UK 1993
• An Audience With Bob Monkhouse UK 1994
• Monkhouse's Memory Masters
• Bob Monkhouse On The Spot UK 1995
• The National Lottery Live 1996-1998
• Bob Monkhouse - Over The Limit UK 1998
• Bob Monkhouse On Campus UK 1998
• Rex the Runt (1998, cameo)
• Wipeout UK 1998–2002
• BBC New Comedy Awards UK 1999
• Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show UK/Canada 2001

As a writer[link]

• Fast And Loose UK 1954
• Cyril's Saga UK 1957
• Early To Braden UK 1957
• My Pal Bob UK 1957
• The Bob Monkhouse Hour UK 1958
• The Big Noise UK 1964
• The Bob Monkhouse Comedy Hour UK 1972
• I'm Bob, He's Dickie UK 1977
• Marti UK 1977
• Bonkers! UK 1979
• An Audience With Bob Monkhouse UK 1994
• Bob Monkhouse On The Spot UK 1995
• Bob Monkhouse - Over The Limit UK 1998

As an author[link]

• The Book of Days, 1981, ISBN 0-09-927150-8
• Crying with Laughter: My Life Story 1994 ISBN 0-09-925581-2
• Over the Limit: My Secret Diaries 1993-98, 1999 ISBN 0-09-979981-2
• Just Say a Few Words 2004 ISBN 0-7535-0908-3

As a singer[link]

• You Rang, M'Lord? 1988

As a voice actor[link]

• Rex the Runt 1998 (Johnny Saveloy in "Johnny Saveloy's Undoing")
• Aaagh! It's the Mr. Hell Show 2001 (Mr. Hell in all 13 episodes)

As a character actor[link]

• Jonathan Creek 1998 (Sylvester le Fley in "The Scented Room")

As a TV presenter[link]

• " Comedy Playhouse" 2002 - 2003 (?)

Radio[link]

• Mostly Monkhouse
• I Think I've Got a Problem

Films[link]

• The Secret People 1952
• Carry On Sergeant 1958
• Dentist in the Chair 1960
• Dentist on the Job 1961
• A Weekend with Lulu 1962
• She'll Have to Go 1962
• Thunderbirds Are Go 1966
• The Bliss of Mrs Blossom 1968
• Simon, Simon 1970

Stand-up videos[link]

• Exposes Himself (17 October 1994)
• Live And Forbidden (23 October 1995)
• Way Over The Limit (23 November 1998)

Quotes[link]

Notable one-liners[link]

• "They laughed when I said I was going to be a comedian. Well, they're not laughing now."^[3]
• "Personally, I don't think there's intelligent life on other planets. Why should other planets be any different from this one?"^[7]
• "Silence is not only golden, it is seldom misquoted."^[7]
• "Marriage is an investment which pays dividends if you pay interest."^[7]
• "I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my father. Not screaming and terrified like his passengers." (Said on the advert which was broadcast after he had died)^[2]
• "Growing old is compulsory - growing up is optional."
• "As a comic, you need every wrinkle. Having a facelift would be like asking a tap dancer to have his feet chopped off."
• "I came home and found that my son (wife) was taking drugs - my very best ones too!" (on Have I Got News For You)
• "I see that the Guardian has said that I am a cult." (on Have I Got News For You) (The Guardian being infamous for its typographic errors)
• "I'm rather relaxed about death. From quite an early age I've regarded it as part of the deal, the unwritten guarantee that comes with your birth certificate."
• "I'm not afraid of death. The only problem is that you're so bloody stiff the next day."
• "So you are half Welsh and half Hungarian, that means you are well-hung!" (on V Graham Norton)
• (on stage as a veteran comic)"You'll be glad to hear, I can still enjoy sex at 74. I live at number 76 - it's no distance."^[17]
• "I can remember when safe sex meant a padded headboard."
• "It got up to 94 degrees today - that's pretty good at my age."
• "I'm from Kent. I hear them whisper it as I walk past."
• On his visits to Princess Grace Hospital for treatment after being diagnosed with prostate cancer--"I've been in and out of Princess Grace more often than Prince Rainier."
• "With my wife it was sex, sex, sex... Yes, three times in 35 years."
• "Should you wish to piss...." (an infamous blooper when presenting The $64,000 Question in which he mispronounced the word "pass")^[18]
• "Dulwich College takes me back after seventy years. My mum must have written one hell of a sick note!"
• "The doctor said have you heard of faecal impaction? I said, I think I saw that with Glenn Close" Joking about his cancer battle on Parkinson in 2003.

Game show catchphrases[link]

• "Bernie.... the bolt!" - catchphrase on The Golden Shot.
• "In bingo lingo clickety-clicks, it's time to take your pick of the six"- catchphrase on Bob's Full House.

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bob Monkhouse

• Bob Monkhouse at the Internet Movie Database

• BBC Obituary for Bob Monkhouse
• A review of Dying On Stage, a stage play loosely based on Bob Monkhouse's life and career
• Television Heaven
• Give a few Bob for the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation
• Bob Monkhouse on Chortle
• Bob Monkhouse on British Classic Comedy
• Mad Movies/ Bob Monkhouse at the Internet Movie Database
• Hosted by Bob Monkhouse and produced by Central Television. "The $64,000 Question series 3 final show". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dogFVzJuTQU&feature=related. 

Naomi Valerie Wilkinson (born 30 June 1974, in Bristol, England, UK) is an English television presenter, actress and producer.^[1]

Wilkinson, a trained dancer, was the senior continuity presenter of Milkshake!, the early-morning programming block for young children on Channel 5. Prior to joining Milkshake! in 2000, Wilkinson co-presented the breakfast show Wakey! Wakey! for the now-defunct children's channel Carlton Kids. She has also presented Havakazoo for Channel 5 and Finger Tips for CITV.

Wilkinson came to the U.S.A. and became the host of Make Way For Noddy on PBS Kids and The Sunny Side Up Show on PBS Kids Sprout.

On June 10th 2008, Wilkinson announced her engagement on-air.

On July 2nd 2010, Wilkinson celebrated 10 years of presenting Milkshake with a montage of clips and special guest co-presenter Elmo who also joined her for the morning of her birthday earlier the same week.

In 2009, Wilkinson voiced the lead role of Angelina Mouseling in Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps.

Wilkinson joined Steve Backshall on CBBC and BBC2 presenting Live 'n' Deadly in 2010. In 2012 she joined the Ed Petrie vehicle All Over the Place for its second series on CBBC.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Naomi Wilkinson at the Internet Movie Database
• http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/naomi-wilkinson/

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