BOB MONKHOUSE. Born in Beckenham, Kent, England, 1 June 1928. Attended Dulwich College. Married: 1) Elizabeth, 1949 (divorced 1972), children: Abigail, Gary and Simon; 2) Jacqueline, 1973. Trained as a cartoon film animator with Gaumont British; started performing as comedian while member of the Royal Air Force, 1947-49; formed successful writing partnership with Denis Goodwin; became BBC's first contract comedian, performing on the Work Wonders radio show, 1949; starred in own radio show, 1949-83; starred in first television series, 1952; built up reputation as major cabaret attraction worldwide; host and guest performer on many BBC and ITV programs. Officer of the Order of the British Empire, 1993. Recipient: Top Comedian in Cabaret, 1981, 1987; After-Dinner Speaker of the Year, 1989. Address: Peter Prichard, Mezzanine Floor, 235 Regent Street, London W1X 8AX, England.

TELEVISION SERIES

1952-56 Fast and Loose
1957      Bury Your Hatchet
1960-67 Candid Camera
1964     The Big Noise
1967-71, 1974-75 The Golden Shot
1975-79 Celebrity Squares
1978-81 I'm Bob, He's Dickie!
1979-83 Family Fortunes
1983-86 Bob Monkhouse Tonight
1984-90 Bob's Full House
1987-89 Bob Says Opportunity Knocks
1990     The $64,000 Question
1993-     Celebrity Squares
1996-     The National Lottery Live

FILMS

Secret People, 1951; All in Good Fun, 1956; Carry On Sergeant, 1958; Dentist in the Chair, 1960; Dentist on the Job, 1961; She'll Have to Go, 1962; A Weekend with Lulu, 1962; Thunderbirds Are Go, 1966; Up the Junction, 1967; The Bliss of Mrs Blossom, 1968; Simon Simon, 1970; Out of Order, 1983.

RADIO

Work Wonders, 1949; Hello Playmates (also co-writer), 1954; Punchline; Bob Hope's 80th Anniversary; Mr Rodgers and Mr Hammerstein; Mostly Monkhouse; In the Psychiatrist's Chair.

STAGE

Start Time with Bob; Aladdin; Boy from Syracuse; Come Blow Your Horn.

PUBLICATIONS

Just a Few Words--The Complete Speakers' Handbook. New York: M. Evans, 1988.

Crying with Laughter (autobiography), 1993.

 

 

   

Bob Monkhouse is one of British television's most prolific performers, indelibly etched on the minds of the public as the smooth, wise-cracking host of countless game shows. Initially a stand-up comic, Monkhouse's early years were spent writing gags for himself and other performers. He made a number of guest appearances on TV shows before he and then writing partner Denis Goodwin finally landed their own television series in 1953 with Fast and Loose, a comedy sketch show. This was eventually followed by another series, My Pal Bob. With the coming of the Britain's commercial channel in 1955, Monkhouse was able to diversify, becoming a game-show host with For Love or Money and, with co-producer Jonathan Routh, fooling the public with various scams in the British version of Candid Camera.

Always a fan of the great silent comedians, Monkhouse paid tribute to some of the men who had inspired him in 1966 with Mad Movies. He also continued a punishing schedule of nightclub appearances, before becoming the host of ATV's Sunday night variety show, The London Palladium Show in 1967.

However, it was not until late 1967 that Monkhouse became associated with ATV's The Golden Shot, the series that made him a truly household name. Initially presented by Canadian Jackie Rae, this gameshow featured members of the audience who, to win prizes, guided, via the telephone, a blindfolded marksman to fire a crossbow into a target. In later stages of the game the audience members were firing the crossbows themselves. From the start Monkhouse was determined that he should be the presenter, and even went to the expense of having a telerecording made of the episode in which he made a guest appearance, in order that Lew Grade, boss of ATV, should see how he could rescue what was then a fading show. Monkhouse also instigated the show's catchphrase when asking the studio hand to load the bolt: "Bernie, the bolt".

Monkhouse did indeed rescue the programme, not only enlivening it with his wise-cracking comedy, but also changing the format, simplyfying it and making it more visually appealing and exciting. Thus began a career as a game and quiz show host. In 1975 ATV adapted the American programme Hollywood Squares, which was hosted by Monkhouse as Celebrity Squares. Once again he was the fast-talking, ad libbing host par excellence. There have been numerous gameshows since, including Family Fortunes, $64,000 Question, Bob's Full House and Bob Says Opportunity Knocks. However, while thoroughly professional and able to put contestants at their ease, Monkhouse has gained himself a reputation for being smarmy and oleaginous and has often played on this aspect of his persona.

1993 saw Monkhouse diversifying into straight drama with a role in Yorkshire Television's All Or Nothing At All, which also starred comedian Hugh Laurie. Although it may not have led to Monkhouse being hailed as the next Olivier, it was a proficient performance. All through his television career Monkhouse has continued his standup comedy act in nightclubs across England, and in recent years he has had something of a renaissance and made a comeback as a TV comic, having been "re-discovered" by a younger generation of comics along with the likes of Ken Dodd and the late Frankie Howerd. He is now probably deserving of "cult" status. This particular skill was showcased in Channel Four's An Audience with Bob Monkhouse, in which he performed before a celebrity audience, taking questions from them as well as cracking jokes and telling stories. This was followed by a less successful series on BBC1 called Gagtag, in which he was partnered every week with a different "alternative" comedian while younger comic Frank Skinner was teamed with a more traditional comedian. The culmination of this return to comic form was the 1995 series Bob Monkhouse on the Spot, scheduled late Saturday evening on the mainstream BBC1 and billed as a version of his cabaret act. This was a raunchier and racier Monkhouse than the TV public were used to seeing, and as the programmes were recorded close to transmission they were filled with topical gags.

Monkhouse remains a difficult comic to classify. He has invariably aroused strong emotions in the public, and has often been someone they love to hate, largely because of his oily television manner. Perhaps it is fair to say that he is admired rather than loved, but his professionalism and skill are unquestionable. His TV career has spanned over 40 years, and 30 of those have been as a top name on the bill. Obviously, he still has the ability and drive which made him a star and he will no doubt continue to be a major player in British entertainment for some time to come.

-Pam Logan