Voting Station

Bob Todd

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Comedian

The Resume

    (December 15, 1921-October 21, 1992)
    Born in Faversham, Kent, England, United Kingdom
    Birth name was Brian Todd
    Cast member in The Benny Hill Show (1970-76,1980-89)
    Appeared in the films ‘Scars of Dracula’ (1970), ‘She’ll Follow You Anywhere’ (1971), ‘Burke & Hare’ (1972), ‘That’s Your Funeral’ (1972), ‘Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall’ (1973), ‘Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World’ (1973), ‘The Four Musketeers’ (1974), ‘Confessions of a Pop Performer’ (1975), ‘The Ups and Downs of a Handyman’ (1976), ‘Come Play with Me’ (1977), ‘Superman III’ (1983), and ‘The Return of the Musketeers’ (1989)

Why he might be annoying:

    He started as a cattle breeder, but almost went bankrupt, resulting in his turning to show biz in his early 40s.
    Meeting screenwriters Ray Galton and Alan Simpson in a pub, he bluffed them into believing he was already an established actor, landing a part in the Sid James comedy ‘Citizen James’ (1962).
    He would crack up himself and Hill, sometimes resulting in sketches requiring thirty or more takes to complete.
    He frequently showed up on the set drunk or stoned.
    He was let go from ‘The Benny Hill Show’ for several years after disappearing on a five-day long bender.
    The band Half Man Half Biscuit paid him the dubious honor of titling one of their songs ‘99% of Gargoyles Look Like Bob Todd.’

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a Royal Air Force navigator during World War II.
    He was brought back to ‘The Benny Hill Show’ after Hill had trouble finding a replacement with whom he had as good chemistry.
    In addition to Hill, he played stooge for comedians Spike Milligan and Marty Feldman.
    Hill made one of his few television appearances outside his own show to pay tribute to Todd on an episode of ‘This Is Your Life’ (1984).
    He missed Hill’s funeral through a series of mishaps, including getting stuck in traffic, his tailor having trouble finding his suit, and winding up at the wrong train platform. (A biographer of Hill noted, ‘Benny would have roared with laughter.’)

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying