Hill's Angels in
Keep Young and Beautiful

Louise English

Regular Performer/Hill's Angel (1978-1986)

IMDB Entry

Louise English as she appeared in the "Keep Young and Beautiful" number of February 11, 1981. For many, Louise English is considered the "unofficial" leader of Hill's Angels, alongside Sue Upton. They were both very important to the Benny Hill Show, not only as Angels, but as supporting actors in many short skits with Benny Hill. Of course today, Louise English doesn't seem to make any more TV appearances, but works on the theatrical stage in England. There was a brief period where she even had her own official website, but for some reason, the site was discontinued. Louise, if you're watching, we all miss you very much and would love to see you again in some connection with the Benny Hill Show, especially in a DVD tribute.

Sue Upton

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Benny Hill's favorite Angel (and many others', too), Sue Upton, seen in "Keep Young and Beautiful" segment of February 11, 1981. She first joined the show during the 1977 series, among her highlights there being as the Bionic Boy's first crush. By her third appearance on Dec. 26, 1978 (she would be in every remaining Hill show from then on), Benny noticed her upturned face lent itself to an old lady character, which she first played in the "Grand Wheelchair Rally" sketch; this led not only to the "Wondergran" sketches, but a recurring characterization as a feisty old lady - the archetype once played in the show's early Thames years by such genuine old ladies as Connie Georges. On the next-to-last Thames show in 1989, she even played Stan Laurel to Mr. Hill's Oliver Hardy in a silent sketch. Ms. Upton also figured very prominently in the Hill's Angels routines in their early years, indeed is regarded as one of the unofficial leaders of the troupe (the other being Louise English); in the show's final years, she also had a hand in the selection of future Angels. Her children, Richard and Louise Whatling (qv's), were among the "Hill's Little Angels" in the fading years of TBHS; she and her family have been widely cited as being like a "second family" to Benny outside the confines of his show. There is a website, SueUpton.net, which can give more about her illustrious career, as well as film and TV credits other than the Hill show, and several photos (in one of which she posed with Mr. Hill, Suzy Mandel, Jenny Westbrook, Anne Bruzac, and the then-current members of Love Machine of which she had been a part before either they or she first appeared on the show), than can be put in so short a space here.

Clare Smalley

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Another popular Hill's Angel, Clare Smalley, as seen in the "Keep Young and Beautiful" number of February 11, 1981. She was a charter Hill's Angel, figuring prominently in the dance routines in the first five shows to feature the group. In her last credited appearance (the aforementioned 1981 show), she was the woman at the bus stop who, after many aggravations, turns into a "She-Hulk" (as played by Alison Bell). Post-TBHS, she was part of another troupe called "Auto Angels," and made an appearance in an episode of Not the Nine O'Clock News, as well as appearing with some once and future Angels as dancers in the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. On her last two credited TBHS appearances, her name was spelled Claire Smalley.

Alison Bell

The lovely Alison Bell, as seen in the "Keep Young and Beautiful" number from February 11, 1981. This statuesque (5' 10"), voluptuous beauty first appeared on TBHS on the April 25, 1979 show, where in all likelihood she played "Lady Cynthia Ramsbottom" in the famous "The Police Raid in Waterloo Station" sketch. Her winning smile lit up such routines and sketches as "Hotel Splendide," "The Poster Girl," and "Little Dimpton Street Party"; her almost Amazonesque height and ample proportions lent themselves to such over-the-top characters as a She-Hulk, a female vampire, and an S&M dominatrix. On at least two occasions, she appeared in roles played in earlier versions/incarnations by Lesley Goldie (qv): as a woman trapped inside a burning building in the remake of "A Tribute to the Lower Tidmarsh Fire Brigade," and as the younger wife of Jackie Wright in "The Lover." Ms. Bell's only known entry in The Spotlight (London), published in the 1982/83 edition, did not list the Hill show among her credits, but listed other TV credits such as appearances on the Bruce Forsyth and Little & Large shows; and a West End (London) stage show, Underneath the Arches. Also appeared in a 1986 episode of Chance in a Million. She was interviewed for featurettes on the Hill's Angels in Sets 4 and 5 of A&E Video's Complete & Unadulterated series of DVD's. Is not to be confused with the former British TV newscaster of the same name.

Penny Kendall

Here is Penny Kendall as she appeared in the February 11, 1981 "Keep Young and Beautiful" routine. Her time on the Benny Hill Show was short, but she did appear in Keep young and Beautiful, An occasional man, Down on the farm, Russian dolls and various others. She also worked in various TV shows such as the "Kenny Everett Show", Jim Davidson's "Whats on Next", Les Dawson's "Dawsons Watch", "The Sweeney", plus various others. Several small parts in films such as, "Valentino" with Rudolph Nureyev and Michelle Phillips, "The world is full of Married Men", "Odd Job" with David Jason, Video clips for Paul McCartney and Wings and another group called The Real Thing, numerous TV ads, modelling and fashion shows. Various theatre variety shows in England and then later in Spain. She also sang in a top variety show for 2 years in Spain. Today, apart from the odd modelling job, her time is taken up in an Estate Agency in Palma de Mallorca.

Beverley Kay

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Abigail Higgins

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A still of fan favorite Abigail Higgins, from: the "Keep Young and Beautiful" routine of February 11, 1981. At the time of her two 1979 appearances (on the April 25, 1979 show, she appeared in the "Yield to the Dawn" sketch as Benny's new neighbor), Ms. Higgins was a member of the second coming of Pan's People, along with another future Hill's Angel, Louise English. Abigail became an Angel herself in the 1981 series, figuring in the dance routines of every show therein - and also displaying a knack for comedy, as evidenced in the "Channel Surfing" sketch (Feb. 11, 1981) and the "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" quickie (March 25, 1981), just as a few examples. In that latter vein, she also appeared, uncredited, on and off in sketches and quickies as aired between 1982 and 1985, with the 1984 series being her most prominent (lusting after old man Jackie Wright in "Stupid Cupid," for example, or as a bank teller in the "Fingers McNee" sketch). Her only other known TV credit, outside of TBHS, was a 1983 Bruce Forsyth special, also produced by Thames.

Keep Young And Beautiful

What's cute about little cutie
It's her beauty, not brains
Old father time will never harm you
If your charm still remains
After you grow old, baby

Keep young and beautiful
It's your duty to be beautiful
Keep young and beautiful
If you want to be loved

If you're wise exercise all the fat off
Take it off, off of here, off of there
When you're seen anywhere
With you hat off
Wear a marcel wave in your hair

Take care of all those charms
And you'll always be in someone's arms
Keep young and beautiful
If you want to be loved

If you're wise exercise all the fat off
Take it off, off of here, off of there
When you're seen anywhere
With you hat off
Wear a marcel wave in your hair

Keep young and beautiful
It's your duty to be beautiful
Keep young and beautiful
If you want to be loved
Keep young and beautiful
If you want to be loved
Boopie doo, ah

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