BOB MONKHOUSE - I Remember Natalie / In My Dream World (CBS 3958) UK 1968 45 (Mark Wirtz)
vinyl: VG++

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. Aside from performing as a double act, Monkhouse and Goodwin wrote for comedians such as Arthur Askey, Jimmy Edwards, Ted Ray and Max Miller. In addition, they were also gag writers for American comedians including Bob Hope when they wanted jokes for British tours. Indeed, when Goodwin broke up the partnership in 1962 it was to go and work for Hope.

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. 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 (1961) 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 Mitchell Monkhouse Agency. In 1979 he starred in a US sketch comedy television series called Bonkers! with the Hudson Brothers and Joan Rivers, a job he hated. In the early 1970s he appeared on BBC Radio in Mostly Monkhouse with Josephine Tewson and David Jason.