Denis Ian Goodwin (19 July 1929 – 26 February 1975) was a radio and television comedy scriptwriter and actor, best known for his writing partnership with Bob Monkhouse, with whom he also compèred the ''Smash Hits'' programme on Radio Luxembourg. Goodwin was born in London and attended

Dulwich College Dulwich College is a 2-18 private, day and boarding school for boys in Dulwich, London, England. As a public school, it began as the College of God's Gift, founded in 1619 by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn, with the original purpose of ...

at the same time as Monkhouse, although there is no evidence that the two met at school. In 1944, his father Laurence Goodwin was killed by a

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb ( "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry () name was Fieseler Fi 103 and its suggestive name was (hellhound). It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug a ...

("doodlebug") while waiting at a bus stop in South London. In 1948, while working at a department store, Goodwin approached Monkhouse and they formed a writing and comedy partnership that lasted for fourteen years. Goodwin and Monkhouse wrote scripts for comedians such as Derek Roy, Ted Ray and Arthur Askey. Eventually they were given their own television series, ''Fast and Loose'' (1954), which they co-wrote and in which they both appeared. However, Goodwin lacked Monkhouse's talent for improvisation and was less assured as a performer. His creative partnership with Monkhouse gradually disintegrated and finally came to an end in 1962 when he was offered work in the US on

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

's gag writing team. However, Goodwin was unable to cope with the fast-paced life in America and returned to England. After returning to the UK he was the scriptwriter for '' Bright's Boffins'' (1970) and in 1974 wrote shows for Max Bygraves and David Frost. He was married twice: his first marriage was to Barbara (1956) with whom he had two children — Jeremy (1958) and Suki (1960). They

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganising of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the M ...

d in 1967 and in 1971 he married Jane Cappleman. In 1968, he was convicted of shoplifting from a West End shop and fined £70.'I'm Flabbergasted Says Fined Goodwin'. Daily Mail, November 6th 1968 In 1975, Goodwin died by

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

by means of an overdose of sleeping tablets, aged 45.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, Denis 1929 births 1975 suicides 1975 deaths English television writers English comedy writers People educated at Dulwich College Drug-related suicides in England 20th-century English male actors British male television writers 20th-century English screenwriters