benny is a jewish bricklayer who lived with his wife, golda, at 5 albert square during world war ii, later retiring to clacton where golda died. benny first appears, visiting his old friend dr harold legg (leonard fenton) and begins spending time with ethel skinner (gretchen franklin), who is also an old friend of his. as benny and ethel spend more time together, their friendship blossoms into a romance. a very drunk benny later propositions ethel, asking her to move in with him. ethel initially thinks the offer is for a proposal of marriage, but when she realises that his motives are less than honourable she is furious and smashes his issy bonn records over his head. when relaying her concerns to her friend dot cotton (june brown), ethel confesses that she does love benny, which angers dot as she feels that benny is an old pervert and she tells ethel to stay well clear of him.