# Hattie Jacques on stage, radio, screen and record

Hattie Jacques (/dʒeɪks/; born Josephine Edwina Jaques; 1922–1980) was an English actress who appeared in many genres of light entertainment including radio, film, television and stage. Jacques's career spanned from 1939 until her death in 1980. She is best remembered for her appearances in fourteen Carry On films and for her professional partnership with Eric Sykes.
In 1939 Jacques became involved in amateur dramatics, appearing as Doris Gow in Noël Coward's short play Fumed Oak. Five years later, after wartime service as a nurse and a welder, she made her professional theatrical debut at the Players' Theatre in the revue Late Joys, a performance that she repeated on television in 1946. From there she became a regular stage performer, appearing in variety shows and Victorian-style pantomimes.
After her appearances on radio as Sophie Tuckshop alongside Tommy Handley in the final two series of his signature show It's That Man Again, Jacques came to national prominence. She later appeared on Educating Archie as Agatha Dinglebody, where she worked with Tony Hancock; in 1956 she joined Hancock in the cast of the BBC radio show Hancock's Half Hour, playing Griselda Pugh, Hancock's secretary. She made her film debut in an uncredited role in Green for Danger in 1946, before working in a number of minor roles in a series of Dickens adaptations. From 1958 to 1974 she appeared in fourteen Carry On films, where she was "usually cast as formidable hospital matrons (at least four) or man-devouring predators".
Jacques had a long professional partnership with Eric Sykes, with whom she co-starred in two long-running television series, Sykes and a... and Sykes. The couple also produced an album and a single in 1962; a stage show followed between 1976 and 1979, A Hatful of Sykes. Jacques was married to the actor John Le Mesurier in November 1949, but their marriage was dissolved in 1965. Jacques died suddenly in October 1980 from heart failure.

## Stage credits

Stage credits of Hattie Jacques :
| Production | Date | Theatre (London, unless stated) | Role | Notes |
| Fumed Oak | 4 May 1939 | The Kitson Hall, Barnes | Doris Gow | Amateur production with The Curtain Club |
| Borgia | 4 May 1939 | The Kitson Hall, Barnes | Beatrice of Orsini | Amateur production with The Curtain Club |
| Late Joys revue | July 1944 | Players' Theatre | – | Professional debut with the Players' Theatre |
| The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood | 20 December 1944 | Players' Theatre | – | Players' Theatre pantomime |
| Pantomime | December 1945 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| The Cave and the Garden | 24 April 1946 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| The Amiable Mrs Luke | 25 September 1946 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| The King Stag | 26 December 1946 – January 1947 | Lyric Theatre | Smeraldina | With the Young Vic Theatre Company |
| The King Stag | January – June 1947 | National tour | Smeraldina | Five-month tour with the Young Vic Theatre Company |
| Players, Please | 9 December 1947 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| Bates Wharf | Spring 1948 | Whitehall Theatre | – | With the Under Thirty Theatre Group |
| The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood | 21 December 1948 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Queen | Players' Theatre pantomime |
| The Beauty and the Beast | 20 December 1949 | Players' Theatre | Marygolda | Players' Theatre pantomime |
| Please Teacher | April 1950 | People's Palace | – | Also on national tour |
| Ali Baba and the Thirty-Nine Thieves | 19 December 1950 | Players' Theatre | Cogia Baba | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett |
| Apartments | 1 May 1951 | Players' Theatre | Mrs Tippity | |
| The Crystal Palace—1851 | 3 May 1951 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| Going Up | June 1951 | Players' Theatre | Duchess of Kent | |
| Riquet with the Tuft | 18 December 1951 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Queen | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett |
| The Archie Andrews Christmas Show | December 1951 – January 1952 | Prince of Wales Theatre | – | |
| The Bells of St Martins | 29 August – 29 November 1952 | St Martin's Theatre | – | Also directed |
| Babes in the Wood | December 1952 | Players' Theatre | – | Directed |
| Cinderella | 22 December 1953 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Fragrant | Five-week run |
| The Players' Theatre Minstrel Show | April 1954 | Players' Theatre | – | Also directed |
| The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood | December 1954 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Antidota | |
| Twenty Minutes South | May – July 1955 | Players' Theatre | – | Produced and directed |
| Twenty Minutes South | July – October 1955 | St Martin's Theatre | – | Produced and directed; 105 performances |
| Chain of Guilt | 1956 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| The Two Mrs Carolls | 1956 | Players' Theatre | – | |
| Albertine by Moonlight | May 1956 | Westminster Theatre | Madame Leonie Urwig | |
| Ali Baba and the Thirty-Nine Thieves | December 1956 | Players' Theatre | Cogia Baba | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett |
| Large as Life | 23 May – 13 December 1958 | London Palladium | – | 380 performances |
| Royal Variety Performance | 3 November 1958 | London Coliseum | – | |
| Royal Variety Performance | May 1960 | Victoria Palace Theatre | – | |
| Riquet with the Tuft | December 1960 | Players' Theatre | – | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett |
| A Hatful of Sykes | May – September 1976 | Pavilion Theatre, Torquay | – | |
| A Hatful of Sykes | 25 February – 5 March 1977 | Hong Kong Sheraton | – | |
| The Royal Silver Jubilee Gala Performance | 17 May 1977 | King's Theatre, Glasgow | – | |
| A Hatful of Sykes | 29 June 1977 | Winter Gardens, Blackpool | – | Summer season |
| A Hatful of Sykes | March 1978 | Theatre Royal, Lincoln | – | |
| A Hatful of Sykes | April – 6 May 1978 | Seven Arts Theatre, Rhodesia | – | Including a tour of Rhodesia |
| A Hatful of Sykes | 27 December – 27 January 1979 | National Arts Centre, Ottawa and tour of Canada | – | |
| A Hatful of Sykes | February – March 1979 | Tour of South Africa | – | |
| A Hatful of Sykes | March – July 1979 | National tour | – | Consisting Lincoln, Guilford, Cardiff, Wilmslow, Norwich and Brighton |
| A Hatful of Sykes | 16 July – September 1979 | Bournemouth | – | |

## Radio broadcasts

Radio broadcasts of Hattie Jacques :
| Broadcast | Date | Role | Notes |
| Variety Bandbox | 6 May 1945 | – | |
| It's That Man Again | 25 September 1947 – 10 June 1948 | Sophie Tuckshop | Series eleven: 38 episodes |
| It's That Man Again | 23 September 1948 – 6 January 1949 | Sophie Tuckshop | Series twelve: 16 episodes |
| April Revue | 1949 | – | |
| The Bowrey Bar | 1949 | – | |
| Heloise | 1949 | – | |
| Clay's College | 27 June 1949 | – | |
| Educating Archie | 6 June – 19 December 1950 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series one: 29 episodes |
| Further Goings On | 1951 | – | |
| Fine Goings On | 4 January – 5 July 1951 | – | Series one: 14 episodes |
| Calling All Forces | 28 April 1951 | – | |
| Educating Archie | 3 August 1951 – 25 January 1952 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series two: 26 episodes |
| Arthur's Inn | July 1952 | – | |
| Educating Archie | 18 September 1952 – 26 June 1953 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series three: 27 episodes |
| Educating Archie | 15 October 1953 – 1 April 1954 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series four: 25 episodes |
| "The Santa Claus Show" | 25 December 1953 | – | |
| Paradise Street | 20 April – 13 July 1954 | Agatha Dinglebody | Spin-off series from Educating Archie |
| "Archie in Goonland" | 11 June 1954 | – | The Goon Show and Educating Archie special |
| Educating Archie | 1955 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series five |
| Mrs Dale's Diary | February – April 1955 | Mrs Leathers | 18 episodes |
| These Radio Times | March 1955 | – | |
| You're Only Young Once | April 1955 | – | |
| Hancock's Half Hour | 11 November 1956 – 24 February 1957 | Griselda Pugh | Series four: 16 episodes |
| Hancock's Half Hour | 21 January – 3 June 1958 | Griselda Pugh | Series five: 20 weeks |
| Hancock's Half Hour | 25 December 1958 | Griselda Pugh | Christmas special |
| Educating Archie | 7 October 1959 – 17 February 1960 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series ten: 20 episodes |
| It's a Fair Cop | 22 May – 10 July 1961 | – | 8 episodes |
| Desert Island Discs | 16 October 1961 | – | Interviewed by Roy Plomley |
| "Hazy Days of Summer" | December 1963 | – | |
| Housewife's Choice | May – August 1964 | – | 4 episodes |
| Souvenir | 1965 | – | 13 episodes |
| Twenty Questions | 1965 | – | |
| Sounds Familiar | August 1968 | – | |
| Pete's People | October 1969 | – | Interviewed by Pete Murray |
| My Kind of Music | June 1971 | – | |
| Today Programme | June 1971 | – | Live interview on BBC Radio 4 |
| Morning Story | June 1971 | – | |

## Television

Television appearances of Hattie Jacques :
| Programme | Date | Channel | Role | Notes |
| Late Joys Revue | 11 June 1946 | BBC Television | – | Live broadcast from the BBC Alexandra Palace Studios |
| No, No, Nanette | 1948 | BBC Television | – | Live broadcast from the BBC Alexandra Palace Studios |
| Out of This World | 15 November 1950 | BBC Television | – | |
| Panorama | 6 January 1954 | BBC Television | – | Featured a film sequence of the pantomime "Cinderella" from the Players' Theatre |
| Happy Holidays | 10 July – 18 September 1954 | BBC Television | Mrs Mulberry | 6 episodes |
| Plunder | 1955 | BBC Television | Mrs Howlett | |
| The Granville Melodramas | 10 October – 27 December 1955 | ITV | Various | 7 episodes |
| Tribute to Henry Hall | 1956 | BBC Television | – | |
| The Tony Hancock Show | 1 June 1956 | ITV | – | Series one, episode 6 |
| The Tony Hancock Show, "Honneur et Fidelite" | 30 November 1956 | ITV | – | Series two, episode 2 |
| Pantomania | 25 December 1956 | BBC Television | Good Fairy | |
| Hancock's Half Hour | 15 April – 10 June 1957 | BBC Television | – | Series two: 5 episodes |
| A Cup of Kindness | 1959 | BBC Television | Mrs Tutt | |
| Gala Opening | 7 March 1959 | BBC Television | – | |
| Hancock's Half Hour, "The Cruise" | 30 October 1959 | ITV | Amorous Lady | Series five, episode 6 |
| Sykes and a... | 29 January – 26 February 1960 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series one: 5 episodes |
| Royal Variety Performance | 22 May 1960 | ITV | – | Broadcast from the Victoria Palace Theatre |
| Twentieth Century Theatre, "The Insect Play" | 19 July 1960 | BBC Television | – | |
| Sykes and a... | 11 August – 15 September 1960 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series two: 6 episodes |
| Our House | 11 September – 4 December 1960 | ITV | Georgina Ruddy | Series one: 13 episodes |
| Sally Ann Howes Variety Show | 1961 | | – | |
| Juke Box Jury | 1960 | BBC Television | – | Jacques made four scheduled appearances on the show on 9 April 1960, 6 October 1962, 30 March 1963 and 13 December 1967 Additionally, Eric Merriman recollected in his biography that she made "several" appearances on other, non scheduled occasions, none of which are verified. |
| Sykes and a... | 4 January – 8 February 1961 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series three: 6 episodes |
| Sykes and a... | 14 April – 19 May 1961 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series four: 6 episodes |
| Our House | 16 September 1961 – 21 April 1962 | ITV | Georgina Ruddy | Series two: 26 episodes |
| Billy Cotton Band Show | 24 December 1961 | BBC Television | – | |
| Sykes and a... | 30 January – 20 March 1962 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series five: 8 episodes |
| Compact | February 1962 | BBC Television | – | |
| That Was the Week That Was | 1 December 1962 | BBC Television | – | |
| Christmas Night with the Stars | 25 December 1962 | BBC Television | – | Short special from Sykes and a... |
| This Is Your Life | 12 February 1963 | BBC Television | – | Jacques was the show's main guest |
| Sykes and a... | 21 February – 11 April 1963 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series six: 8 episodes |
| Sykes and a... | 25 February – 7 April 1964 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series seven: 7 episodes |
| Miss Adventure | 5 July – 10 October 1964 | ITV | Stacey Smith | 13 episodes |
| A Choice of Coward: Blithe Spirit | 17 August 1964 | ITV | Madame Arcati | |
| Sykes and a... | 30 October – 4 December 1964 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series eight: 6 episodes |
| Cribbins | February 1965 | BBC Television | – | Bernard Cribbins's sketch show |
| Sykes and a... | 5 October – 16 November 1965 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series nine: 7 episodes |
| Jackanory | 17 January 1966 – 17 February 1967 | BBC Television | Narrator | 10 episodes – Narrating the stories of Mary Poppins |
| Titi-Pu | 1967 | BBC Television | – | A re-working of The Mikado |
| Theatre 625, "The Memorandum" | 24 September 1967 | BBC Television | Helen | |
| Sykes Versus ITV | 26 November 1967 | ITV | – | |
| Knock Three Times | 1968 | BBC Television | Miss Popinjay | |
| Inside George Webley | 1968 | ITV | – | |
| The World of Beachcomber | 22 January – 22 April 1968 | BBC Television | – | Series one: 13 episodes |
| Howerd's Hour | 12 May 1968 | ITV | – | Frankie Howerd's sketch show |
| Join Jim Dale | 1969 | | – | |
| Pickwick | 11 June 1969 | BBC Television | Mrs Bardell | Based on the musical Pickwick |
| Carry On Christmas | 24 December 1969 | ITV | Elizabeth Barrett / nun / bemused passer-by | |
| Catweazle | 1970 | ITV | – | |
| Charley's Grants | 22 March – 26 April 1970 | BBC Television | Mrs Manger | |
| Dangerpoint | 1971 | | Miss Keen | |
| Ask Aspel | 1971 | BBC Television | – | |
| Sykes and a Big, Big Show | 26 February – 2 April 1971 | BBC Television | – | 6 episodes |
| Frankie Howerd: The Laughing Stock of Television | 14 April 1971 | ITV | – | |
| Doctor at Large: "Cynthia Darling" | 20 June 1971 | ITV | Mrs Askey | |
| Sykes – With the Lid Off | 7 July 1971 | ITV | – | |
| Christmas Night with the Stars | 25 December 1971 | BBC Television | – | Performed short sketch, A Policeman's Lot |
| Max Bygraves at the Royalty | 3 August 1972 | ITV | – | |
| Max Bygraves at the Royalty | 7 September 1972 | ITV | – | |
| Sykes | 14 September – 28 December 1972 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series one: 16 episodes |
| Carry On Christmas | 20 December 1972 | ITV | – | |
| Pebble Mill at One | 1973 | BBC Television | – | |
| Call My Bluff | 1973 | BBC Television | – | |
| Sykes | 10 September – 17 December 1973 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series two: 15 episodes |
| Sykes | 17 October – 5 December 1974 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series three: 8 episodes |
| Celebrity Squares | 1975 | ITV | – | |
| Wogan's World | 1975 | BBC Television | – | |
| Looks Familiar | 14 January 1975 | ITV | – | |
| Carry On Laughing: "Orgy and Bess" | 25 January 1975 | ITV | Queen Elizabeth | |
| 2nd House: The Sound of Laughter | 3 May 1975 | BBC Television | – | |
| Sykes | 24 October – 12 December 1975 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series four: 7 episodes |
| Sykes: "Christmas Party" | 12 December 1975 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Christmas special |
| Sykes | 11 November – 30 December 1976 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series five: 8 episodes |
| Eric Sykes: A Few of our Favourite Things | 1977 | ITV | – | |
| The Eric Sykes Show | 8 June 1977 | ITV | – | |
| Sykes: "Christmas Special" | 22 December 1977 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Christmas special |
| Sykes | 4 January – 8 February 1978 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series six: 6 episodes |
| Multi-Coloured Swap Shop | 21 January 1978 | BBC Television | – | |
| Sykes | 5 October – 16 November 1979 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series seven: 7 episodes |
| Play It Again, Hattie Jacques | 16 June 1980 | ITV | – | |
| Rhubarb Rhubarb | 15 December 1980 | ITV | Nanny | Shown posthumously |

## Filmography

Filmography of Hattie Jacques :
| Film | Year | Role | Notes |
| Green for Danger | 1946 | – | Uncredited |
| Nicholas Nickleby | 1947 | Mrs Kenwick | |
| Oliver Twist | 1948 | Singer at 'Three Cripples' | |
| Trottie True | 1949 | Daisy Delaware | |
| The Spider and the Fly | 1949 | Barmaid | Uncredited |
| Waterfront | 1950 | Singer | Uncredited |
| Chance of a Lifetime | 1950 | Alice | |
| Scrooge | 1951 | Mrs Fezziwig | |
| No Haunt for a Gentleman | 1952 | Mrs Fitz-Cholmondley | |
| Mother Riley Meets the Vampire | 1952 | Mrs Jenks | |
| The Pickwick Papers | 1952 | Mrs Nupkins | |
| All Hallowe'en | 1952 | Miss Quibble | |
| The Pleasure Garden | 1953 | Mrs Albion | |
| Our Girl Friday | 1953 | Mrs Patch | |
| Up to His Neck | 1954 | Rakiki | |
| The Love Lottery | 1954 | Chambermaid | |
| As Long as They're Happy | 1955 | Party girl | |
| Now and Forever | 1956 | Woman in sportscar with dog | Uncredited |
| The Square Peg | 1958 | Gretchen | |
| Carry On Sergeant | 1958 | Captain Clark | |
| Left Right and Centre | 1959 | Woman in car | |
| The Night We Dropped a Clanger | 1959 | Ada | |
| Follow a Star | 1959 | Dymphna Dobson | |
| The Navy Lark | 1959 | Fortune teller | |
| Carry On Nurse | 1959 | Matron | |
| Carry On Teacher | 1959 | Grace Short | |
| Carry On Constable | 1960 | Sergeant Laura Moon | |
| Make Mine Mink | 1960 | Nanette Parry | |
| School for Scoundrels | 1960 | First Instructress | |
| Watch Your Stern | 1960 | Agatha Potter | |
| In the Doghouse | 1961 | Gudgeon | |
| Carry On Regardless | 1961 | Sister | |
| She'll Have to Go | 1962 | Miss Richards | |
| The Punch and Judy Man | 1963 | Dolly Zarathusa | |
| Carry On Cabby | 1963 | Peggy | |
| The Plank | 1967 | Woman with rose in her mouth | |
| The Bobo | 1967 | Trinity Martinez | |
| Carry On Doctor | 1967 | Matron | |
| Rhubarb | 1969 | Nurse Rhubarb | |
| Monte Carlo or Bust! | 1969 | Lady journalist | |
| Carry On Camping | 1969 | Miss Haggerd | |
| Carry On Again Doctor | 1969 | Matron | |
| Crooks and Coronets | 1969 | Mabel | |
| The Magic Christian | 1969 | Ginger Horton | |
| Carry On Loving | 1970 | Sophie Bliss | |
| Carry On at Your Convenience | 1971 | Beatrice Plummer | |
| Danger Point | 1971 | Miss Keen | |
| Carry On Matron | 1971 | Matron | |
| Carry On Abroad | 1972 | Floella | |
| You'd Better Go in Disguise | 1973 | Hattie | |
| Carry On Dick | 1974 | Martha Hoggett | |
| Three for All | 1975 | Security official | |

## Discography

Recordings by Hattie Jacques :
| Title | Year | Format | Label | Notes | Refs. |
| "Doctor Kildare" / "Bedtime Story" | 1962 | Single | Decca Records (Y7092) | With Eric Sykes | |
| Eric and Hattie and Things''!!! | 1962 | Album | Decca Records (LK 4507) | With Eric Sykes | |