Carry On (film and TV series) 1967-1969

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#### Background

The ***Carry On franchise*** primarily consists of a sequence of 31 low-budget British comedy motion pictures (1958–92), four Christmas specials, a television series of thirteen episodes, and three West End and provincial stage plays. The films' humour was in the British comic tradition of the music hall and bawdy seaside postcards. Producer Peter Rogers and director Gerald Thomas drew on a regular group of actors, the Carry On team, that included Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth, Hattie Jacques, Terry Scott, Bernard Bresslaw, Barbara Windsor, Jack Douglas, and Jim Dale.

The Carry On series contains the largest number of films of any British series, and it is the longest continually running UK film series, although with a fourteen-year break (1978–92). Anglo Amalgamated Film Distributors Ltd produced twelve films (1958–66), and the Rank Organisation made the remaining nineteen (1967–92).

Producer Peter Rogers and director Gerald Thomas made all 31 films, usually on time and to a strict budget, and often employed the same crew. Between 1958 and 1992, the series employed seven writers, most often Norman Hudis (1958–62) and Talbot Rothwell (1963–74). In between the films, Rogers and Thomas produced four Christmas specials in 1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973, a thirteen episode television series in 1975, and various West End stage shows which later toured the regions.

All the films were made at Pinewood Studios near Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. Budgetary constraints meant that a large proportion of the location filming was undertaken close to the studios in and around south Buckinghamshire, including areas of Berkshire and Middlesex. However, by the late 1960s (at the height of the franchise's success) more ambitious plots occasionally necessitated locations further afield, which included Snowdonia National Park, Wales, (with the foot of Mount Snowdon standing in for the Khyber Pass in Carry On Up the Khyber), and the beaches of the Sussex coast doubling as Saharan sand dunes in Follow That Camel.

### ***Carry On...***

#### ...Doctor (1967)

> *"The Greatest Medical Discovery since Laughing Gas!"*
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...***Doctor*** is the second in the series to have a medical theme and was released in UK cinemas on December 19, 1967. It opened in the US on December 23, 1972. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film series and stars alongside regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, and Bernard Bresslaw. Hattie Jacques returns for the first time since Carry On Cabby four years earlier, while Barbara Windsor returns after her debut in Carry On Spying three years earlier. Carry On Doctor marked Anita Harris's first appearance in the series.

Francis Bigger (Howerd), 'preacher and healer', ends up in hospital in this chaotic Carry-on medical movie. With Dr. Kilmore (Dale) in trouble, Matron (Jacques) refuses to support him after the amorous attentions she has fed Dr. Tinkle (Williams) have paid off. There's a humorous but slight role for Charles Hawtrey suffering from a sympathetic pregnancy and the film closes with the patients taking revenge on Dr. Tinkle and the formidable Matron because of their conspiracy against Dr. Kilmore. [IMDb.com]

#### ...Follow That Camel (1967)

> *"'Bilko' joins the 'Carry On' Legion!"*
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...***Follow That Camel*** was released in the UK on January 7, 1968 and October 16, 1968 in the US. Like its predecessor Don't Lose Your Head, it does not have the words "Carry On" in its original title (although for screenings outside the United Kingdom it was known as Carry On In The Legion, and is alternatively titled Carry On ... Follow That Camel). It parodies the much-filmed 1924 book Beau Geste, by PC Wren, and other French Foreign Legion films. This film was producer Peter Rogers's attempt to break into the American market; Phil Silvers (in his only Carry On) is heavily featured in a Sergeant Bilko-esque role. He appears alongside Carry On regulars Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth and Bernard Bresslaw. Angela Douglas makes the third of her four Carry On appearances. Anita Harris makes the second and last of her two Carry On appearances.

Bertram Oliphant West (also known as Bo West) (Dale) wants to clear his unjustly smeared reputation. He joins the Foreign Legion, with Simpson (Butterworth) his manservant in tow. But the fort they get posted to is full of eccentric legionnaires, and there is trouble brewing with the locals too. Unbeknown to Bo, his lady love (Douglas) has followed him in disguise... [IMDb.com]

#### ...Up The Khyber (1968)

> *"Enlist in the Carry On Army and see the world - of Laughter!"*
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...***Up the Khyber*** was released into UK cinemas on November 29, 1968. It stars Carry On regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butterworth. Roy Castle makes his only Carry On appearance in the romantic male lead part usually played by Jim Dale. Angela Douglas makes her fourth and final appearance in the series. Terry Scott returned to the series after his minor role in the first film of the series, Carry On Sergeant a decade earlier. The film is, in part, a spoof of Kiplingesque movies and television series about life in the British Raj, both contemporary and from earlier, Hollywood, periods. The title is a play on words in the risqué Carry On tradition, with "Khyber" (short for "Khyber Pass") being rhyming slang for "arse".

Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (James) looks after the British outpost near the Khyber pass. Protected by the kilted Third Foot and Mouth regiment, you would think they were safe. But the Khasi of Kalabar (Williams) has other ideas. He wants all the British dead! But his troops fear the "skirted-devils"; they are rumoured not to wear anything underneath. Then one is caught with his pants on...

#### ...Camping (1969)

> *"The 'CARRY ON' team - refusing to let sleeping bags lie!"*
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...***Camping*** features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Terry Scott, Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butterworth. The film was released in the UK on May 30, 1969 and in US cinemas on June 20, 1969.

Sid (James) and Bernie (Bresslaw) keep having their amorous intentions snubbed by their girlfriends Joan (Sims) and Anthea (Dilys Laye). The boys suggest a camping holiday, secretly intending to take them to a nudist camp. Of course they end up in the wrong place, and meet up with the weirdest bunch of campers you can imagine! Coach loads of sex-starved schoolgirls and bands of hippies all add to the laughs. [IMDb.com]

#### ...Again Doctor (1969)

> *"Poking their diag'noses' into other people's business - in their latest laughter operation!"*
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...***Again Doctor*** is the eighteenth in the series of Carry On films to be made. It was released in the UK on December 5, 1969 and May 10, 1970 in the US. It was the third to feature a medical theme. The film features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor and Hattie Jacques. This was Jim Dale's last Carry On appearance for 23 years until his return in Carry On Columbus.

Dr Nookey (Dale) is disgraced and sent to a remote island hospital. He is given a secret slimming potion by a member of staff, Gladstone Screwer (James), and he flies back to England to fame and fortune. But others want to cash in on his good fortunes, and some just want him brought down a peg or two. [IMDb.com]

#### ...Christmas (1969)

The first special made for thames Television, ***Carry On Christmas***, was broadcast on December 24, 1969. It was filmed shortly after the completion of Carry on Up the Jungle and featured the same main cast from that film. It was scripted by long-term Carry On author Talbot Rothwell. The story was an irreverent take on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, featuring Sid James as Scrooge. The 'Christmas Past' (Charles Hawtrey) sequence reveals that Scrooge failed to invest in the schemes of Dr. Frank N. Stein (Terry Scott), who, assisted by his servant, Count Dracula (Peter Butterworth) sought to create a mate for the 'Spirit of Christmas Present (Barbara Windsor)'s Monster (Bernard Bresslaw). The 'Christmas Present' sequence described Robert Browning (Frankie Howerd)'s difficulties in attempting to elope with Elizabeth Barrett (Hattie Jacques) without funds, thanks to Scrooge's unwillingness to lend. The 'Christmas Future' sequence retold the story of Cinderella.

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