Sidney James - Biography - IMDb Sidney James Biography Showing all 54 items Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (3) | Trade Mark (3) | Trivia (24) | Salary (18) Overview (5) 5' 8" (1.73 m) Mini Bio (1) The star of the Carry On series of films, Sid James originally came to prominence as sidekick to the ground breaking British comedy actor Tony Hancock, on both radio and then television. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa and named Solomon Joel Cohen, James arrived in England in 1946, second wife in tow, having served with the South African Army during World War 2. By now an aspiring actor, James claimed to have boxed in his youth, perhaps to explain his craggy features, but was certainly a well respected hairdresser in his native country. Known in the trade as "one take James", he became a very talented and professional actor, constantly in demand for small parts in British post-war cinema.

In 1960 James debuted in the fourth of the Carry On films, taking the lead role in Carry on Constable (1960) and went on to appear in a further 18 Carry On films as well as various stage and television spin-offs. Reputed not to have got on with Carry On co-star Kenneth Williams , the two often played adversaries on-screen, notably in the historical parodies Carry On... Up the Khyber (1968) and Carry on Pimpernel (1967). James however was respected and revered by almost everyone he worked with and contrary to popular myth, a true gentleman. An addiction to gambling played a large part in James' workaholic schedule and subsequent heart attack in 1967. He was soon back in action however, playing a hospital patient in Carry on Doctor (1967), able to spend most of the film in bed. He suffered a second and fatal heart attack on stage in Sunderland, England on April 26 1976, leaving behind 3 children and his third wife Valerie who had stuck by him despite his affair with Carry On co-star Barbara Windsor , saying, "He always came home to me".

- IMDb Mini Biography By: lyndseychris Spouse (3) ( 12 August 1936 - 1940) (divorced) (1 child) Trade Mark (3) The dirtiest laugh in film Playing lecherous comedy characters The adulterous characters he portrayed were inspired by events in his life. Trivia (24) Arrived in Britain on Dec 25th 1946, spending his army demob money on one-way tickets. Once described as "The man with a face like an unmade bed!". Voted (some time ago) to have the world's dirtiest laugh. Career prior to acting was as a top ladies' hairdresser in South Africa. Sid and Meg had a daughter Reine (named after Sid's mother) Frequently remembered as a former boxer, but he never actually was! People got that impression that he had been a boxer from his craggy features and bulbous nose. He is the father of Stephen James, a musician and sound technician who appeared on Fortran 5's debut album "Blues", in October 1991. The song "Bike" heavily sampled Sid's voice and distinctive laugh.

Also, Sidney James' portrait appears on the album cover. Collapsed and died on-stage of a heart attack while appearing in "The Mating Game" at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland. Was the regular sidekick-cum-bête noir of Tony Hancock throughout the six series of the radio series "Hancock's Half Hour". Likewise, became Hancock's regular pal in the TV series Hancock's Half Hour (1956), until the final series when Hancock decided it was getting too much like a double act. Sid was nicknamed "One take James" because he nearly always did it right first time. He was also earning the highest daily rate of any British character actor. In late 1960s, he attended a showbusiness houseparty near the Thames and, according to a TV news bulletin, was the hero of the hour because fire broke out and Sid kept dashing back indoors to help others to safety. Apparently, the emergency services had to eventually restrain him from re-entering the fire. Was infamous for using branded products in the Carry On films and advertising them. In one particular film he opened a cupboard to reveal a cupboard full of Johnny Walker Red Label Scotch Whisky.

Had an affair with "Carry On..." series star Barbara Windsor from 1973 until his death in 1976. Their life together is chronicled in the movie Cor, Blimey! (2000). Ms. Windsor is an advisor to the cast. His daughter, Sue James , is a children's TV Producer. Suffered a serious heart attack in 1967, and was therefore replaced by Phil Silvers as the star of Carry on in the Legion (1967). His son, Steve James is a music producer. His best friends were his Carry On co-stars Patsy Rowlands and Peter Butterworth . Was friends with Laurence Harvey until they worked on The Silent Enemy (1958) together. According to the book "A Biography Of Sid James", James was offered the role of Chief Petty Officer Thorpe on the recommendation of Harvey, but their friendship ended during the filming. He found Harvey to be "pompous and full of his own importance". His grandson James Wichall is a Sound Engineer. He received top-billing in 17 of the 19 "Carry On" films in which he appeared.

Frankie Howerd had that honour in Carry on Doctor (1967) and Carry on Up the Jungle (1970). He has two roles in common with Richard Burton : (1) Burton played Mark Antony in Cleopatra (1963) while James played him in Carry on Cleo (1964) and (2) Burton played King Henry VIII of England in Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) while James played him in Carry on Henry VIII (1971). In both cases, James wore the costume which had originally been worn by Burton. He died only one day after Carol Reed , who directed him in both A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) and Trapeze (1956). Although he was 61 years when he played Dick Turpin in Carry on Dick (1974), Turpin was only 33 when he was hanged on April 7, 1739. Was unable to appear in Carry on Behind (1975), as he was touring Australia for a theatrical production of The Mating Season.

Was supposed to play Sergeant Ernie Knocker in Carry on in the Legion (1967), but was busy with George and the Dragon (1966). Less than two weeks into the shooting schedule, he suffered a heart attack. The role went to Phil Silvers . Was supposed to play Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung in Carry on Screaming! (1966), but dropped out when he suffered a heart attack. The role went to Harry H. Corbett . Salary (18) Sid James (1913-1976) - YouTube Sid James (1913-1976) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Oct 16, 2013 Sid James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8th May 1913 - 26th April 1976) was a South African, British-based actor and comedian, who made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona. In 1967, James was intending to play Sergeant Nocker in Carry On Follow That Camel, but suffered a massive heart attack and was replaced by the American comic actor Phil Silvers. In the same year in Carry On Doctor James was shown mainly lying in a hospital bed, owing to his real-life health scare. Meanwhile his success in TV situation comedies continued, now heading the cast, notably in Taxi!, George and the Dragon, Two In Clover, and Bless This House. He suffered a heart attack on 26th April 1976, during the opening night of The Mating Season at the Sunderland Empire Theatre.

The technical manager (Melvyn James) called for the curtain to close and requested a doctor, whilst the audience (unaware of what was happening) laughed, believing the events to be part of the show. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, but it was too late. James, then 62, was cremated and his ashes scattered at Golders Green Crematorium. PUBLIC DOMAIN News item. Category Sid James (Actor) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Sid James Male Born May 8, 1913 Sid James was an English-based South African actor and comedian. He made his name as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour and also starred in the popular Carry On films. He was known for his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona.

Bruce Forsyth described him as "a natural at being natural."… Read More related links Ed2011 Comedy Review: Everything But An Astronaut (Carrot Napper Productions) Three Weeks News Google News - Aug 20, 2011 'It features dozens of toe-curling innuendos that would make <mark>Sid James</mark> and Kenneth Williams groan with embarrassment, lowest-common-denominator pop-culture references more tired than a marathon-running narcoleptic,and grossly offensive swearwords that' Carry On Up North! A Raucous Mix Of Social Realism And Slap And Tickle Sets ... Daily Mail Google News - Aug 19, 2011 'Even though Bianca has nothing racier than a fish pie to put before Dan, it&#39;s difficult to shift images of <mark>Sid James</mark> and Barbara Windsor from your head.

&#39;There are definitely some Carry On-style moments in Mount Pleasant â but a lot more besides,&#39; says' Cowboys And Their Bizarre Enemies Telegraph.Co.Uk Google News - Aug 18, 2011 'The extra-terrestrial enemies in Cowboys And Aliens are following in the path of western baddies Dracula and <mark>Sid James</mark>. A battle scene from Cowboys And Aliens Photo: AP A battle scene from Cowboys And Aliens Photo: AP Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde and' That's Very Nearly An Armful: Red House Museum Pays Tribute To Tony Hancock Culture24 Google News - Aug 17, 2011 '<mark>Sid James</mark>, Kenneth Williams, John LeMesurier, Hattie Jacques, Richard Wattis and Bill Kerr all appeared with him on radio and TV. It is this popular legacy that Red House Museum is celebrating with this pictorial exhibition that mixes film clips and' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Sid James.

CHILDHOOD 1913 Birth James was born Solomon Joel Cohen, on 8 May 1913, to Jewish parents, in South Africa, later changing his name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then Sidney James. … Read More His family lived on Hancock Street in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Upon moving to Britain later in life, he claimed various previous occupations, including diamond cutter, dance tutor and boxer; in reality, he had trained and worked as a hairdresser. Read Less TWENTIES 1936 23 Years Old It was at a hairdressing salon in Kroonstad, Orange Free State, that he met his first wife. He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, on 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1937. … Read More His father-in-law, Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for James, but within a year he announced that he wanted to become an actor and joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players.

Through this group he gained work with the South African Broadcasting Corporation.<br /><br /> During the Second World War he served as a lieutenant in an entertainment unit of the South African Army, and subsequently took up acting as a career. He moved to Britain immediately after the war, financed by his service gratuity. According to rumour, Sid had an affair with the daughter of an important member of Johannesburg society; his decision to move away from South Africa was partly because he was "advised" to leave due to the possible controversy. Initially he worked in repertory before being spotted for the nascent British post-war film industry.<br /><br /> James made his first credited film appearances in Night Beat and Black Memory (1947), both crime dramas. He played the alcoholic hero's barman in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Small Back Room (1949). Read Less 1940 27 Years Old James married three times. He and his first wife divorced in 1940, mainly as a result of his many relationships with other women; it was a pattern which continued throughout his life.

THIRTIES 1943 30 Years Old In 1943, he married a dancer, Meg Sergei, nÃ©e Williams (born 1913). … Read More Five years later they had a daughter, Reina, before divorcing on 17 August 1952. Read Less 1952 39 Years Old On 21 August 1952, James married Valerie Elizabeth Patsy Assan (born 1928), an actress who used Ashton as her stage name. … Read More During the latter part of their marriage they lived in a house partly designed by James himself, called Delaford Park, situated in Iver, Buckinghamshire, a location close enough to Pinewood Studios to allow him to return home for lunch while filming. During his marriage to Valerie he had a well-publicised affair with Carry On co-star Barbara Windsor lasting more than 10 years. The affair was dramatised in the 1998 stage-play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick and Cor, Blimey!, its 2000 television adaptation.

James's obsession with Windsor was such that it was said that her then husband Ronnie Knight had all of James's furniture rearranged at home as a subtle threat and, on another occasion, that he had put an axe in James's floor. Close friends of the time, including Vince Powell and William G. Stewart, have dismissed the suggestions. Read Less FORTIES 1953 40 Years Old … His first major comedy role was in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951): with Alfie Bass he made up the bullion robbery gang headed by Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway. In the same year he also appeared in Lady Godiva Rides Again and The Galloping Major. Read Less In 1953 he appeared as Harry Hawkins in The Titfield Thunderbolt. … Read More In 1956 he appeared in Trapeze (1956), a circus film which was one of the most successful films of its year, and played Master Henry in "Outlaw Money" an episode of The Adventures of Robin Hood.

He also had a supporting part as a TV advertisement producer in Charlie Chaplin's A King in New York, a non-comic supporting role as a journalist in the science-fiction film Quatermass 2 and performed in Hell Drivers (all 1957), a film with Stanley Baker. The next year, James starred with Miriam Karlin in East End, West End by Wolf Mankowitz, a half-hour comedy series for the ITV company Associated Rediffusion. Set within the Jewish community of London's East End, the series of six episodes was transmitted in February and March 1958, but plans for further episodes were abandoned after a disappointing response. For a moment though, it had looked as if his commitment elsewhere might end his work with Tony Hancock, one of the most popular television comedians of the time. Read Less Sid James - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia I am a simple man trying to live a simple life !!!!!!

Sid James Birth name Solomon Joel Cohen Name Sid James Born 8 May 1913 Hillbrow, Johannesburg, South Africa (1913-05-08) Died April 26, 1976, Sunderland, United Kingdom Children Reina James, Sue James, Steve James Spouse Valerie James (m. 1952–1976), Meg Williams (m. 1943–1952), Sadie Delmont (m. 1936–1940) TV shows Hancock's Half Hour, Bless This House, George and the Dragon, Carry On Laughing, Citizen James, Two in Clover Movies Carry On, Carry On Up the Khyber, Carry On Camping, Carry On Cleo, Carry On Doctor Similar People Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor Sid james 1913 1976 Sponsored Links Sid James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African-born British actor and comedian.

Appearing in British films from 1947, he was cast in numerous small and supporting roles into the 1960s. His profile was raised as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour, which ran on television from 1956 until 1960, and then he became known as a regular performer in the Carry On films, appearing in 19 films of the series with the top billing role in 17 (in the other two he was cast below Frankie Howerd). Meanwhile, his starring roles in television sitcoms continued for the rest of his life. He starred alongside Diana Coupland in the 1970s sitcom Bless This House which aired from 1971 until James died in 1976. Remembered for a lascivious personality, the Snopes website describing him as "the grand old man of dirty laughter", he became known for his amiability in his later television work. Bruce Forsyth described him as "a natural at being natural." On 26 April 1976, James was touring in The Mating Season, appearing at the Sunderland Empire Theatre when he died from a heart attack.

Some, including comedian Les Dawson, claim to have seen the ghost of James at the theatre. Sid james long lost interview 1972 Early life James was born Solomon Joel Cohen, on 8 May 1913, to Jewish parents, in South Africa, later changing his name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then Sidney James. His family lived on Hancock Street in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Upon moving to Britain later in life, he claimed various previous occupations, including diamond cutter, dance tutor and boxer; in reality, he had trained and worked as a hairdresser. Sponsored Links It was at a hairdressing salon in Kroonstad, Orange Free State, that he met his first wife. He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, on 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1937. His father-in-law, Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for James, but within a year he announced that he wanted to become an actor and joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players. Through this group he gained work with the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

During the Second World War he served as a lieutenant in an entertainment unit of the South African Army, and subsequently took up acting as a career. He moved to Britain immediately after the war, financed by his service gratuity. According to rumour, Sid had an affair with the daughter of an important member of Johannesburg society; his decision to move away from South Africa was partly because he was "advised" to leave due to the possible controversy. Initially he worked in repertory before being spotted for the nascent British post-war film industry. From 1947 to 1964 James made his first credited film appearances in Night Beat and Black Memory (1947), both crime dramas. He played the alcoholic hero's barman in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Small Back Room (1949). His first major comedy role was in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951): with Alfie Bass he made up the bullion robbery gang headed by Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway. In the same year he also appeared in Lady Godiva Rides Again and The Galloping Major. In 1953 he appeared as Harry Hawkins in The Titfield Thunderbolt.

In 1956 he appeared in Trapeze (1956), a circus film which was one of the most successful films of its year, and played Master Henry in "Outlaw Money" an episode of The Adventures of Robin Hood. He also had a supporting part as a TV advertisement producer in Charlie Chaplin's A King in New York, a non-comic supporting role as a journalist in the science-fiction film Quatermass 2 and performed in Hell Drivers (all 1957), a film with Stanley Baker. The next year, James starred with Miriam Karlin in East End, West End by Wolf Mankowitz, a half-hour comedy series for the ITV company Associated Rediffusion. Set within the Jewish community of London's East End, the series of six episodes was transmitted in February and March 1958, but plans for further episodes were abandoned after a disappointing response. For a moment though, it had looked as if his commitment elsewhere might end his work with Tony Hancock, one of the most popular television comedians of the time. In 1954, he had begun working with Tony Hancock in his BBC Radio series Hancock's Half Hour.

Having seen him in The Lavender Hill Mob, it was the idea of Hancock's writers, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, to cast James. He played a character with his own name (but having the invented middle name Balmoral), who was a petty criminal who would usually manage to con Hancock, although the character eventually ceased to be Hancock's adversary. With the exception of James, the other regular cast members of the radio series were dropped when the series made the transition to television. His part in the show now greatly increased, many viewers considered Hancock and James to be a double act. Feeling the format had become exhausted, Hancock decided to end his professional relationship with James at the end of the sixth television series in 1960. Although the two men remained friends, James was upset at his colleague's decision. Galton and Simpson continued to write for both men for a while, and the Sidney Balmoral James character resurfaced in the Citizen James (1960–62) series. Sid James was now consistently taking the lead role in his television work. Taxi! (1963–64) was his next series.

A comedy-drama rather than a sitcom, it was created by Ted Willis, but although running to two series, the programme was not particularly successful. Carry On films James became a leading member of the Carry On films team, originally to replace Ted Ray, who had appeared in Carry On Teacher (1959). It was intended that Ray would become a recurring presence in the Carry On series, but he had been dropped after just one film because of contractual problems. James ultimately made 19 Carry On films, receiving top-billing in 17, making him one of the most featured performers of the regular cast. The characters he portrayed in the films were usually very similar to the wise-cracking, sly, lecherous Cockney he was famed for playing on television, and in most cases bore the name Sid or Sidney, including for example Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond in Carry On... Up the Khyber (1968). His trademark "dirty laugh" was often used and became, along with a world-weary "Cor, blimey!", his catchphrase. His laugh can be heard here [1].

(Similarly, other regular members of the Carry On cast abbreviated their real first names in the films: Bernard Bresslaw was Bernie and Barbara Windsor Babs.) There were Carry On films in which James played characters who were not called Sid or Sidney, namely, Carry On Henry (1971, a parody of the TV series The Six Wives of Henry VIII); Carry On Abroad (1972), in which James's character was named Vic Flange; and Carry On Dick (1974), a parody version of the legend of the highwayman Dick Turpin. In Henry and Dick James played the title roles, while in Carry On Cleo he played Mark Antony. In Carry On Cowboy he adopted an American accent for his part as "The Rumpo Kid". According to Adrian Rigelsford: The cast make valiant attempts to maintain American accents, with the most convincing belonging to—surprisingly—Sid James, who made no attempt to disguise his accent in any other film, either before or after this one.

Rigelsford was mistaken, as James had previously played an American (with an American accent) in the 1954 film Orders Are Orders and Chaplin's "A King in New York (1958). Later career In 1967, James was intending to play Sergeant Nocker in Follow That Camel, but was already committed to recording the TV series George and the Dragon (1966–68) for ATV, then one of the ITV contractors. James was replaced in Follow That Camel by the American comic actor Phil Silvers. On 13 May 1967, two weeks after the filming began of what eventually became an entry in the Carry On series, James suffered a severe heart attack. In the same year in Carry On Doctor James was shown mainly lying in a hospital bed, owing to his real-life health problems. After his heart attack James gave up his heavy cigarette habit and instead smoked a pipe with an occasional cigar; he lost weight, ate only one main meal a day, and limited himself to two or three alcoholic drinks per evening.

Meanwhile his success in TV situation comedy continued with the series Two in Clover (1969–70), and Bless This House (1971-76) as Sid Abbott, a successful enough series in its day to spawn its own film version in 1972. On 26 April 1976, while on a revival tour of The Mating Season, a 1969 farce by the Irish playwright Sam Cree, James suffered a heart attack on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre. Actress Olga Lowe thought that James was playing a practical joke at first when he failed to reply to her dialogue. When he failed to reply to her ad libs she moved towards the wings to seek help. The technical manager (Melvyn James) called for the curtain to close and requested a doctor, while the audience (unaware of what was happening) laughed, believing the events to be part of the show. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, but died about an hour later; he was 62. His body was cremated and his ashes were scattered at Golders Green Crematorium.

Tributes James has been the subject of at least five tribute shows: a 1996 one-off tribute, The Very Best of Sid James; as the focus of a 2000 episode of the series The Unforgettable; a 2002 episode of Heroes of Comedy; Channel Four's With Out Walls, Seriously Seeking Sid in the late 1980s; and in 2013, the BBC's The Many Faces Of Sid James. Personal life James married three times. He and his first wife divorced in 1940, mainly as a result of James's many relationships with other women; it was a pattern which continued throughout his life. In 1943, he married a dancer, Meg Sergei, nee Williams (born 1913). Five years later they had a daughter, Reina, before divorcing on 17 August 1952. On 21 August 1952, James married Valerie Elizabeth Patsy Assan (born 1928), an actress who used Ashton as her stage name.

During the latter part of their marriage they lived in a house partly designed by James himself, called Delaford Park, situated in Iver, Buckinghamshire, a location close enough to Pinewood Studios to allow him to return home for lunch while filming. During his marriage to Valerie he had a well-publicised affair with Carry On co-star Barbara Windsor lasting more than 10 years. The affair was dramatised in the 1998 stage-play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick and Cor, Blimey!, its 2000 television adaptation. James's obsession with Windsor was such that it was said that her then husband Ronnie Knight had all of James's furniture rearranged at home as a subtle threat and, on another occasion, that he had put an axe in James's floor. Close friends of the time, including Vince Powell and William G. Stewart, have dismissed the suggestions. James was an inveterate and largely unsuccessful gambler, losing tens of thousands of pounds over his lifetime. His gambling addiction was such that he had an agreement with his agent, Michael Sullivan, under which his wife was not told how much he was being paid so that a portion could be set aside for gambling. Who Is Sid James?

- YouTube Who Is Sid James? Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Mar 31, 2015 Sid James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African-born English actor and comedian. Appearing in British films from 1947, he was cast in numerous small and supporting roles into the 1960s. His profile was raised as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour, which ran on television from 1956 until 1960, and then he became known as a regular performer in the Carry On films, appearing in 19 films of the series with the top billing role in 17, in the other two he was cast below Frankie Howerd. Meanwhile, his starring roles in television sitcoms continued for the rest of his life.

He starred alongside Diana Coupland in the 1970s sitcom Bless This House which aired from 1971 until James died in 1976. In 1954, he had begun working with Tony Hancock in his BBC Radio series Hancock's Half Hour. Having seen him in The Lavender Hill Mob, it was the idea of Hancock's writers, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, to cast James. He played a character with his own name (but having the invented middle name Balmoral), who was a petty criminal who would usually manage to con Hancock, although the character eventually ceased to be Hancock's adversary. With the exception of James, the other regular cast members of the radio series were dropped when the series made the transition to television. His part in the show now greatly increased, many viewers considered Hancock and James to be a double act. Feeling the format had become exhausted, Hancock decided to end his professional relationship with James at the end of the sixth television series in 1960. Although the two men remained friends, James was upset at his colleague's decision.

Galton and Simpson continued to write for both men for a while, and the Sidney Balmoral James character resurfaced in the Citizen James (1960–62) series. Sid James was now consistently taking the lead role in his television work. Taxi! (1963–64) was his next series. James became a leading member of the Carry On films team, originally to replace Ted Ray who had appeared in Carry On Teacher (1959). It was intended that Ray would become a recurring presence in the Carry On series, but he had been dropped after just one film because of contractual problems. James ultimately made 19 Carry On films, receiving top-billing in 17, making him one of the most featured performers of the regular cast. The characters he portrayed in the films were usually very similar to the wise-cracking, sly, lecherous Cockney he was famed for playing on television, and in most cases bore the name Sid or Sidney, including Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond in Carry On... Up the Khyber (1968) and elsewhere in his credits.

His trademark "dirty laugh" was often used and became, along with a world-weary "Cor, blimey!", his catchphrase. There were Carry On films in which James played characters who were not called Sid or Sidney, namely, Carry On Henry (1971, a parody of The Six Wives of Henry VIII TV series) and Carry On Dick, a parody of legendary highwayman Dick Turpin, in both of which he played the title roles, and Carry On Cleo, in which he played Mark Antony. In Carry On Cowboy, he even adopted an American accent for his part as "The Rumpo Kid". In 1967, James was intending to play Sergeant Nocker in Follow That Camel, but was already committed to recording the TV series George and the Dragon (1966–68) for ATV, then one of the ITV contractors. James was replaced in Follow That Camel by the American comic actor Phil Silvers. On 13 May 1967, two weeks after the filming began of what eventually became an entry in the Carry On series, James suffered a severe heart attack. In the same year in Carry On Doctor.

James was shown mainly lying in a hospital bed, owing to his real-life health problems. After his heart attack James gave up his heavy cigarette habit and instead smoked a pipe with an occasional cigar; he lost weight, ate only one main meal a day, and limited himself to two or three alcoholic drinks per evening. Meanwhile his success in TV situation comedy continued with the series Two in Clover (1969–70), and Bless This House (1971-76) as Sid Abbott, a successful enough series in its day to spawn its own film version in 1972. On 26 April 1976, while on a revival tour of The Mating Season, a 1969 farce by the Irish playwright Sam Cree, James suffered a heart attack on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre. Actress Olga Lowe thought that James was playing a practical joke at first when he failed to reply to her dialogue. The technical manager called for the curtain to close and requested a doctor, while the audience laughed, believing the events to be part of the show. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, but died about an hour later.

James, aged 62, was cremated and his ashes were scattered at Golders Green Crematorium. Some, including Comedian Les Dawson claim to have seen the ghost of James at the theatre. Requested by UK Comedy Characters "Sid James" Video | Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi Top Lists Sid James Video | Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi Biography: Sid James was a South African-born English actor and comedian . Appearing in British films from 1947, he was cast in numerous small and supporting roles into the 1960s. His profile was raised as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour , which ran on television from 1956 until 1960, and then... Show More Biography: Sid James was a South African-born English actor and comedian . Appearing in British films from 1947, he was cast in numerous small and supporting roles into the 1960s.

His profile was raised as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour , which ran on television from 1956 until 1960, and then he became known as a regular performer in the Carry On films, appearing in 19 films of the series with the top billing role in 17, in the other two he was cast below Frankie Howerd. Meanwhile, his starring roles in television sitcoms continued for the rest of his life. He starred alongside Diana Coupland in the 1970s sitcom Bless This House which aired from 1971 until James died in 1976. Remembered for a lascivious persona, the Snopes website describing him as "the grand old man of dirty laughter", he became known for his amiability in his later television work. Bruce Forsyth described him as "a natural at being natural." On 26 April 1976, James was touring in The Mating Season, apearing at the Sunderland Empire Theatre when he collapsed from a heart attack and died about an hour later. Some, including comedian Les Dawson claim to have seen the ghost of James at the theatre.

Show Less Born: May 08, 1913, Hillbrow Died: April 26, 1976 (age 62), Sunderland Bill Kerr obituary | Television & radio | The Guardian Radio comedy Bill Kerr obituary Australian actor and comedian who played Tony Hancock's good-natured lodger on radio and appeared in films such as The Dam Busters and Gallipoli Bill Kerr, second right, with Tony Hancock, left, Moira Lister and Sid James in 1954. Photograph: S&G and Barratts/Empics Sunday 31 August 2014 13.10 EDT First published on Sunday 31 August 2014 13.10 EDT Share on Messenger Close The actor and comedian Bill Kerr, who has died aged 92, was a master of laconic understatement. Having begun his British variety career in the late 1940s as "the boy from Wagga Wagga", he became a household name as a perfect foil for Tony Hancock in six series of the wildly popular BBC radio show Hancock's Half Hour (1954-59).

Playing Hancock's breezy and good-hearted Australian lodger, Kerr was often given the best lines by writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson because of his deadpan delivery. His main function was to relentlessly encourage Hancock's grandiose schemes, subsequently exploited by Sid James, only to be thwarted by the voice of officialdom (usually Kenneth Williams ), or to suggest ludicrous ventures of his own, immediately pounced upon by the gullible Hancock: "You know, that's a very good idea, Bill!" He was chosen for the show, over Hancock's suggested Graham Stark , because it was thought his Australian accent would be a fine contrast to the star's theatrical, delusional ramblings. In a television interview years after Hancock's death, it was Kerr who pointed out the similarity between the great comedian and Mr Toad: "The bluster, the pomp, the dignity, the frailty." The comic chemistry, with Moira Lister , Andrée Melly and then Hattie Jacques added to the mix, was potent and the generosity of the ensemble playing impeccable. Recordings were joyous occasions; Kerr and James can sometimes be detected laughing helplessly along with the audience during Hancock's diatribes.

According to Kerr, the producer regularly had to halt the recording because the cast was laughing so much. Bill Kerr, right, with Spike Milligan in 1966. Photograph: Jim Gray/Getty Images Kerr was second-billed for the first couple of series, but in later episodes the role of James as the star's shady sidekick was expanded and he took lower billing. His character also changed, becoming more blatantly dim-witted, the constant butt of Hancock's derision. When the show moved to television, it did so without him. Kerr, a down-to-earth professional not given to temperament, took it all in his stride, and found plenty of other work in stage and television, and in films. Kerr was born into a showbusiness family in Cape Town, South Africa, while his Australian parents were on a lengthy tour, and was on stage when he was just a few weeks old.

"My mother took about 10 weeks off to have me," he told the West Australian newspaper in 1995, "and when she returned to the stage the producers said rather than bother with a doll for the baby, why didn't she use me?" A few years later, the family returned to Australia and settled in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. He became a child star, billed as Wee Willie Kerr, the Jackie Coogan of Australian Vaudeville, and appeared in several films in the 30s.

After the second world war, during which he served in the army and, with his friend Peter Finch, staged many shows in Australia and overseas, he moved to Britain to try his luck and devised an attention-grabbing stage persona welcomed on the variety circuit and in radio shows such as Variety Bandbox: a challenging, stony-faced malcontent who always prefaced his act with the catchphrase " I'm only here for four minutes " and often went on to discourage patrons from sitting in the balcony – "It doesn't look too safe to me" – or warn them against enjoying themselves too much: "While you're here your homes are probably being burgled." Bill Kerr, left, with Mark Lee in Peter Weir's film Gallipoli, 1981. Photograph: The Picture Desk After leaving Hancock, Kerr worked in a Doctor Who series with Patrick Troughton, and had a long-running part in the 60s BBC television soap Compact. He also formed a stage relationship with Spike Milligan , appearing with him in The Bedsitting Room at the Mermaid theatre (1963) and the Saville (1967).

In 1972 he co-starred with Anthony Newley in the Newley/Bricusse musical The Good Old Bad Old Days. He also had supporting roles in many films, including The Dam Busters (1955), The Captain's Table (1959), The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963), Doctor in Distress (1963) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966). He moved back to Australia in 1979 and continued his career as a reliable character actor in films, notably with a key role in Gallipoli (1981): his is the first voice heard in Peter Weir's first world war epic. On stage, he toured as Doolittle in My Fair Lady in the 1980s. In addition to his more serious work, he continued to appear in comedies, including Let's Get Skase (2001). In 2011 he joined the Walk of Honour in Wagga Wagga. His wife, Sandra, and their two children survive him, as do two children from a previous marriage.

• William Henry Kerr, actor and comedian, born 10 June 1922; died 28 August The Museum of Broadcast Communications - Encyclopedia of Television - James, Sid JAMES, SID British Comedian Sid James established himself as a nationally recognised figure in British broadcasting in a ground-breaking radio comedy, Hancock's Half Hour in the mid-1950s. But James was a ubiquitous supporting role film actor. Appearing in over 150 features during his career, he was best known as a regular character in the "Carry On" comedies (1958-80). He acted in numerous stage comedies and starred in several television series. With the situation comedy, Bless This House (ITV, 1971-76), James secured his status as one of the most enduring figures of post-war British popular culture. Clever exploitation of a naturally heavy-lined face to produce a variety of put upon expressions endeared him to "Carry On" and television audiences alike. His "dirty" cackle of a laugh embodied a vein of "kiss-me--quick" bawdiness that runs deep in English humour.

Christened Sidney Joel Cohen, Sid James was a South African-born Jew whose parents worked in the music hall business. James had joined a South African regiment of the British Army in 1939 and soon became a producer in its entertainment unit. As such he was typical of a generation of British performers and writers who learned their trade while in the Armed Forces. After the service, James arrived in London on Christmas Day 1946 looking to make a start in acting. His grizzled face meant that he became typecast as minor gangsters in his early film appearances. His career success came when he transformed himself into a quintessential Londoner, an ordinary bloke, who drew sympathy from his audience despite playing a rascal in many of his roles. His television credits include some dozen plays (including some drama) and several series. He made his television debut in 1948 in a two-part BBC drama Kid Flanagan as Sharkey Morrison and played the lead role of Billy Johnson in The Front Page (BBC) later the same year. In 1949 he played an American film director in a 30 minute play called Family Affairs (BBC).

After significant supporting roles in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and The Ritchfield Thunderbolt (1953), his persona began to develop, from gangsters, into characters who lived just this side of the law in the austere conditions of 1950s Britain. Although he was best known for his comic roles, James rarely turned down dramatic work. His next television appearance was in Another Part of the Forest (BBC, 1954) one of an acclaimed 20th Century Theatre series. Spotted by two script writers, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, James was cast as Tony Hancock's house mate in the radio comedy Hancock's Half Hour. His ability as an actor to play off a lead was recognised by Hancock. When the show switched to television, Hancock insisted that all his supporting actors from the radio version be dropped except James. The 30-minute television (1956-60), represented a defining moment in British situation comedy. The show developed huge audiences; BBC audience research estimates that 28% of the population sat down to watch it at its peak.

During this four-year period, James appeared as a pirate (Shanty Jack) in The Buccaneers (BBC, 1957) and played a character from the shadier side of London's Jewish community in a six-part series for ITV called East End, West End (1958). James' dependency on the Hancock connection was broken at the start of the 1960s when he began to appear in what became a highly successful series of Carry On films (Carry on Constable was his first in 1960). These quickly-made film farces provided regular, almost annual income for its troupe of actors. James became one of the best-loved stars, appearing in almost twenty films, usually playing hen-pecked husbands desperate for extramarital sex with younger women. He never worked with Hancock again, but he was immediately contracted by the BBC to star in a Galton and Simpson-scripted series called Citizen James, (1960-62). In a series called It's a Deal (BBC, 1961), he played a working class property dealer whose business partner was a Mayfair playboy (Dennis Price).

Mismatched in class, the two characters were essentially similar rogues underneath who found themselves reluctantly dependent on one another. Throughout the 1960s, James' television work was based on characters and plots that employed variations on this theme. In Taxi! (BBC, 1963-64) he played a London cabby who gets involved in the day to day problems of his fares and his fellow drivers. The twelve, 50-minute episodes were an uneven mix of drama and comedy that did not prove successful in the audience ratings. In George and the Dragon, (ITV 1966-69), James played a chauffeur (George) to John Le Mesurier (Colonel Maynard). Both men are dominated by the over-bearing housekeeper character (the Dragon), played by Peggy Mount. The comedy came from James' challenge to her control of their social superior and employer. In Two in Clover (ITV, 1969-70) James played alongside Victor Spinetti in a series whose comic situation derived from transplanting a mis-matched pair from the city to the country.

With Bless this House (ITV, 1971-76) James secured his position as a television sitcom actor of national acclaim. It also signaled a change in emphasis from his early film and "Carry On" types to one that suited his maturing years. He played Sid Abbott, a long--suffering father/husband, to his wife, Jean (Diana Coupland) and their two children Mike and Kate. The key to his success was his ability to deliver lines for comic effect and react to those around him. His heavily lined face testified to a lot of laughter. While his characters typically gave in to their fate, his distinctive dirty cackle erased any lingering pathos. James died suddenly in 1976 on stage in a comedy called The Mating Game after the pre-recorded Bless this House series having just completed its run. -Lance Pettit

Question: In which country was late actor and comedian Sid James born?
Answer: South Africa