List Of Carry On Actors | What A Carry On Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia List Of Carry On Actors List Of Carry On Actors 37pages on Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. This is a list of actors who have appeared in Carry On films . Contents Edit The following actors are considered to be the core members of the Carry On team: [1 ] Kenneth Williams (26 films, including co-presenting That's Carry On! ) played a range of character types, nearly always a lead character. Early roles were rather strait-laced, he then sometimes played his snide character: quite slimy and smarmy with a distinctive nasal voice. Later the haughty, proud and easily outraged elitist became more frequent and Williams' best-known character type. Williams sometimes played characters of other nationalities, such as in Up the Khyber. In some roles, when not actually playing his role in snide mode, Williams might deliver a single joke using his snide voice.

Joan Sims (24) had the longest uninterrupted run of roles in Carry On films, being in all 20 films (excluding That's Carry On) from Carry On Cleo to Carry On Emmannuelle. Played a range of characters from jolly and assertive young women with sturdy moral standards (Camping, Loving), to sexy and lusty matrons - either desired (At Your Convenience) or coarse and unattractive (Henry, Up the Khyber), to a chatty glutton (in Matron), and an unattractive spinster (Doctor). Charles Hawtrey (23) often played a meek, rather effete 'mummy's boy' who could suddenly erupt into riotous behaviour. Other roles were as a strict, officious and prissy person in an authority role. Sid James (19) always played a lead character, usually a laconic member of the working class. His characters were often womanisers, something that caused problems in James' private life. Kenneth Connor (17) often played put-upon men ranging in character from pompous to meek, and often leering.

Peter Butterworth (16) frequently played major roles in the films, often as a generally benign, unflappable but bumbling assistant or servant unable to see the chaos around him. Unusually for a regular, in some films, including Again Doctor, Henry and Loving, his role consists of a cameo appearance in a single scene. Hattie Jacques (14) played the haughty matron or school senior mistress in several films. Bernard Bresslaw (14) varied between playing the dimwit or the heavy, or the lusty and bombastic "foreigner". In the later films his characterisation developed greater depth, such as in Dick, Behind. Jim Dale (11) joined the series with support roles, but quickly progressed to playing the younger, sympathetic male lead, often in the film's romance plot strand. From his debut had an uninterrupted nine-film run. After a one-film absence (Camping) returned for Again Doctor, his final Carry On until taking the lead role in the 1992 revival film Carry On Columbus. Barbara Windsor (10, including co-presenting That's Carry On with Williams) played main roles in all her Carry On appearances.

Her characters were always the cheeky and saucy young blonde, often in revealing costumes. Sometimes her characters were chaste (and very often chased), some were easily swayed. Patsy Rowlands (9) started in support roles, often as undervalued, meek and mousey secretary or assistant who undergoes transformation into a more assertive and sexually-aware woman. Jack Douglas (8) joined the series with a cameo appearance in Matron, where he appears in one scene with a single line of dialogue. After an only slightly larger role in the following film Abroad, where he again plays his established Alf Ippititimus-type character, his roles increased in size and increasingly diverged from the familiar Alf performance. After his debut Douglas appeared in all subsequent films in the original series, and was one of the few returners for Columbus. Terry Scott (7) played, among others, the put-upon husband (Camping), the barking sergeant (Sergeant, Up the Khyber) and lusty doctor (Matron). Carry On (series) (Film) - TV Tropes Bernard Bresslaw. All 6'7½" of him.

In some cases, the 6'4" Jack Douglas. Big Lipped Alligator Moment : invoked A Rule of Funny with the series, there were often scenes or moments that are never referred to in the rest of the movie. Bitch in Sheep's Clothing : At least one or two of these appear in the movies. The most common ones are Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Williams and Patsy Rowland. Blood Knight : The important authority figure in many of the movies that severed under a blundering idiot as a leader. A brilliant example is Lieutenant Howett from Carry On Jack, who organises a fake mutiny in order to scare the timid Captain Fearless away from his ship, and begins his first day in power sailing to Spain to threaten the government into surrendering at gunpoint. Carry On Cowboy had the Showdown at High Noon where many were shot dead with no blood stains. Carry On Up The Khyber had a war at the Khyber Pass and outside Sir Sidney's house. Don't Lose Your Head had the fight in a mansion that was like this. Blowing a Raspberry : Often came from Sid, which was probably a substitution for a curse word.

The Cameo : Peter Butterworth, Jim Dale, Bernard Bresslaw, Hattie Jacques and Terry Scott were more likely to appear in uncredited roles than any other recurring regulars. Camp Straight : Any character played by Kenneth Williams or Charles Hawtrey. The latter was actually gay, while Kenneth Williams is a matter of debate to this day. (It's generally thought that Williams was the friend to whom playwright Joe Orton addressed his famous speech about screwing whatever moves you without worrying about the values of society , but nobody knows whether Williams followed the advice or not.) Frankie Howerd , also known note ( rumoured first , revealed posthumously) to have been gay, embodied this trope in his two Carry On appearances (Carry On Doctor and Carry On Up the Jungle). Recurring actor Julian Orchard (who appeared in about four movies in bit parts — most memorably as the Duke de Ponsy in Carry On Henry) also played this role. Whether he was actually gay in real life is unknown. Catch Phrase : Although they were playing different characters in each film, some of the actors had a few catchphrases which showed up with considerable regularity.

Charles Hawtrey's first line in each film was nearly always a very camp "Oh, hel-lo!" Kenneth Williams would often deliver at least a few lines in his "Snide" voice from Hancock's Half Hour (in a few films, such as Carry On Spying, he would do the entire role in "snide" mode), including the character's catchphrases of "No, don't be like that!" and "Stop messin' about!" Catfight : Barbara Windsor has one in Carry On Camping, and then with Margaret Nolan in Carry On Girls. The latter film was over a stolen bikini. The Chessmaster : Many of Sid James' characters, if they didn't get their own way. His character in Carry On Loving was so quick to make his girlfriend (who he frequently cheats on) come back to him, he invoked a Third-Act Misunderstanding on the date she had hours after she dumped him. Christmas Cake : Most of the actresses, sparing Margaret Nolan, Valerie Leon and Barbara Windsor. Characters that were this trope were often lampshaded. Take this scene from Carry On Dick: Lady Daley: [Dick Turpin] took my most treasured possession!

Captain Fancey: Come now, milady — surely that went long ago . Christmas Episode : Carry On Christmas, the collective name for four one-off Christmas television specials starring many of the Carry On regulars (notably excluding Kenneth Williams, who refused to take part) produced in 1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973. Clip Show : That's Carry On! was conceived by Peter Rogers as a Carry On version of the successful That's Entertainment! compilations, with clips presented by Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor. The second Carry On Laughing series which ran from 1981 to 1983 transferred the idea to television, minus Ken and Babs (except for the 1983 Christmas special). Cloudcuckoolander : Many of Charles Hawtrey and Bernard Bresslaw's characters. Comedic Underwear Exposure : Kenneth Williams and Kenneth Connor suffered from this a couple of times. Cover Drop : Many of the movie posters after Carry On Teacher were this. The poster artist(s) would mostly cut and paste frames from the film or just draw scenes dotted around the page.

For example: Carry On Camping featured a tiny Barbara Windsor-like girl with her bikini top flying off her body. Carry On Jack had a sailor getting whipped against a wall. Don't Lose Your Head had Jim Dale swinging from a chandelier as Sid James is crawling out of Joan Sims' dress while Charles Hawtrey and Peter Butterworth are trying to hold up a pillar. Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass : A couple of Charles Hawtrey characters. The Danza : invoked Common with characters outside of the period dramas. As mentioned before, Sid James commonly had characters that were named Sid. Dead Artists Are Better : Arguably, the Carry On series is much more appreciated and well-received now that the majority of the cast are dead. Particularly Sid James, whose characters were sleazy wisecracking old men who lusted over young vulnerable Jail Bait women. When he was alive, some saw him as a bad example to men. After he died, he was constantly praised for being one of the funniest members of the recurring cast. Although, this was probably because the last few films that were made after his death didn't do as well at the box office and were accused of being "repetitive".

In many cases, the Carry On series is being called the best of British comedy, even by the haters that believed the series was raunchy and crude, and a bad influence on younger viewers. Disguised in Drag : Often involving the aforementioned Bernard Bresslaw. Peter Butterworth, Charles Hawtrey, and Kenneth Williams also frequently dressed in drag to go undercover, almost invariably without bothering to disguise their voices. Drill Sergeant Nasty : There were several of these in the Armed Farces movies, mostly ruling under a General Failure that they despised. The original one was Eric Barker's captain in Carry On Sergeant, along with his sidekick Bill Owen's corporal, who was just as bad as him. You could say that they were the Ur-Example of this trope for the entire film series. Dogged Nice Guy : There were a couple of these from both genders throughout the series, but it was commonly male characters. The female version was often Hattie Jacques, who would try and sabotage the plans of a rival suitor to make her look trustworthy.

Early Installment Weirdness : The films made prior to Talbot Rothwell's arrival (up to and including Carry On Cruising) generally tended to have more situational-based humour rather than the puns and sexual innuendo the later films relied on. Kenneth Williams' characters in the first two films were played straight and were more deadpan snarkers than his other characters (in fact, his character in Carry On Nurse had a sort-of romance going on with a girl who occasionally visits him — not that he notices her affections though... ). Sid James began as an authority figure who was strict with the dim-witted workers he had to deal with, and even cowered in fear when horny women willingly threw themselves at him. Joan Sims wasn't a nagging prude in the early films and was often the attractive female lead — a role that was later given to Barbara Windsor. Ephebophile : Some of the married male characters, towards teenage girls. Europeans Are Kinky : European characters in the series that were outside the British Isles were often portrayed as this.

In Carry On Henry, Henry VIII marries a French woman after his fourth "prudish" wife is executed, but then becomes horny and frustrated when he finds out that his new Queen eats garlic. Meanwhile, Carry On Emmannuelle stars a French woman that cheats on her prudish husband with several men, and is even a member of the Mile High club. Fanservice : "In Carry On, [insert 90% of the list of fanservice tropes here]". Let's just say Barbara Windsor and have done with it. The series began to rely on this a lot in the mid-sixties onwards by hiring younger and attractive actors (Jim Dale, Richard O'Callaghan, Jacki Piper, Angela Douglas, etc.) to have a Love Interest subplot in some of the films. Even though they suffered from many fanservice tropes, don't expect many of them to be showing much skin. Carry On Cabby presents the argument that in a free market, no amount of quality can compete with blatant fanservice, as a rival cab company arrives out of nowhere providing only drivers with low-cut tops, large breasts and long legs.

One sequence features a succession of customers happily fixing their own cabs as the drivers lean against them idly. Carry On Emmannuelle was an attempt at building an entire film around the concept of fanservice. It failed dismally, demonstrating a profound truth about how fanservice works. Or possibly not. Getting Crap Past the Radar : Oh, where to start? How about Carry On Up the Khyber's title. It's Cockney rhyming slang: Khyber → Khyber Pass → Arse (Anus). And "FAKIR! OFF!" from the same film. "One moment they want peace on, then the next — peace off," from Carry On Cowboy. In Carry On Henry, after Guynote presumably; his first name is never mentioned Fawkes' plan to blow up Henry VIII with gunpowder has fizzled out (literally), Lord Hampton of Wick (whose name is another example, "Hampton Wick" being Cockney rhyming slang for...

well, just guess) mutters, "Oh, Fawkes!" Related to Lord Hampton of Wick, there are plenty of names across the series derived in some way from "Hampton"; for example, the hospital in Carry On Again Doctor is called Longhampton Hospital. In Carry On England, when S.MJR. Bloomer derides SGT. Able's ability to recognize different aircraft, Able retorts, "I know a Fokker when I see one..."note This was notably deleted upon first release by the censors in exchange for the movie's rating to not go further than a 15+. The oh-so-carefully-pronounced "Count" in Carry On Screaming! Fircombe, the fictional seaside town in Carry On Girls. On the signs shown in the opening shots, it even does look like a generic English place name, until it's actually said out loud... Grey and Grey Morality : Although there is often a clear narrative that shows who is the hero and who is the villain of the story, most of the characters in the movies could make the audience lean towards the Designated Hero or Designated Villain YMMVs.

This is very common with Sid James characters, who are often the heroes, but are prone to do things that can make anyone against him look innocent, and then vice versa. Hand or Object Underwear : Many examples; see the page illustration if you're confused. Henpecked Husband : Many of Sid James' characters, with the nagging wife generally played by Hattie Jacques or Joan Sims, which was mostly the reason why he preyed on other women. Also sometimes played by Kenneth Connor (Carry On Cleo and Carry On Abroad) or Terry Scott (Carry On Camping). Hero Antagonist : Many of Kenneth Williams' characters. Hospital Hottie : Jim Dale and Barbara Windsor, when they were doctor and nurse in the medical films. I Am Not Leonard Nimoy : Face it, if you watch a film, you'll refer to the people on screen by the name of their actor. Even this page has only referred to the characters by their actors.

Incredibly Conspicuous Drag : Several of the films involve Sid James or Bernard Bresslaw (or someone similarly unmistakably masculine) wearing a dress, and the authority figure they're trying to evade falling instantly for him, despite the fact that he's clearly Sid James or Bernard Bresslaw wearing a dress. (The fact that the authority figure was frequently Kenneth Williams may add a bit of subtext to this .) Informed Attractiveness : Barbara Windsor was not exactly a Hollywood beauty, though she did have a couple of things in her favour.note Although Windsor herself has noted that they looked bigger than they were due to her small waist and the fact that her small feet meant that she walked in a way that emphasised her bust. The Buxom Is Better trope actually applied at a smaller cup size at the time anyway — breasts were smaller on average and implants were almost unknown. Sid James, mostly when he played charming Gentleman Thief womanisers , managed to get so many women falling for him. The possible fact that many of his admirers were sexually-frustrated at the time could've played in his favour as well. Kenneth Williams, who mostly got at least two women fighting over him every so often.

You could say that it was because of Power Is Sexy . invoked Charles Hawtrey sometimes, who managed to chase terrified women around the room until they gave in to have sex with him. Some even come back for some more. Invisible Holes : Occurs in Follow That Camel (Kenneth Williams shot by Arabs), Carry On Up the Khyber (the almost dead Peter Gilmore), Carry On Henry (Charles Hawtrey after being tortured in an iron maiden). Jerkass : Commonly a Kenneth Williams character that was of high authority. One of the exceptions was his character in Carry On at Your Convenience. Kitchen Sink Drama : Many of the films that were outside movie parodies. The Klutz : Plenty of Jim Dale characters. One managed to trip over a trolley and pull out an entire fuse box. Leitmotif : The Matron character had a distinct tune that played throughout the films whenever she showed up. It made her sound haughty and gave out a battleaxe feeling. Lie Back and Think of England : Some of Sid's wives (and the man himself) often suffer from this, which is why they both pine for other people.

Loveable Rogue : Many of Sid James' characters, when he wasn't playing henpecked husbands . Love Triangle : Some films had this as a subplot, usually featuring Jim Dale, Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor, Richard O'Callaghan, Kenneth Williams and/or Joan Sims. Many of them slipped into Imaginary Love Triangle . Massive Numbered Siblings : The movies often used this trope to imply how much sex that a couple was usually having. The more children, the better. So it was often that Sid James' married characters had no children or a fully-grown adult child. Meaningful Name : If a cheap joke could be got out of a person's name, it was. Mistaken for Badass : Major plot points in a few films, especially Carry On Cowboy (Marshal is his name) and Carry On Cleo. Naked People Are Funny : Most commonly Barbara Windsor, alternatively Charles Hawtrey. Names to Run Away from Really Fast : A common theme with the punny names in the series. For example, a surgeon named Bernard Cutting from Carry On Matron and Dr Kilmore from Carry On Doctor.

Never My Fault : A Kenneth Williams character who was trying to suck up to a higher authority figure would commonly blame anyone around them if his plans to catch the villains failed. Of Corsets Funny : In many of the films, particularly the period pieces. Operation: Jealousy : When Sid never showed interest, his wife would flirt with another man in order to get this reaction. Parenthetical Swearing : An inversion, usually when it comes to place names. Many place names in the movies are named after mild curse words (such as "The Blasted Oak"from Dick.) Period Piece : Much of the movie parodies. Perma-Shave : In some movies in which the characters are stranded in a place with no food and civilization to find, the male characters mostly stay clean-shaven throughout. Follow That Camel featured an aimless trek around the desert for at least a week but the Legion soldiers don't grow stubble or beards when it's highly unlikely that they took their razors with them. Carry On Jack subverts this when the male cast have week-long stubble when they are stranded in a boat in the middle of the ocean.

The Disguised in Drag Sally does not, which would've given the men a big hint that she is not a man, but they don't notice. Carry On Again, Doctor appears to double subvert this. Jim Dale and Kenneth Williams are sent to a far-off island to be doctors for the villagers; both men grow a noticeable amount of stubble, however, they both spend at least a couple of weeks (in Williams' case, three months) on the island, yet they have stubble that you'd expect on men that haven't shaved in two or three days. invoked It's also jarring to see this Special Effects Failure on Jim Dale — especially if you immediately see this movie after his cameo in Carry On Jack, in which his one-scene character had a face full of thick stubble (which was probably what he'd grown himself for the role). Pint-Sized Powerhouse : The 5'2 Kenneth Connor would be prone to this trope if his character called for it. It was invoked in Carry On Cleo, and played straight in Carry On Nurse. Pretty Boy : Richard O'Callaghan and Jim Dale.

Punny Name : A staple of the series once Talbot Rothwell took over as the series' screenwriter. Shamelessly indulged in for Carry On at Your Convenience. The toilet factory is run by W.C. Boggs and his son Lew (Lewis), with factory foreman Sid Plummer. Other punny names were more suggestive, such as the slimming clinic in Carry On Again Doctor founded by Dr. Nookey with capital from Ellen Moore: the Moore-Nookey clinic. Putting the "Medic" in Comedic : Carry On Nurse, Carry On Doctor, Carry On Again, Doctor and Carry On Matron. Ragtag Bunch of Misfits : Some of Sid's characters usually had this that were usually put against Kenneth Williams' version. Recurring Riff : A jazzier version of the military march played to open and close Carry On Sergeant was used for the opening and closing credits for the following five films (beginning with Carry On Cabby, each film had a unique score composed by Eric Rogers). Rich Suitor, Poor Suitor : This was also a common trope at times whenever there was a Love Triangle .

The most glaring one was Carry On at Your Convenience when the pretty Myrtle Plummer had to choose between the soft-spoken boss' son Lewis Boggs and the lazy scheming Basement-Dweller Vic Spanner. Royals Who Actually Do Something : In movies that feature a royal family, the monarchs would mostly get involved with the storylines and often controlled the army. Carry On Up the Khyber had the Khasi leader of Khalabar organising his army (with the help of his warrior leader), and his daughter, the princess, helping the enemy when her father's back was turned. Don't Lose Your Head had a British knight and a Lord saving rich French aristocrats. Follow That Camel has the Arabian sheikh at war with the French Foreign Legion. Sex Comedy : the premise of the series in the mid-'70s. Sex Tourism : All of the vacation movies contained at least one or two characters who were only on holiday in the hopes of getting lucky with either their reluctant spouses or any attractive person that they meet up with along the way. Shorter Means Smarter : Kenneth Connor and Kenneth Cope were often one of/the smartest of a group.

"Shut Up" Kiss : These were common in the movies, mostly between either two young love interests or a married couple. The latter type was always from the husband, who usually "forgot" the kissing and went straight into the sex, which successfully shut their wives up . In many cases, it made the wives less frigid and much more open . Smug Snake : Many of Kenneth Williams' characters. Snobs Vs Slobs : A common theme in many of the films, which mostly linked with the growing issues of social class in Britain at the time, and was seen as the most relate-able humour that was around. However, this caused a few problems when it came to releases. Due to the production team being right-wing, many of the working-class and "pauper" characters were often heavily implied to be the butt of the jokes, which didn't help when most of the audience of the series were in fact working-class as well. When Carry On at Your Convenience was released, many fans boycotted the series after seeing the negative portrayal of some of the characters that were meant to represent them. Special Guest : There were several over the course of the series, leading to lots of tension over the guest's salary with the regular actors in series.

note The regular cast were paid low salaries for each movie they did (Kenneth Williams' was known for being vocal about this in his published diaries; his highest salary he received was £6000, which wasn't really high for a movie star back then), but Pinewood Studios shelled out up to £30,000 for a guest star that only had a couple of lines. Phil Silvers as a very Sgt. Bilko-esque Foreign Legion sergeant in Follow That Camel (a role originally intended for Sid James; writer Talbot Rothwell felt that Silvers would be ideal for the role when James proved unavailable). Cecil Parker, who appeared in many blockbuster movies at the time, was promoted to And Starring credits — above Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey — when he appeared in Carry On Jack, and was paid over £20,000 when all he did was appear in two scenes that book end the film and had less than ten lines. Stiff Upper Lip : Usually common in the period drama movies among British characters, but mostly made fun of.

Suspiciously Similar Substitute : A lot of the movies could've had this and was especially played straight whenever a special guest was brought in to play a Dirty Old Man Sid James-esque character. Coincidence that the Camp Straight Kenneth Williams, who couldn't make Carry On Up the Jungle, was replaced by the openly gay Frankie Howerd for that film? The original Ms. Fanservice female lead could definitely be seen as this. Look at it like: Shirley Eaton → Liz Fraser → Barbara Windsor → Amanda Barrie → Anita Harris → Barbara Windsor, until the end of the series. There were always two army officers in the Armed Farces sketches who were either Red Oni, Blue Oni or both Officer Jerkass (see Drill Sergeant Nasty ): Captain Potts & Corporal Copping (Sergeant) → Lieutenant Howett & Mr Angel (Jack) → Captain le Pice & Commandant Burger (Follow That Camel) → Sergeant-Major MacNutt & Captain Keene (Up the Khyber) → Captain S. Melly & Sergeant-Major Bloomer/Brigadier & Major Carstairs (England). The 6'7 Bernard Bresslaw was in the series for ten years.

When the 6'4 Jack Douglas appeared, he would start to get bigger roles, whereas Bresslaw seemed to be getting demoted into background characters, eventually leaving the series for good in 1975. The Pretty Boy had this as well. Leslie Phillips → Jim Dale → Richard O'Callaghan. Sometimes when Jim Dale wasn't available, Julian Holloway would fill a similar role. The Nice Girl Angela Douglas left after Carry On Up the Khyber, and in walked nice girl Jacki Piper at the beginning of the seventies. Sympathetic Inspector Antagonist : Kenneth Williams in Don't Lose Your Head and Carry On Dick. Tall, Dark and Handsome : Jim Dale, Richard O'Callaghan and Jullian Holloway. Bernard Cribbins, to some extent. In-universe, Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey. Kenneth Connor and Kenneth Cope were shorter versions that portrayed this role. Those Two Guys : Often had a duo in the movie. Variations include a married couple , two soldiers , two friends that will probably end up hating each other at the end , two friends that work together, and a person of higher authority and their underclass leader.

Title Drop : Often occurs near the end of the films. Carry On Cruising has one right at the end that is notable for how completely it fails to arise naturally out of the dialogue. Unfortunate Names : Many examples throughout the series, though the most glaring example (and acknowledged as such in-universe) is CPT S. Melly from Carry On England. Universal-Adaptor Cast : The cast did the same character type, more or less, regardless of setting. In fact, if one of the regulars is absent from a film, it's invariably easy to guess which role was written with him or her in mind (just to name two examples, SGT. Sidney Bung in Carry On Screaming! was written for Sid James but played by Harry H. Corbett , while the foppish Professor Inigo Tinkle in Carry On Up the Jungle was written for Kenneth Williams but played by Frankie Howerd ). Villain Protagonist : Sid James' common character forte. Wardrobe Malfunction : Nearly every film featured at least one scene where a male character either lost or split his trousers or a female character lost her skirt or top.

The page image is from Carry On Camping, and it provided the most famous example in the series — sometimes referred to as the most famous scene in British cinema history. Barbara Windsor is doing aerobics with her classmates and flings her arms a bit too wide, making her bikini top pop off and fly into the face of her school principal. Watch it on YouTube. Whatever Happened to the Mouse? : A common theme with Charles Hawtrey's characters were that they would disappear out of the story when the climax reared its ugly head. It didn't help that his storyline wasn't far from being completed. World of Pun : Actually quite restrained in its use of puns . For instance, Kenneth Williams in Carry On Cleo: "Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in fer me!" note This gag was originally written for the radio series Take It From Here by Frank Muir and Denis Norden. Carry On Films Cast List: Actors and Actresses from Carry On Films G Options B Comments & Embed 1 Barbara Windsor Alice in Wonderland, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Carry On Matron ; Bernard Bresslaw Krull, Jabberwocky, Carry On...

Up the Khyber ; Charles Hawtrey A Canterbury Tale, Carry On Cleo, Carry On... Up the Khyber ; Dilys Laye A Countess from Hong Kong, Carry On Camping, Carry On Doctor ; Frankie Howerd Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Ladykillers, Carry On Doctor ... ; Hattie Jacques Carry On Matron, Carry On Camping, Carry On Doctor ; Jack Douglas Carry On Emmannuelle, Carry On Columbus, Carry On Matron ; Jim Dale Pete's Dragon, Carry On Cleo, Carry On Columbus ; Joan Sims The Thief and the Cobbler, Carry On Cleo, Carry On Emmannuelle ; Jon Pertwee Carry On Cleo, Carry On Columbus, The House That Dripped Blood ; Julian Holloway A Christmas Carol, The Rum Diary, Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter ; June Whitfield Jude, Carry On Columbus, Carry On Girls ; Kenneth Connor The Ladykillers, Carry On Cleo, Carry On Emmannuelle ; Kenneth Williams Carry On Cleo, Carry On Emmannuelle, Carry On...

Up the Khyber ; Patsy Rowlands Tom Jones, Carry On Matron, Carry On Behind ; Peter Butterworth Carry On Emmannuelle, Carry On... Up the Khyber, Carry On Behind ; Peter Gilmore Carry On Henry, Carry On Cowboy, Carry On Again Doctor ; Sid James The Lavender Hill Mob, The 39 Steps, Carry On Cleo ; Terry Scott Carry On... Up the Khyber, Carry On Matron, Carry On Camping ; 20 Valerie Leon The Spy Who Loved Me, Never Say Never Again, Revenge of the Pink Panther ... ; Wendy Richard Are You Being Served?, Carry On Matron, Carry On Girls ; Joan Sims - Biography - IMDb Joan Sims Jump to: Overview (5) | Mini Bio (1) | Trivia (61) | Personal Quotes (19) | Salary (21) Overview (5) The First Lady of Carry On Height 5' 5" (1.65 m) Mini Bio (1) The First Lady of Carry On, was born Irene Joan Marion Sims on 9 May 1930.

The daughter of an Essex railway station master, Joan was interested in pursuing show-business, and soon became a familiar face in a growing number of amateur productions. In 1946, Joan first applied to RADA, her audition was unsuccessful. She did succeed in being admitted to PARADA, the academy's preparatory school, and finally, on her fourth attempt, Joan graduated and trained at RADA. Joan graduated from RADA in 1950 at the age of nineteen. A cameo appearance in Doctor in the House (1954) as the sexually repressed Nurse Rigor Mortis led to Joan being first spotted by Peter Rogers ; Rogers' wife Betty E. Box was the producer of the Doctor series, in which Joan herself became a regular. A few years later, in 1958, Joan received another script from Peter Rogers , it was Carry On Nurse (1959). The film had been a huge success at the box office and in the autumn of that year Rogers and Gerald Thomas began planning a follow up. She went on to appear in 24 of the films, making her the longest serving female member of the team.

She first starred in the following three Carry On films: Carry On Teacher (1959), Carry on Constable (1960) and Carry On Regardless (1961), before taking a break from the next four films to concentrate on stage work. She rejoined the team with Carry on Cleo (1964) and remained all the way through to Carry On Emmannuelle (1978) in 1978. Ironically, she was never proclaimed Queen of Carry On. This title went to saucy Barbara Windsor , even though she had only appeared in nine Carry On films. One could argue that her final performances in the Carry On films were rather sentimental, as though she knew that the series was coming to an end and two scenes come to mind. The scene in which she plays cards with Peter Butterworth in Carry on Behind (1975) in his caravan late at night, and also in the laundrette where she dances with an early Carry Oner Victor Maddern in Carry On Emmannuelle (1978). Both of these are memorable sentimental film scene stealers.

With the end of the Carry On series in 1978, Joan went on to become a familiar face on TV screens, with ongoing roles in a number of highly successful sitcoms On the Up (1990) and As Time Goes By (1992) and the BBC's prestigious classic drama adaptations such as Martin Chuzzlewit (1994). Joan's autobiography, High Spirits, was released in 2000. She complains in the last few pages of her book at the lack of information on her on the IMDB trivia page, something that was only significantly expanded after her death. In her later years she became a cult figure and something of a British National Institution as the only surviving major Carry On star from early days. However, years of heavy drinking took their toll and she suffered in her later years with ill health. She was admitted to Hospital in Chelsea in London in mid 2001 and slipped into a coma. She died on 28 June 2001, with her lifelong friend and Carry On Norah Holland holding her hand. Following her death, surviving Carry On stars celebrated her achievement in the Carry On films.

Barbara Windsor , said at the time of her death, "To me she was the last of the great Carry Ons, she was there at the beginning. Her talent was wonderful, she could do any accent, dialect, she could dance, sing, play dowdy and glam. We laughed all the time and giggled a lot. I will sorely miss her." That quote is so true, throughout her whole Carry On career she alone stands apart as the most versatile actress in the whole series. She was never typecast in the films like the other actors and actresses. Others also paid tribute, even ex-Government Cabinet Ministers. Her agent Richard Hatton said, "It's wonderful to be able to say that she really did have all the qualities that her many fans would have wished. A great sense of humour, a sympathetic and endearing personality, terrific talent and consideration for others. "Over and above this, she discovered a new side of herself when she wrote her autobiography last year, which was untypical for the genre - honest, frank and intelligent.

Everyone who knew her is going to remember her forever." - IMDb Mini Biography By: Bobby G Trivia (61) Claimed to have never married because the right person had not come along. Had a short relationship with Hollywood star Tyrone Power . For most of the "Carry On" movies she appeared in, she was only paid a fee of £2,500 per film. During Upstairs and Downstairs (1959) she bruised her leg during a scene after falling over a suitcase. The pain got worse during the filming of Carry On Teacher (1959), she developed thrombo-phlebitis, and had her bad leg propped up on off-camera cushions during filming. The first-aid unit were not able to treat the condition and she was then hospitalised for 10 days causing filming to be rescheduled. Won the £10 Mabel Temperley prize for grace and charm of movement while at RADA. Her father was a station master, she spent much of her childhood entertaining passengers with impromptu stage routines on the station platform and befriending any poor soul who missed their train and became stranded there.

Such diversions sparked an interest in pursuing showbusiness and Joan soon became a familiar face in a growing number of amateur productions. In 1946, Joan first applied to RADA, but one of the adjudicators was not overly keen on her rendition from Winnie the Pooh. Appeared in 24 Carry On films and was the longest serving female cast member of the Carry On team. Other long serving members were Sidney James ; Kenneth Williams ; Charles Hawtrey ; Bernard Bresslaw ; Patsy Rowlands ; Hattie Jacques ; Kenneth Connor ; Jim Dale ; Peter Butterworth ; Barbara Windsor ; and Terry Scott . Slipped into a coma in the last weeks of her life while hospitalised at the Kensington and Chelsea Hospital in central London. The roles of King and Queen of Spain in Carry on Columbus (1992) were originally offered to Sims and Frankie Howerd . The parts finally went to fellow Carry On stars June Whitfield and Leslie Phillips . Joan Sims and Sidney James appeared in 17 Carry on films together. This is a record in movie history.

Three were as husband and wife (Up the Khyber, Henry and Abroad) and three as the main 'love interest' (Camping, Loving and At your Convenience). They were dubbed First Lady and King of Carry On respectively. The closing pages of her autobiography actually mentions her trivia page on IMDB. She complains that there is not much information, however following her death it was dramatically expanded. Her ashes were scattered at Putney Vale Cemetery, London. Good friend of the Two Ronnies, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett . Lifelong friend of actress Norah Holland , who was also her stand-in in the Carry On films. Holland's appearance is obvious during Carry on Girls (1973). A plaque dedicated to her memory was unveiled where she lived at Thackeray Street, Kensington, London in September 2002 by Barbara Windsor . She was joined by other stars of the classic Carry On film series including Liz Fraser . A celebratory lunch followed the unveiling which included other old friends, including John Inman . Her first Carry On film was Carry On Nurse (1959) and her last was Carry On Emmannuelle (1978).

She also appeared in The Ship Was Loaded (1957), however this film is not considered to be a part of the Carry On series. Good friend of David Kernan . She went on holiday with him to the south of France after the filming of Carry on Abroad (1972). Her favourite character that she played in the Carry On films was 'Belle Armitage' in Carry on Cowboy (1965). Life-long friend of fellow "Carry On..." star Dilys Laye . Dilys and Joan first knew one another during childhood. They both remained close until Joan's death in 2001. The only actress to appear in the only emotive scenes to be found in the "Carry On..." films. These scenes are unique as they did not rely on the usual innuendo or comedy.

These scenes featuring her are found in Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) in which she discusses the morals of relationships and love with Sidney James [Filmed on 29 April 1971 as a night shoot, on location scene]; Carry on Behind (1975) with Peter Butterworth in which she discusses marriage and Carry On Emmannuelle (1978) with Victor Maddern , where she dances romantically in a laundrette. Daughter of a Railway Station Master, John Henry Sims (1888-1964), from Laindon, Essex, England. Known as John or Harry, he had served during WWI. While filming the wine-tasting party scene in Carry On Regardless (1961), the director Gerald Thomas switched the water in her glass for neat vodka. Her reaction to the drink is obvious during the scene, however she refused to give in to the director's practical joke. The producer Peter Rogers made Gerald Thomas cut a few times, so that she had to keep sipping on the neat vodka. Sold her more substantial home in Fulham several years earlier, complaining of money problems and expressing fears that she would be bankrupt.

Had a relationship with Anthony Baird but her parents intervened to end the relationship after they found that she was living with the actor in 'sin'. They sent her a frankly worded letter even though she was in her late 20s and she obeyed her parents command. She blamed her loneliness later in life on this experience, where she was unable to commit to a relationship without her parents approval. Between 1979 and 1981 Joan had to deal with the deaths of her agent and mentor Peter Eade, her best friend Hattie Jacques and her mother. In 1982 she suffered a nervous breakdown and spent two months in a psychiatric hospital. She entered hospital in November 2000. However complications of a routine operation caused her to slip into a coma. Her lifelong friend Norah Holland has spoken of the doctors' amazement at her strength and courage throughout her final illness. Ten minutes before Joan died, Norah spoke to her gently about Kenny ( Kenneth Williams , Hattie ( Hattie Jacques ), and their time on the 'Carry On...' films. Joan died with Norah holding her hand.

Was cast in a new "Carry On..." due to film in 1988, "Carry On Again Nurse" along with Barbara Windsor , Kenneth Williams , Jack Douglas and Charles Hawtrey . The film centered around hospital due for closure and an oddball set of characters who went about saving the institution. Joan Sims was cast as the Matron; a role synonymous with 'Carry On...' legend Hattie Jacques , who had died in 1980. There was due to be a reminder of Hattie's performances as Matron in a small tribute. Joan Sims was due to turn a photograph of her around after the hospital had been saved and say, "Well, did I do alright?" The production was scheduled to start in June 1988, however the film was plunged into chaos following the death of "Carry On..." starts Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Williams and was eventually cancelled. A plaque in her memory was unveiled in June 2005 at Laindon railway station in Essex. She lived in the station house for 22 years where her father Harry was station master.

Fractured her hip in 2000 and spent two weeks in the Conquest Hospital in Hastings, England. She was provided with a replacement hip and recovered well. Suffered with Bell's palsy in 1999, which caused depression and alcoholism. In her early career she was often confused with Dora Bryan , due to their likeness. Spent her first salary of £25 on kitchen utensils from Selfridges. Went to Columbia in 1966 to promote the "Carry On..." films. Became a good friend of Katharine Hepburn during the filming of Love Among the Ruins (1975). Hepburn allowed her to use her caravan during filming breaks, although she did tick her off for smoking. Sims later described working on this film as one of the high points of her whole career. Portrayed by Chrissie Cotterill in Cor, Blimey! (2000) and by Beatie Edney (daughter of former Joan Sims co-star Sylvia Syms ) in Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! (2006).

She and Norah Holland were once accosted by a woman in a butcher shop who demanded to know whether Joan was looking after Carry-On film on-screen husband Sidney James . She and Frankie Howerd had difficulty working together, because they could not stop laughing. During scenes, they would have to look at one another's forehead in order to avoid eye contact and avoid more laughter. Her character in Carry on Henry VIII (1971), Queen Marie, is in love with garlic during the film. In rehearsals, peppermint was used for the garlic. However on one occasion, director Gerald Thomas replaced the peppermint with real garlic. This remained in the film: Joan's reaction on screen is obvious. Anthony Asquith once told her that she couldn't play a serious role because she had such a happy cheery face. She was offered the chance to star in a spin-off series based on her character of "Gran" from Till Death Us Do Part (1965), but she turned it down, saying she thought the character was "too depressing".

She was turned down for the part of Mrs Gamp in Martin Chuzzlewit (1994) in favour of Elizabeth Spriggs but was offered the smaller part of Betsy Prig. She had a part in A Village Affair (1995) but fell from a bicycle during filming and cracked a rib. She was replaced by Rosalie Crutchley . Her funeral was held at Putney Vale Crematorium on 5 July 2001. A memorial service was held at St. Paul's, Covent Garden (commonly known as the Actors' Church) on 22 October 2001. She was turned down for the part of Miss Crawley in Vanity Fair (1998). She did not like attending funerals. She did not attend the funeral of her good friends and 'Carry On' colleagues Hattie Jacques in 1980 and Kenneth Williams in 1988. The funeral of producer Betty E. Box in 1999 was a rare exception. A lifelong smoker, in later years Joan refused to be photographed with a cigarette in her hand in case it influenced younger fans to take up the habit.

At the time of her best friend Hattie Jacques 's death in 1980 she was contracted to play Mrs Thompson in a BBC play, 'Virginia Fly is Drowning' (1981). She completed two days filming before dropping out due to ill health. Joan was a very private person. She rarely gave interviews and did not like press attention. She played a teacher in both The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) and Carry On Teacher (1959). Although well known as a West End revue star in the 1950s, in later years Joan disliked long theatre runs and preferred filming, as there was something new to do every day. She was offered the lead part in Nurse on Wheels (1963) by Peter Rogers but lost the part due to weight problems. Rogers was very upset about having to remove her and offered her any other female part in the film, with a higher salary. Joan accepted the part of the vicar's daughter and the lead part went to Juliet Mills . Joan spent the last months of her life in and out of a coma.

Only her closest friends and associates were aware of this and many of her former colleagues didn't even know she was seriously ill. Offers of work were still reaching her agent's office in 2001 and had to be turned down without explaining why. Although she played Terry Scott 's mother in Carry On Up the Jungle (1970), she was three years his junior in real life. Daughter of John Henry Sims (1888-1964) and Gladys Marie Sims, née Ladbrook (1896-1981). Joan's drinking problem was said to have started in the early 1980s after several bereavements. A recent biography of Joan suggests it started as early as the late 1960s/early 1970s. During the filming of Don't Lose Your Head (1966), Joan bought her first car - a Truimph Herald convertible - from Dove's Showroom in Streatham. She paid the full asking price, not knowing it was then customary to haggle over a discount.

It turned out the showroom chairman, Geoffrey Dove, was a friend of 'Carry On' director Gerald Thomas , and Gerald got Joan a good discount from Dove, in exchange for a few publicity photos of her with the car. Was supposed to play Flo Castle in Carry On Cruising (1962), but dropped out due to illness. The role went to Dilys Laye . Was offered the role of Matron in Carry on Doctor (1967), but she claimed that Hattie Jacques was the best Matron, after playing one in Carry On Nurse (1959). She took the role of Chloe Gibson instead. She had a small part in The Ship Was Loaded (1957), unrelated to the later Carry On series and with no other cast members in common with the series. She underwent a hysterectomy, including the removal of an ovarian cyst, in 1992. Personal Quotes (19) "I can get quite embarrassed seeing some of the things on television. I don't know whether things have to be quite as explicit as they are nowadays.

Carry On films were much more innocent." (2000) "I don't think I've ever had anybody say the words, 'Will you marry me?', not even someone tight as a tick at a party." (2000) "To be a comic woman, you have to put up with quite a bit of banter. But I didn't mind. I've got a dirty sense of humour and I never found those things really offensive." (2000) "I'm a workaholic, really, so it's hard when I'm not working. I'm not a great reader, so I do watch a lot of telly. I've actually become the most frightful cabbage potato." (2000) "I was always being ticked off for making the class laugh, usually by mimicking the teacher." (2000) [In reference to Carry on Cowboy (1965) and to her character Belle Armitage and Belle's appearance on the hotel saloon's stairs during the film] I think it was one of my favourite scenes in any of the "Carry On..." films.

I was really living out a lot of fantasies during that scene, because it was a gorgeous dress, I liked the way my hair was done and then I encounter Sid, playing Rumpo, and I get to say that 'my name is Belle - but my intimate friends call me Ding Dong'. Really subtle lines like that! (1998) [In reference to Sidney James and his death in 1976] "Sid was a darling man and that's the only way I can describe him. He was always very kind to the ladies and he was always very protective about the ladies. He was a very very sad loss." (1998) [In reference to the Dinner Party scene in Carry On Up the Khyber (1968)] "It was three horrendous days, there were people dropping sacks of muck from the ceiling. It was a nightmare but it was still terrific fun." (1998) [Speaking in 1998 about her appearance in Carry On England (1976)] There was certainly a decline in yours truly, that ated] face, which was coming out of that ated] uniform, I mean it was horrific.

I thought go home and put your feet up love. [In reference to Sidney James and 1990s documentaries on his life and apparent affairs and behaviour] "I think it's quite unnecessary. Why can't the poor man and his family be left alone? He gave the public a great deal of enjoyment." [on the "Carry On..." films being repeated on television] "I do have deep feelings of injustice for myself and the others. The public might think we are paid residuals, but we get nothing for the films or those television compilations." (2000) "Men are put off by funny women." (2000) I had not expected to end up on my own in a small rented flat". [After 50 years in show business and in reference to her flat in Kensington] I don't think it worked without us, dear. We were a unique formula. [on the film Carry on Columbus (1992)] "I was always being ticked off for making my class laugh, usually by mimicking the teacher." (2000) "I used to be very extravagant.

Once, because I was appearing on The Kenneth Williams Show (1970) I went to Harvey Nicks and bought two outfits for £600 - which was a fortune in those days - and then took myself to the Hyde Park Hotel for tea." (2000) "A new Carry On is a big event in the cinema nowadays, it is not surprising that we all want to be on our toes when we get Peter Rogers call to make another one." (1961) I was once mistaken for Shirley MacLaine in a fish-and-chip shop off the Edgware Road. [on making the "Carry On..." films] "It was like going back to school each time." Salary (21) The Carry On crew who carried on longest - | movies, TV, videogames, crowd-funding - Shadowlocked: find the future! The Carry On crew who carried on longest Wednesday, 05 January 2011 19:19 | by Mark Iveson Tweet Oooh Matron! Stop messing about! Ad nauseam...

Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, the Carry On films entertained cinema audiences with their naff jokes, bawdy humour and naughty innuendos for 34 years, with a long shelf-life beyond that. Thirty-one films were made between Carry On Sergeant (1958) and the awful Carry On Columbus (1992), during which time a gang of popular comic actors and comedians formed a now-legendary team that made the series so popular. Now it's time to see which of those great Carry On stars made the most films... Following his debut in Carry On Sergeant, Kenneth Williams is the most prolific, with 26 films. He started out playing snooty, student types, but as the series progressed he flared its nostrils in tune with his camp persona, especially in the period C-Os where he gave his best performance as Julius Caesar (“Infamy! Infamy! They’ve all got it in for me!”) in Cleo (1964), as Dr Watt in Carry On Screaming (1966) and as Citizen Camembert (the big cheese!) in Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head (1966) - excellent villains.

Williams' performance as the 'Khasi of Kalabar' in Up the Khyber (1968) nearly eclipsed his Caesar. His perfect Southern accent as Judge Burke on Cowboy (1965) was just as convincing as his Germanic-toned Commandant Burger on Follow That Camel (1967). Always the snide, ineffectual authority-figures in the modern C-Os, one regrets his poor performance in his last film Carry On Emmanuelle (1978). With 24 films to her credit, Joan Sims is the most prolific female star from the Carry On troupe. Her début as an accident-prone nurse in the second film Carry On Nurse (1959) typecast her as a plain, dowdy type - although she could be very glamorous. Her finest moment was in Carry On Regardless (1961), where she got drunk at a wine-tasting and slugged Nicholas Parsons! She was a great battling harridan in the period films; Calpurnia in Carry On Cleo, Desiree Dubarry in Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head, and most memorably Lady Ruff-Diamond in Carry On Up the Khyber.

Joanie made her final bow in Carry On Emmanuelle, but work commitments prevented her from appearing in Carry On Columbus. The bespectacled, spindly-framed Charles Hawtrey came next, with 23 films. Another debut from Carry On Sergeant, he was often the eager innocent in the early C-Os. In the period films he was Charles Hawtrey, the eccentric high-camp Englishman, whether he was the Duc de Pommfrit in Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head or Private Widdle in Carry On Up the Khyber. As Chief Big Heap in Cowboy, only Hawtrey could play a Red Indian in his own unique way and get away with it, although he was capable of world-weary cynicism with his best performance as Walter Sweetley, the Jewish cess-pit cleaner turned press-ganged mariner in Carry On Jack (1963). Sadly his heavy drinking made him hard to work with, and his appearances dwindled (his role in 1970's Carry On Loving was a mere cameo), although he stole the show as Amazon love god Tonka (“Oh hello!”) in Carry On Up the Jungle (1969).

A sad, drunk and rather pathetic Hawtrey was on automatic pilot as an alcoholic mummy’s boy in his last film, Carry On Abroad (1972). Although he did not make his debut until the fourth film, Carry On Constable (1960), Sid James was clearly the star of the series, getting top billing in all but two of his 19 films. The early films had him as the blunt-but-affable authority figure; but with his lecherous-yet-lovable personality, and characteristic guttural laugh, he was always Sid James, especially in the period films where he shined as Mark Anthony in Carry On Cleo, the Rumpo Kid in Carry On Cowboy, Sir Rodney Ffing (with two Fs) in Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head and Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond in Carry On Up the Khyber. But it was James' wonderful turn as King Henry VIII in Carry On Henry (1970) that is most treasured by fans. The modern dress outings had him cast as the girl-chasing cockney wide-boy. He gave a final, spot-on performance as (Big) Dick Turpin in Carry On Dick (1974).

The film marked an end of an era, and Sid’s death in 1976 left fans with a profound sense of loss. Another debut from Carry On Sergeant, Kenneth Connor clocked up 17 appearances, although he would have made more had he not taken a long stage sabbatical. Connor’s bumbling blue-collar guys and educated professional men were always shy with the ladies. His best role was Hengist Pod, the cowardly ancient British (square) wheel-maker turned Caesar’s bodyguard in Carry On Cleo. Stage commitments prevented Connor from making another film until Carry On Up the Jungle. From then on, his characters ranged from impotent old men to cowardly military types, rounding things off with Carry On Emmanuelle. Had he accepted a tiny role in Carry On Columbus, Connor would have seen the series to the very end.

Peter Butterworth initially came in as Connor’s replacement in Carry On Cowboy, but in most of his 16 films, he quietly acts everyone off the screen with some scene-stealing performances, usually as a bumbling subordinate or panicking everyman; Constable Slobotham in Carry On Screaming, Citizen Bidet in Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head and Simpson the butler in Carry On Follow That Camel. His finest hour has to be the shifty missionary Brother Belcher in Carry On Up the Khyber; his nervous, manic performance made the now-legendary dinner-party sequence (“They’re all raving mad!”). It was followed by a few tiny and uncredited appearances before making a hilarious return to form as the definitive hysterical foreigner, Pepe the useless hotel manager in Carry On Abroad. He remained consistently good as the series fell apart, his final film being Carry On Emmanuelle. Hattie Jacques was the next most frequent female star with 14 films. Another debut from Sergeant, her early roles consisted of stern uniformed (army, police) authority figures.

Although her favourite C-O role (and best film performance) was as Sid James’ neglected wife in Carry On Cabby (63), she gained comedy immortality as ‘Ooooh Matron!’ in Carry On Doctor (67). She played matron in the other medical C-Os, but her prim repressed matron in Doctor is the most memorable as she unlocks her sexual desires and throws herself at Kenneth Williams’ chief surgeon (ouch!) with unbridled passion (“I was once a weak man Matron.” “Well once a week’s enough for anybody!”). She played her again as a school matron in Carry On Camping (1968) where she again throws herself at Kenneth Williams’ headmaster (“I was a hospital matron once. I was in love with a doctor. He looked just like you!”). Hat made her final bow in Dick, her only period C-O. A talented actor, singer and monologist, the extremely tall Bernard Bresslaw notched up 14 C-Os following his debut as Little Heap in Cowboy.

He made a memorable Karloff-style butler in Screaming and gave his best performances as Sheikh Abdul Abulbul in Carry On Follow That Camel (“The behaviour of the white infidels is like seeing blood come from stone; bleeding mystery!”) and his distant Indian cousin Bunghit Din in Carry On Up the Khyber. Who could forget Upsidasi, the least convincing African native in Carry On Up the Jungle? In the modern dress C-Os he was the gormless lug, always easily led by Sid James. He made a fitting swansong in Carry On Behind (1975), but his stage commitments on Wot a Carry On in Blackpool prevented him from appearing in Carry On Columbus. Making his debut in Carry On Jack, Jim Dale came from tiny scene-stealing roles, including his memorable master-of-disguise in Carry On Spying (1964), to become the gang’s semi-straight juvenile lead as Horsa in Cleo.

His geeky good looks and elastic frame served him well on his 11 films, as accident-prone heroes Marshall P Knut, the plumber who tamed the West in Cowboy (his best performance) and foreign legionnaire B O West on Follow That Camel. He was the dashing but bumbling doctor in Doctor and Carry On Again Doctor (1969), the latter his last C-O until his welcome return as Columbus, one of the few good things in that film. When the main female Juvenile lead made her debut in Spying, she gave male audiences her famous measurements (38-22-35). Barbara Windsor starred in 10 C-Os, fewer than expected with most of them relying on her ability to stretch a sweater (the legendary bra-popping scene in Carry On Camping – “Take them away Matron!”). Her best performance was as the streetwise blonde beauty contestant Hope Springs (AKA Muriel Bloggs) in Carry On Girls (1973). Babs’ last proper C-O was Dick. She made a final bow as Kenneth Williams’ co-host on the movie compilation That’s Carry-On (1977) but turned down a tiny role in Emmanuelle.

Her stage commitments alongside Bernard Bresslaw in Wot a Carry On in Blackpool also prevented her from taking part in Columbus. With 8 C-Os, debuting as a twitching father in Matron (71), Jack Douglas was a late arrival to the series, bringing with him his TV alter-ego Alf, who was funny or annoying according to taste, although Alf got less twitchy as the series went on, having a great time as Sergeant Strapp in Dick. He moved away from the character to give his best performance as ‘Loins’ the deadpan butler in Emmanuelle, but returned to Alf in Columbus, his scenes with Jim Dale marking the first time they ever worked together in a C-O. Making his debut in Sergeant, Terry Scott did not become a regular until his barnstorming turn as Sergeant Major MacNutt in Up the Khyber. Notching 7 appearances, mostly as a bungling oaf, there are some performances to savour; his dim-witted Jungle Boy in Up the Jungle and his confused, constantly hand-waving Cardinal Wolsey in Henry. His last C-O was as the nurse-chasing Dr Prodd in Matron.

Poor health prevented him from accepting a small role in Columbus. Like Connor, had he been able to take part, he would have seen the series out to the very end. Might as well end it with someone often associated with the C-Os even though he only did two (both being billed above Sid James). Frankie Howard made a memorable scene-stealing debut as quack doctor Francis Bigger in Carry On Doctor, all ‘titter-ye-nots’ and ‘thrice-nays’. He followed it up with a more routine camp role as Professor Tinkle in Up the Jungle. His death prevented him from doing Columbus. Only Dale and Windsor are still around from the classic line-up, the others now (hopefully) enjoying themselves in Carry On heaven. There’s talk of a new Carry On film being made but without those marvellous performers who made the films so popular, it’s unlikely it will ever have the same spark. After all, the series remains one of the cinema’s great British institutions firmly rooted in history. But who knows? In the meantime, have a wonderful Carry On!

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, PLEASE HELP SUPPORT OUR SITE, AT NO COST WITH ONE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK 'LIKE' BUTTON BELOW: If you're interested in writing for Shadowlocked (disc and screening reviews, etc, or just getting some extra coverage for your extraordinary writing talent, get in touch with us . KEYWORDS: Don't carry on, Margot... Why Penelope was axed from the Carry On Films | Daily Mail Online Don't carry on, Margot... Why Penelope was axed from the Carry On Films comments Two decades after the last Carry On film was made, the uniquely British series of low-budget films continues to amuse viewers who weren’t even born when Kenneth Williams’s Caesar declared ‘Infamy. Infamy. They’ve all got it in for me’ — later voted the best Carry On one-liner of all time. Now the cast has been immortalised in a Who’s Who by aficionado Andrew Ross. Here, from his diligent research, are 30 things you didn’t know about Carry On . . .

This won't hurt a bit: Stars Barbara Windsor and Jim Dale 1 German actress Elke Sommer was paid six times the £5,000 salary of Carry On stars Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor when she played Russian Anna Vrooshka in Carry On Behind. 2 Penelope KEITH was a nurse in Carry On Doctor long before finding fame in The Good Life and To The Manor Born. Her scenes were cut in the editing process. 3 Shakira BAKSH, a former Miss World contestant, played Scrubba, one of Sid James’s wives, in Carry On Again Doctor. The Guyana-born actress is best known as Lady (Michael) Caine. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share 4 Kenneth WILLIAMS, who appeared in 25 Carry Ons, loathed Sid James, whom he said was ‘just too coarse’. 5 THEATRE impresario and Everton FC owner Bill Kenwright played a reporter in Carry On Matron. Coarse: Kenneth Williams (pictured), who appeared in 25 Carry Ons films loathed Sid James 6 POP star David Essex was 22 when he played a heckler in Carry On Henry, but ended up on the cutting-room floor.

7 Charles HAWTREY, who appeared in 23 Carry Ons, never recovered professionally after walking out in 1972 when his demand for star billing in the TV Christmas special Carry On Stuffing was rejected. He died in straitened circumstances in 1988. 8 Joan Sims, who starred in 24 Carry Ons, played a medium in Morrissey’s Ouija Board video in 1988. 9 Sid JAMES deemed the best moment of his 19 Carry Ons to be his performance in Carry On Cowboy, which gave him the chance to display his fine American accent. 10 Kenneth CONNOR, star of 17 Carry Ons, was the son of the petty officer on the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert, and knew the Queen’s grandparents, George V and Queen Mary. 11 Peter BUTTERWORTH got billing in 16 Carry Ons, but also did uncredited, bit-part roles in several others.

12 Hattie JACQUES, the Carry On battleaxe, once declared: ‘All they see is a funny fat lady; no one dreams of casting you as a normal person.’ Peter Butterworth, right, with his wide, actress Janet Brown 13 Bernard Bresslaw, at 6ft 7in, towered over his co-stars in 14 Carry On films, including Up the Khyber. 14 Jim DALE, star of 11 Carry On films, offended his fellow actors when he declined to play Ug Ug in Carry On Up The Jungle because he wanted to broaden his horizons. Some of them later boycotted his This Is Your Life tribute in protest. 15 Barbara WINDSOR, star of ten Carry Ons, had elocution lessons as a teenager, but failed to lose her Cockney accent. 16 Edina RONAY, the fashion designer, played a saloon girl in Carry On Cowboy. 17 Amanda BARRIE, who played Alma Baldwin in Coronation Street, was Cleopatra in the spoof of the Burton/Taylor movie Carry On Cleo. 18 Johnny BRIGGS, Barrie’s Street husband Mike Baldwin, appeared in three Carry Ons.

19 Sara Crowe, famous for her role in the Philadelphia TV adverts, married Jim Dale’s son Toby a month after meeting him on the set of Carry On Columbus. They later divorced. Sparring star: Boxing champion Freddie Mills appeared in Carry On Constable and Carry On Regardless 20 Shirley Eaton, sprayed gold in Bond movie Goldfinger, was in Carry On Sergeant as Bob Monkhouse’s wife. She also appeared in Carry On Nurse and Carry On Constable. 21 Sheila HANCOCK played Kenneth Connor’s nagging wife Senna Pod in Carry On Cleo. 22 Before fame as Miss Marple, Joan Hickson made her screen debut as the efficient ward sister in Carry On Nurse. 23 BURT KWOUK — crazy manservant Cato in the Pink Panther films — had a cameo role in Carry On Columbus. 24 Ian LAVENDER — ‘silly boy’ Pike in Dad’s Army — played Joe Baxter in Carry On Behind. 25 Young Ones star Rik Mayall was cast as the Sultan in Carry On Columbus. 26 Irish character actor T. P. McKenna, who appeared in Straw Dogs and The Charge Of The Light Brigade played an Archbishop in Carry On Columbus.

His scenes were edited from the final film release. 27 Terry And June star Terry Scott, who appeared in seven Carry On films, was forced by his parents to train as an accountant. 28 FORMER world light heavyweight boxing champ Freddie Mills was in Carry On Constable and Carry On Regardless. 29 Musical actress Dora Bryan played a love-struck Army cook in Carry On Sergeant. 30 SERGEANT Bilko star Phil Silvers played the lead role in Carry On Follow That Camel. He was unpopular with the rest of the cast, who thought he considered himself superior. CARRY On Actors: The Complete Who’s Who Of The Carry On Film series, by Andrew Ross, is published by Apex.

Question: Which actor appeared in the most ‘Carry On’ films?
Answer: Kenneth Williams