Hattie Jacques, Queen of The Players

Here's a wonderful if very brief treat. Hattie Jacques, famous for her 14 Carry Ons and as Eric Sykes' television sister, made her name as a star of music hall at London's Players Theatre. Hattie starred in countless productions at the Players in the 1940s and 1950s and her performances were fondly remembered by many.

The Players was where Eric Sykes first saw Hattie and he was astonished by her talent and versatility, not to mention her ability to do the splits at the end of her spot! Patsy Rowlands, a co-star in many Carry Ons, also worked regularly at the Players and talked of how wonderful Hattie was on stage. 

I remember several years ago being lucky enough to stand on the stage at the Players. I got goose bumps just thinking about all Hattie's wonderful appearances there. It was a special moment. Sadly, not much recorded evidence of Hattie's music hall abilities remain today, although a short clip has surfaced on YouTube, and here it is:

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