It's no secret that Joan is my favourite actress. She was a gifted performer with a huge range, capable of the rudest of comedy to the most tear-jerking drama and everything in between. She always came across as hugely passionate, great fun and so many of her performances just came jumping out of the screen. Joan quite simply had a natural born talent to entertain.
I remember sitting in my car when they announced on the radio that Joan has passed away. It came as a terrible shock. She was very much the last of her generation of legendary Carry On regulars. Although we sadly didn't see much of her in her later years due to a range of issues, she made a triumphant return to the limelight in the late 1990s thanks to the publication of her autobiography and her glorious appearance in The Last of the Blonde Bombshells.
It remains a crying shame that Joan Sims was taken from us at the age of just 71. It was clear that she was still talented and full of fun with a lot more to give. I love it that she went out on top though, everyone wanting her again, realising just what a wonderful actress she was. She may never have achieved the dizzying acting heights of contemporaries such as Judi Dench or Maggie Smith.
She may never have made it big at the National Theatre or starred in big Hollywood movies and she may never have been made Dame Joan Sims.
At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. We all love her, we love her performances in the Carry Ons and we cherish her legacy as a fantastically gifted comedy actress.
I'll be raising a glass to Joan tonight and toasting her memory. God Bless you Joan!
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