Carry On Interviewing: Highlights from 2018

The past year has seen me have the great pleasure of interviewing several really interesting people for the blog. I love interacting with fans, people I connect with via Twitter and of course figures connected with acting and the Carry Ons. I thought I would provide a run down of some of my highlights from 2018 for your festive delectation.

In February I interviewed the author Kaye Crawford about her wonderful biography of the late actress Beryl Reid. Kaye was a delight to be in touch with and I thoroughly recommend you check out her excellent book. You can read all about it right here.

Back in March I had the huge pleasure of spending an hour on the phone with the delightful Patricia Franklin. Patricia appeared in Carry On Camping, Carry On Loving, Carry On Girls, Carry On Behind and Carry On England and was wonderful to talk to. You can read Part 1 of our interview here and Part 2 right here. 

The very next day I went on to chat with the actor Hugh Futcher about his life, career and Carry On associations. Hugh worked with the very best in the Carry On team in such films as Carry On Spying, Don't Lose Your Head, Again Doctor, Girls and Behind. Part 1 of our chat is here with the follow up here.

In May I had a lovely chat on the phone with Carry On historian Robert Ross. I had interacted with Robert for several years but this was the first time we actually had a proper natter and it was a joy. You can read more on that here.

In July I had the great good fortune to secure an interview with German born Hollywood legend Elke Sommer. Elke was the very glamorous guest star of the 1975 film Carry On Behind and it was a thrill to feature her thoughts on making that film, working with Kenneth Williams and many other aspects of her life and career. You can read our interview here.

Also in July I was in touch with the multi-talented Julian Dutton. A big fan of the Carry Ons, Julian was about to take his one man show on the life of John Le Mesurier to the Edinburgh Festival. We had a fascinating interview which you can read again right here.

July also saw me interview another delightful Julian, the Carry Ons' very own Julian Holloway. Possibly the highlight of my blogging year, Julian was an absolute gentleman and we enjoyed a very pleasant chat indeed. Part 1 of our interview is here and part 2 can be read again here.

In September I interviewed the singer and actor David Kernan. David only made one Carry On appearance, as Nicholas in Carry On Abroad, but he has enjoyed a wonderful career, mainly on the stage, as well as friendships with the likes of Hattie Jacques and Joan Sims. You can read our interview here.

And finally, in a first for Carry On Blogging, earlier this month I featured my first every blog (that's a video blog to you and me). Produced by the lovely people at Rabbit and Snail films, 'Carry On Film Talk' saw contributors Morris Bright, Phil Campbell, Mark Priest and Judy Matheson talk about their favourite Carry Ons with Richard Edwards. It was an absolute pleasure to be in touch with Richard on this project and I hope you all enjoyed it. You can read about it (and of course watch the film) here.

I hope you have enjoyed my blogging interviews this year. Hopefully 2019 will promise some more special treats!

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Vlogging: Carry On Film Talk with Rabbit and Snail

When our friends at Carry On Blogging got in touch and asked if we would consider writing a guest blog for them, we jumped at the chance. We were about to launch our new weekly classic film review magazine on YouTube, FILM TALK and immediately decided to record a special Carry On edition, which also includes a WORLD EXCLUSIVE from Hammer Films' star, Judy Matheson:

With so many friends and colleagues with a huge passion for great films and filmmaking an obvious project for us was to establish FILM TALK, a weekly online classic film review magazine that is exploring and appreciating the 100 greatest films ever made, at least the greatest films in our opinion. The team is made up of film professionals, journalists, broadcasters and historians, all lifelong film fanatics, who, in each episode, bring their vast film knowledge to bear on our chosen movie of the week.

Our regular contributors include author, journalist and broadcaster Morris Bright MBE, The Hammer Runners, Phil Campbell and Brian Reynolds, who have worked in the industry since the late 1960s and film guru, historian and collector, Mark Priest, whose passion for the cinema knows no bounds.

FILM TALK launched on Monday 10th December 2018 and to coincide with that launch we asked all of our FILM TALK team to record a short clip about their favourite Carry On films, which we have compiled into a special edition, CARRY ON FILM TALK.

Up first is Morris Bright, author, journalist and broadcaster. What Morris doesn't know about films could fill a volume of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. What he DOES know about films could fill 100 volumes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. We chatted about many of his favourites and the impression the franchise had on him and, after much consideration, he chose Carry On Cleo as his favourite.

Phil Campbell is one half of the wonderful Hammer Runners, who, along with Brian Reynolds, wrote Running Scared, their account of life as runners at Hammer Films in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Again, it was a difficult choice. Phil and I talked about so many films and found ourselves just laughing endlessly as we reminisced about classic scenes. Eventually Phil concluded that it had to be Carry On Up the Khyber. There's nothing to be afraid of with that choice; 'oh, I dunno though.'

My good friend, film fanatic and collector, Mark Priest recalled seeing so many of the Carry On films at the cinema, including classic double-bills. Again it was hard to whittle the list down to just five before choosing a favourite. Mark went for Carry On Doctor, what with Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques, Sid James, Jim Dale, and of course Franke Howerd, how could you go wrong?

We were so lucky with CARRY ON FILM TALK, because we also were recording an interview with the marvellous Judy Matheson for our Peter Cushing documentary at the same time and she kindly agreed to record a short piece about her favourite Carry On. We were particularly lucky because Judy announced that she had a personal Carry On story to share with us, which she had not shared with anyone else before. A world exclusive in anyone's book!

Way up near the top of her list was also Carry On Up the Khyber, a wonderful choice in its own right. Eventually though, Judy went for Carry On Screaming, not just because of her Hammer Films heritage, but because it starred her great friend, the amazing actress Fenella Fielding.

The very first regular episode of FILM TALK introduced Billy Wilder's amazing comedy, Some Like It Hot to our top 100 list. This absolute classic starred the incomparable Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe. Witnesses to a vicious St Valentine’s Day gangster massacre, musicians Curtis and Lemmon take-off and hide out as saxophonist and bass player in an all-girl jazz band. Championed by Morris Bright.

Each week we add another title to our list of the 100 greatest films ever made (in our humble opinion). You can find each episode on the RABBIT & SNAIL FILM WEBSITE or take a look at our YOU TUBE CHANNEL. Do visit us when you have a chance, watch some of our videos, and if you like what you see, please do subscribe to be notified when we release more.

A huge thank you to Graeme and Carry On Blogging for asking us to be a part of the blog, it's a privilege and an honour. Thank you.

Best wishes all,


Richard Edwards, RABBIT & SNAIL FILMS

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram