Over the past year I've been lucky enough to receive several really wonderful guest blog posts from fellow Carry On fans. As I celebrate the first year of Carry On Blogging, here is a re-post of one of my favourites:
In the latest of the guest blogs written for this site, Sarah has blogged about what some of our favourite Carry On actors got up to during the war. It's a fascinating read and I'm so grateful to Sarah for taking the time to research and write this great blog...
I am of the opinion that the post war period was the golden age of British cinema. The
Ealing comedies and the early Carry On films for example all showcase
talent that I don’t think we will ever see the like of again. I can’t
think of any modern day actors that can touch the on-screen charisma of
our stars from the 1950s. The kind of film that is released today fades
from memory overnight; whereas we will be watching ‘Carry on Nurse’ or
‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’ for decades to come.
I
think that the reason for this lies in the Second World War. This
conflict mixed up society and moved people around on an unprecedented
scale. Ordinary British workers came into contact with situations and
colleagues that they would never have previously imagined. It gave them
the opportunity to discover and develop strengths and talents that lay
dormant or were unappreciated. This is particularly relevant in the case
of our actors and entertainers because of the huge need for their
talents during wartime.
When war broke out on 3rd September
1939, cinemas and theatres were immediately closed down. However, it
was soon realised that entertainment was essential to morale. ENSA
(Entertainment National Services Association) was already in the process
of being set up. This organisation comprised civilian entertainers who
toured around various locations including army camps, factories and
field hospitals. Later on, a service personnel version called Stars in
Battledress would be formed. Think of any household name in the field of
entertainment from the post war period, and the chances are that they
did their bit for one of these organisations. Established entertainers
also continued to work in cinema and theatre, tirelessly keeping up the
spirits of a bombed and worn out nation.
Wartime
work such as this was by no means an easy task, and many worked in
dangerous situations. During the Blitz, if an air raid siren sounded,
the show went on for those that chose to not take shelter. Actors,
singers and dancers all performed near enemy lines and traversed the
Middle East and North Africa to get to their audiences. There’s nothing
like the sound of bullets and bombs in the near distance to focus the
mind on the job in hand! I think that this combination of circumstances
gave us the actors and scriptwriters that made British film great in the
years afterwards, as that momentum continued.
The
Carry On actors can be used as an example of how this worked, and I
thought that it would be interesting to have a little look at the Carry
On stars at war…what did they get up to?
The most fascinating of war time stories belongs to Peter Butterworth.
At the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Navy. In 1940 he was
captured in the Netherlands and then became a prisoner of war for the
duration. He escaped from his first prison camp but was recaptured by a
member of Hitler’s Youth movement. Peter was then sent to Stalag Luft
III, where he met none other than Talbot Rothwell. The pair
formed an entertainment duo, which was deliberately rubbish. The
ensuing boos and catcalls as they performed effectively masked the sound
of tunnels being dug by other potential escapees!
Kenneth Connor was
another active serviceman. He was an infantry gunner, but he came from a
family that liked to put on shows and he had acted from an early age.
His love of the stage led him to carry out some work for Stars in
Battledress. He was particularly noted for a role in Terence Rattigan’s
play ‘Flare Path’. As soon as he was demobbed he received an
invitation to join the Bristol Old Vic.
Sid James served
in the entertainment section of the South African army. Biographies
describe in detail how he used this ideal opportunity to refine the
comic persona that we all know and love. He also produced shows and
auditioned participants. It was his army gratuity that paid for his
passage to Britain after the war ended.
Kenneth Williams was
a little younger than those mentioned above, and didn’t receive his
call up papers until 1944. By the time he had completed his training
the war in Europe was almost over. He was posted to the Royal Engineers
and arrived in India in April 1945. After a while, he secured a
transfer to the Combined Services Entertainment (which had taken over
from ENSA by then). This is where it all began for Kenneth, as he toured
the Far East doing plays, revues and radio shows. His diaries from
this period mention several familiar names including Stanley Baxter (who
would become a lifelong friend), John Schlesinger and Pete
Postlethwaite. This shows how easy it was to become part of an “old
boy’s network” and to make contacts that would prove useful in civilian
life. The first entry in his book of post war letters was addressed to
Val Gielgud at the BBC, describing his radio experiences and stating
that he was “anxious to obtain work in the field of broadcasting.”
Away from the army, Joan Sims was
too young to serve, being only nine years old at the outbreak of war.
However, in her autobiography she describes her very first acting role
as being a wounded casualty at the local St John Ambulance training
sessions. Later on in the war, she would keep the spirits of Laindon up
by performing in the local amateur drama club. Hattie Jacques meanwhile
was at the sharp end of medical matters, while working as a nurse
during the Blitz. It is obvious to draw parallels with her status as
Britain’s favourite matron – but I think that these experiences must
have affected her profoundly. Hattie must have been witness to some
truly awful sights. I wonder how much these turned her into the
apparently compassionate and caring lady that she is often described as –
and informed her performances. Matron was never a one dimensional
character no matter what the script presented to Hattie – she knew how
to make her seem human. She re-started her acting career in 1944 in
revue, after leaving nursing and taking a job as a welder.
Only two of the actors most associated with Carry On were already established in the acting profession in the 1930s. Charles Hawtrey had
worked in theatre and film since the 1920s. He was a conscientious
objector, but he continued to perform throughout the war. Esma Cannon was
in her forties and so would not have been required to take on war work,
and she continued to tour the country in various plays. Both probably
got the opportunity to tackle a wider range of roles than they had done
previously.
So,
if it had not been for the war, Sid James might have stayed in South
Africa, Kenneth Williams might never have developed his range of radio
personas and Peter Butterworth might not have met Talbot Rothwell. It
doesn’t bear thinking about, does it?!
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