What Carry On Means To Me - Part 1

 

For the past few weeks I have been collecting comments and quotes from a wide variety of people who all love the Carry On films and who all, in some way or another, are connected to Carry On Blogging. As part of my week to celebrate 1000 blogs, I've collated these lovely comments together into three blog posts of which this is the very first. 

Each post features a range of blog contributors, whether they be fans, authors, actors who appeared in the films or actors who just love the films. I hope you enjoy reading them. 

“When I think of the Carry Ons I think of that core team of brilliant comedy character actors. They have always given me a warm, familiar feeling since I was a child, and now, having learnt more about the relationships between the actors that feeling has grown stronger and stronger.”
Craig Deeley, Comedian, Stand Up and Carry On Fan

"The carry on films take me back to being young in England when it was a much simpler time.. pure humor and funny likeable people.Their films always left me smiling!"

Olivia Hussey, Actress

"For me Carry On films are an integral part of British culture. Many of the cast are still household names years after their deaths. I still hear those immortal catch phrases even today: "Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me!"....."Frying tonight!"......"Oooh Matron!"...comedy classics. Sid Jame's laugh who could forget that laugh? Brilliant memories that have stood the test of time, the endless re-runs are testimony to their enduring popularity. "  

Steve Lilly, Artist

“The Carry On films were a huge part of my childhood, influenced by my mother's affection for British comedy. Indeed, even now, trips back home are often accompanied by at least one of the films, and Christmas Eve is not the same unless Carry On Don't Lose Your Head is on the television. The films are a quintessential part of British culture and history, which is why they have stood the test of time and still remain immensely popular to this day. My mother and I recently took a trip to London to celebrate her 60th birthday, where we spent three days exploring film locations, blue plaques of the main stars and even had a tour of Golders Green Crematorium, where many of the cast are buried, and it was a fantastic experience!”      Suzie Speaks Blog

 

"I've heard it said that the Carry On films should be available on the National Health, as laughter in the best medicine! All the very best!" 

Jacki Piper, Actress

 

"The joy of working with those wonderful actors and being part of the iconic Carry On franchise...such a joy!"  

Sherrie Hewson, Actress

"Imagine that a bunch of friendly Martians landed in my back yard. They might ask me to help them learn more about the character of this tiny island that they had chanced upon. This would be an easy task. I would sit them down with a cream tea and show them the entire Carry On series.

All our history is there, as well as our national traits. I don’t just mean our tendency to hide our bathroom and bedroom obsessions behind double-entendres. Because these films were designed to appeal to a mass cinema audience; they inevitably cover topics that we all know something about, and that we all have affection for. Thus my Martian visitors can discover that the nation’s favourite history involves Romans (Cleo), Tudors (Henry), and Victorian Gothic (Screaming). That our most popular past times are visiting the seaside, getting drunk and messing about in caravans and tents (Convenience, Cruising, Camping).
They will also come to realise that the thing we treasure most is the NHS (Nurse, Doctor, Matron). Possibly they will begin to grasp that the way in which we demonstrate our affection for something is to tease it and laugh at it. Which we believe is preferable to getting all emotional like foreigners do (Khyber).
Carry On films are part of our furniture. Without them, Britain would be missing something important. It would be like the Queen without her crown".
Sarah Miller Walters, author of Joyce to the World and blogger at The History Usherette

 "Whenever I think of the most successful British comedy film series of all time, I think of a celebration of the unique British ability to laugh at ourselves. It was when I lived in Africa a few years ago that I realised just how global the appeal of the Carry On films was. The most commonly referenced British cultural icons there were David Beckham (of course) and yes, you've guessed it - the Carry On films".

Judy Matheson, Actor

"I grew up with the Carry On films. They became my friends. They kept my soul warm and gave me that Saturday matinee feeling whenever I watched them. Today they are like a favourite old uncle who comes round at Christmas and tells you all the same jokes he has for years but makes you smile and laugh nonetheless. I salute the films, their makers and their stars of whom I am proud to know so many as friends".

Morris Bright, Chairman of Elstree Studios

"Carry On films for me have always meant a joyous 90 minutes. The films are populated by incredibly diverse character actors and stars of theatre, TV comedy and feature films. The humour is rib-tickling and non-threatening. Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Barbara Windsor and Charles Hawtrey are larger than life personalities that operated at the height of their comedic and dramatic powers. They entertained with every fibre of their beings and this was present always. We could see it in their eyes and hear it in their laughs. Carry On is the definition of entertainment." Jason Figgis, Film Director and Producer

"Carry On to me means...absolute heaven, laughter, banter, innuendo, timeless unforgettable one-liners and also crucially continuity of much loved actors."

Robert Jervis-Gibbons

Plenty more coming up in Part Two of this special series of blogs. You can read that here tomorrow! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also on Facebook