This is part of a new series for Carry On Blogging looking at some of the best and most memorable characters in the Carry On films. I have already written a series looking at some of the best remembered supporting actors and this will be a similar A-Z format but based on my favourite character names.
Let's continue on today with D and first of all, and D is for Dan Dan! Dan Dan, the Gardening Man was a character brought to life by the wonderful Charles Hawtrey in the classic Carry On Screaming in 1966. Originally Charles wasn't even going to feature in this film with the role earmarked for Sydney Bromley, who had impressed in the previous film Carry On Cowboy. A newspaper critic heard that Hawtrey was not due to feature in Screaming and complained, leading to Charles grabbing the small but perfectly formed role of Dan. It's a brief performance but beautifully played.
We encounter Dan while Harry H Corbett, Peter Butterworth and Jim Dale are conducting their investigation into the disappearance of Doris Mann (Angela Douglas). Their scenes in the gentleman's convenience are superb and it's just a shame Hawtrey left the action so quickly.
D is also for...
...Nurse Stella Dawson, the accident prone junior nurse that brought Joan Sims into the Carry Ons with the second film in the series, Nurse, in 1959;
...Sir Roger Daley, a gloriously named booming character brought to life by big Bernard Bresslaw in Carry On Dick in 1974;
...Desiree, the no better than she ought to be associate of Citizen's Camembert and Bidet in the French Revolution Romp, Don't Lose Your head, played by none other than Joan Sims in 1966;
...Nurse Dorothy Denton, the nurse who made Terence Longdon's heart flutter in the 1959 black and white classic, Carry On Nurse. Played by the original Carry On leading lady, Shirley Eaton;
...Mrs Dangle, another Joan Sims character, the housekeeper in the dreadful last gasp film in the original run, Carry On Emmannuelle, in 1978;
...Dandy Desmond, the under-cover name for Kenneth Williams' blundering Bow Street Runner in Carry On Dick;
...Gabriel Dimple, Charles Hawtrey's character who infamously takes on Tom Clegg in the boxing ring (and wins) in Carry On Regardless;
and finally...Dancy, the lead villain who abducts Peggy and Sally in the climatic scenes of the 1963 film Carry On Cabby. The first role in the series for semi-regular actor Peter Gilmore.
Stay tuned for the next in this series when we tackle more memorable Carry On characters. And if you can think of any more, get in touch!
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