Did you know? Five fun Carry On Facts!

 

In an occasional new series for Carry On Blogging, here are five interesting facts about the Carry Ons and their stars which may be new to you...

Did you know...

Juliet Mills had been such a hit with Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas following her roles in Nurse On Wheels and Twice Round The Daffodils that she was offered the lead role of Sally in Carry On Jack. However did you know that the first choice for Sally had been then series regular Liz Fraser? Liz and her agent had agreed she should play more dramatic parts and move away from the image of Carry On girl and Juliet stepped up for her only role in the series.

 

Another casting decision involving Juliet came about due to the aforementioned Nurse On Wheels. Fan favourite Joan Sims had been given the leading role of Joanna in the district nurse comedy, however a last minute change of heart saw Mills given the role and Joan relegated to a supporting part as the vicar's daughter. This was a big disappointment for Joan who was one of the Carry On repertory company's most loyal and prolific stars.

 

Speaking of Joan, one of her most serious and long term boyfriends was a struggling actor by the name of Tony Baird. Baird had small parts in man British films and television shows during the 1950s and 60s and even cropped up in a Carry On film. If you watch closely you will spot him as one of Dr Crow's guards in the final sequences of Carry On Spying. He gives chase to Kenneth Williams and Co together with Patrick Durkin. Curiously, Baird's only role in the series came in one of the few Carry Ons Joan did not appear in.

 

Judith Furse played her biggest supporting role in Spying as the fiendish Dr Crow, leader of STENCH. This formidable turn apparently caused the actress some stress and she struggled with the lines in many of her scenes. The final print of the film does not actually use Judith's voice. The role was dubbed by familiar actor John Bluthal, who also played the Cafe Mozart waiter and STENCH agent in the film. 

Finally, last but not least, John Bluthal played two other supporting roles in the Carry Ons. He returned to the series for Follow That Camel in 1967 and finally the role of the KIng's dresser in Carry On Henry in 1970. However for some reason or other Bluthal was not credited for this performance. Bluthal is still acting today in his late 80s, most recently opposite George Clooney in the Hollywood comedy Hail Caesar! 

 

I hope you enjoyed this fun Carry On facts! Plenty more where they came from so stay tuned!


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