Carry On, Bond!

 

There are probably only two film franchises that truly capitalise on what it means to be British. Both involved recurring actors and similar themes. Both were filmed at Pinewood Studios. And there the similarities tend to end. The Carry Ons and the James Bond films are so far apart in terms of style, content and budget that it is hard to believe they were produced in the same studios at the same time. Both franchises were highly successful though and mainly during a time when the British film industry was in crisis. The two series also occasionally used the same actors or crew. Here is a quick run down of when James Bond carried on (and no I don't mean the innuendo-encrusted Roger Moore era).

Probably the most famous link to the Carry Ons is Shirley Eaton. The original Carry On girl, who starred in early hits Carry On Sergeant and Carry On Nurse (as well as a cameo in Constable), played Jill Masterson in the 1964 epic Goldfinger. Appearing in the early part of the film, Shirley shared several scenes with the hero of the piece, Sean Connery, before meeting her untimely end after crossing Goldfinger himself. The iconic image of Eaton covered in gold paint lives long in the memory.

 

Shirley was not the only Carry On actress to be painted gold for that film. Model turned actress Margaret Nolan appeared in the stylish title sequence for the film, also sprayed gold. Margaret also grabbed an early acting role as Dink, again opposite Sean Connery in the same film. This was the year before her Carry On debut as Miss Jones in Carry On Cowboy. Nolan would go on to make five further Carry Ons - Henry, Convenience, Matron, Girls and Dick.

 

Another well-known Carry On face has made appearances in two James Bond films - one officially part of the series and one, a little more controversially, produced away from the traditional base at Pinewood. Valerie Leon made her Bond debut in the classic Roger Moore film The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977 with a few short scenes as a rather glamorous hotel receptionist. Six years later she appeared as the Lady in the Bahamas in the film Never Say Never Again, this time opposite Sean Connery, reprising his role as Bond after a twelve year absence. Valerie had by then appeared in six Carry Ons - Khyber, Camping, Again Doctor, Jungle, Matron and Girls. Leon also holds the rare distinction of appearing in all three cult British film series, with roles in not just the Carry Ons and Bond but also the Hammer Horror films.

This honour is shared with another actress from the same era, the very glamorous Madeline Smith. Smith had a cameo role as Mrs Pullitt in the last medical Carry On, Carry On Matron, made in 1971. So successful was Madeline in the role that the Carry On producers asked her back for a bigger part in the next film, Abroad. Sadly Madeline was busy and the role went to Sally Geeson. Madeline went on to appear as Miss Caruso, a young lady who appears in the opening scenes of Roger Moore's first outing as James Bond, Live and Let Die, in 1973.

 

Another major link with the Carry Ons actually took place behind the camera. Legendary cinematographer Alan Hume worked on countless Carry On pictures during his long career in the film industry. Although he was in great demand for many big budget films, he always made time for six weeks of constant giggling with Sid, Joan and the gang at Pinewood. Alan went on to work as Director of Photography on three 1980s Bond films, all starring Roger Moore. Alan worked on For Your Eyes Only in 1981, Octopussy in 1983 and finally A View To A Kill in 1985.

Another behind the scenes presence was the actress Nikki Van der Zyl. Nikki had the small role of the messenger in the 1966 Carry On classic, Don't Lose Your Head. She is the actress who runs up to the guillotine and drops the message in the basket for Charles Hawtrey to read later...Nikki spent most of her career as a voice over artist. Her vocal talents can be heard in nine of the James Bond films, beginning with Dr No in 1962 and ending with Moonraker in 1979. Apparently Van der Zyl also worked as a vocal coach to German actor Gert Frobe, who famously played Goldfinger in 1964. 

 

One final behind the scenes Carry On link, although technically he was seen on screen. Stunt man Nick Hobbs, still active in the profession, made several appearances in the Bond franchise, beginning with 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me and ending with Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997. Early on in his career as a stunt man, Hobbs appeared in Carry On Girls, believe it or not, as stunt rider for Barbara Windsor in her role as Hope Springs! Although Barbara is seen riding the motorcycle (rather nervously) with Sid in the closing credits, the scene when Hope rides away from the pier was actually done using Nick Hobbs. Now there's a claim to fame!

Keep your eyes peeled for three other blink and you'll miss 'em Carry On Bond cameos. In 1963, Francis de Wolff played Vavra in the gypsy fight scenes in one of my all time favourite Bond films, From Russia with Love. The following year he filmed a cameo role as Agrippa in the wonderful Carry On Cleo. And in 1983, two small part Carry On players turned up rather unexpectedly in the Roger Moore Bond film Octopussy. Brenda Cowling and Gertan Klauber played two rather talkative Germans who give James Bond a lift! Brenda of course played Matron in the maternity hospital sequence in Carry On Girls, returning for an uncredited appearance in the audience of Professor Crump's lecture in Carry On Behind. Gertan Klauber meanwhile popped up in several Carry Ons - Spying, Cleo, Follow That Camel, Doctor, Henry, Abroad and Emmannuelle. He would return to James Bond with an uncredited role as a fairground cafe owner in 1987's The Living Daylights. He was also married to fellow Carry On actor Gwendolyn Watts.

 

Does the name Eva Reuber-Staier mean anything to you?The Austrian born model and actress played Rublevitch in three Rorger Moore James Bond films - The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy. Nearly a decade before her last Bond appearance, Eva had played one of the Birds of Paradise in Joan Sims' troupe who entertained the punters at the Old Cock Inn in Carry On Dick!

Finally, two very small but worthwhile Bond / Carry On links. The actor Michael Medwin, still going strong at nearly 93, played a doctor in the unofficial Bond picture Never Say Never Again in 1983. Over twenty years before this, Medwin had the cameo role as Ginger opposite Kenneth Connor and Norman Rossington in the second Carry On film, Nurse, released in 1959. And before I go, I must mention the wonderful Janet Brown. The famed Mrs Thatcher impressionist played the Iron Lady in the comic scenes at the end of the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only. Janet was of course married to the Carry On legend Peter Butterworth.

So there are a fair few Carry On connections in the world of James Bond. Have I missed any out? Do get in touch if you can think of any others!

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Carry On Hero of the Week: Ernest Steward

 

This blog forms part of an occasional series looking at important yet little known or publicly appreciated contibutors to the Carry On series. So far I've included a range of very talented people from both in front and behind the camera. Today we're going back behind the camera with a little look at the career of Ernest Steward.

Ernest Steward is a name many of you will recognise from the opening credits of many a British film and indeed many a Carry On film but as far as I can locate, there is little recorded about the man himself. Born in London in 1910, he began his career in film in the late 1940s as a camera operator. His early credits included David Lean's Great Expectations starring John Mills (1946) and London Belongs To Me (1948) which starred the likes of Alastair Sim and Richard Attenborough.

As a Director of Photography he tended to specialise in light comedy films. Relatively early on in his career he formed a productive relationship with legendary female film producer Betty Box (Peter Rogers' wife) and worked prolifically with both Box and her director, Gerald's brother Ralph Thomas. This working relationship included each of the Doctor comedies starring the likes of Dirk Bogarde and Leslie Phillips (seven films in total from Doctor in the House in 1954 through to Doctor in Trouble in 1970). 

Other familiar titles Ernest worked on at around this time included Upstairs and Downstairs (1959); A Pair of Briefs (1962); Crooks Anonymous (1962); The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963); I've Gotta Horse in 1965 (starring Amanda Barrie) and Deadlier Than The Male in 1967, with future Carry On Behind star Elke Sommer. Ernest began his association with the Carry On films with one of the best loved classics of the entire series, Carry On Up The Khyber in 1968. He went on to work as Director of Photography on a further nine Carry On adventures including the likes of Camping, Up The Jungle, At Your Convenience, Matron and Dick. His last credit with the Carry Ons was for England in 1976. During this period he seemed to alternate with that other renowned Director of Photography, the late great Alan Hume.

 

Following the completion of his last Carry On in 1976 Ernest then moved into television. For two years in the late 1970s he struck up a fruitful relationship with Mark 1 Productions. If that name doesn't ring a bell, the titles that company produced will. Ernest first worked on seven episodes of The New Avengers in late 1976 and into 1977. This was a reboot of the original, classic swinging sixties adventure series. This seventies remake starred Patrick Macnee as the legendary John Steed with co-starring roles for Joanna Lumley as Purdey and Gareth Hunt as Gambit. Following on from this came a run of eleven episodes as lighting cameraman on the classic crime fighting series The Professionals. Ernest was a regular fixture for much of the first series. 

 

After all this dabbling in television, Ernest Steward returned to the world of film for his last ever job as Director of Photography. This was a reboot of the classic St Trinian's film series in 1980. The Wildcats of St Trinian's, despite starring the likes of Sheila Hancock, Maureen Lipman, Michael Hodern, Julia McKenzie and Rosalind Knight. After this film was completed, Steward chose to retire from the industry. 

Ernest Steward died in Yorkshire at the age of 79 in 1990. Little else is known about the man who helped bring so many of our favourite comedy films to life. Ernest was responsible for the photography in the classic dining room sequence at the end of Carry On Up The Khyber. That alone gives him legendary status in my eyes. 

 

If anyone knows anything more about the late Ernest Steward, please do get in touch as I'd love to hear from you. 


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Carry On Hero of the Week: Alan Hume

The whole idea of this new series of blogs is to flag up specific individuals who, in my humble opinion, really made the Carry On films what they were. So many of the actors and crew turned up at Pinewood again and again, working closely over the years to produce such a fine body of work. This week it's the turn of legendary cinematographer Alan Hume.

Alan Hume was a master of his craft. It was mainly down to him that the Carry On films were so beautifully shot. Working on a shoestring budget, Hume's excellence behind the camera meant the films often looked a good deal better than they otherwise might have done. The lighting, camera angles and set ups were all superb under Hume and us fans owe him a huge amount of gratitude for all his hard work.

Alan was involved in the series right from the very beginning, working as a camera operator in the early black and white films before graduating to cinematographer or Director of Photography on later efforts. He also worked on many other Rogers and Thomas films including Bless This House, The Big Job, Nurse On Wheels and Watch Your Stern. He was quite simply world class as is shown by the other films he worked on. During a lengthy career he worked on Star Wars, four of the Roger Moore era James Bond pictures and other classics like A Fish Called Wanda, Shirley Valentine and Stepping Out.

Despite being on the crew of these big pictures, Alan kept coming back for more Carry On fun, which says a great deal both about the man himself and the people he worked with at Pinewood. He always seemed very modest and down to earth, despite his great success. I know all the Carry On actresses loved Alan because he took such great care to make them look their very best in front of the camera. He was also, by all accounts, a terrific audience regularly having to stuff a handkerchief into his mouth to stop his laughter during takes!

Alan continued to work up until the late 1990s, his last main contribution being cinematographer (and interviewee) in the What's A Carry On? documentary in 1998. Alan had four children, all of whom have followed him into the film industry. Sadly, Alan Hume passed away in July 2010 at the age of 85.

So there you have it, my Carry On Hero of the Week this week is the fantastic Alan Hume.

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Remembering Alan Hume

I've stumbled across a really lovely interview online and I thought I should share it here on the blog. I was looking into Alan Hume's career for a blog I've got planned for another time and came across an interview his wife has recently given to a local website in Buckinghamshire.

Sheila Hume, now 89, spoke to the Get Bucks website about her late husband's long and impressive career as a cinematographer and reminisced about all the famous people she counts as friends. It's the first time I've heard about Alan's wife and family and it is a lovely read. It's also great to hear Sheila still makes regular trips to Pinewood Studios and hears from people Alan worked with, such as Sir Roger Moore and Dame Shirley Bassey.

Alan Hume was a wonderful presence behind the camera on so many of the Carry On films, not to mention big budget pictures like the James Bond films and the original Star Wars franchise. I love that despite his terrific success working on international films and with big name stars, he always came back to Pinewood for regular six week shoots with Sid, Kenneth and Joan. What a legend.

You can read the article by following this link.

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Keeping it in the Carry On Family

Following on from Jim Dale's month long residency at the Vaudeville Theatre will be another actor with Carry On connections.

Richard O'Callaghan, who brought Bertram Muffet to life in Carry On Loving and played Kenneth Williams' son Lewis in At Your Convenience, will be starring alongside David Suchet and Michele Dotrice in a production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Richard is now one of a only a handful of Carry On actors still working regularly on the stage so it's great to see him back in the West End. 

Richard also shares quite a rare position in Carry On history as his mother, the late actress Patricia Hayes also appeared in a Carry On. Remember her cameo as Mrs Beazley in Carry On Again Doctor? This made me wonder how many other occasions of family members appearing in Carry Ons there were. It took me a while but I've come up with a few.

Probably the most famous is that of Carry On regular Kenneth Connor and his son Jeremy. Jeremy first appeared along side his dad in Carry On Nurse way back in 1958. After a long gap, the grown up Jeremy then returned to Pinewood to film cameo roles in three later Carry Ons, playing a footpad in Dick, a man with an ice cream in Behind and finally a gunner in Carry On England in 1976.

Two sets of sisters also appeared in Carry On films. The most well known pair are probably Sally and Judy Geeson. Sally of course appeared in the classic Carry On Abroad in 1972 and returned a year later for a brief cameo in Girls. She also appeared in the Ideal Home crowd sequence in Carry On Regardless back in 1961. Judy Geeson had a starring role in the less well received Carry On England. 

Carol White played one of the saboteur school children in Carry On Teacher in 1959, a good few years before she rose to fame thanks to Cathy Come Home. Her sister Jane White also appeared as a pupil in Teacher, featuring in a memorable classroom scene as Irene, opposite Kenneth Williams. 

Man of the moment Jim Dale returned to the Carry On films for the series swan song in 1992. Appearing in the small role of an Inquisitor in Columbus was Jim's son Toby. There was another father and son double act on Columbus, albeit behind the camera. Legendary cinematographer Alan Hume had his son Martin working with him on that picture as a camera operator.

Finally, another couple who were of great importance to the success of the Carry Ons, behind the scenes. Husband and wife team Geoff and Nora Rodway were the chief make up artists on over twenty Carry On films during their careers at Pinewood and many of the actors involved have spoken very fondly of this talented and dedicated couple.

Those were all the family connections I could think of - perhaps you can think of others I might have missed?

The Importance of Being Earnest begins its run at the Vaudeville Theatre in London on 24 June. More information can be found here.

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