Dame June Whitfield's Last Interview

Sadly we lost the magnificent Dame June Whitfield last week at the grand old age of 93. There have been fulsome tributes all over the internet, in the press and on television and rightly so. 

Before June passed away, she gave one final interview, to the DJ and broadcaster David Hamilton for BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey. David was a good friend of June's and has spoken warmly of their longstanding friendship since her sad passing. The interview was recorded shortly before Christmas and the BBC broadcast the interview on 27 December. As David himself said, June was on fine form, as funny, warm and self-deprecating as usual. 

In the hour long interview, June talks to David about her long career on stage, film, radio and television. She discusses her fond memories of working with the likes of Terry Scott, Frankie Howerd, Roy Hudd and the cast of Absolutely Fabulous. It's a fine last hurrah for Dame June and I'm so glad she did this interview before she left us.

You can listen to the interview, produced by Mark Carter for the BBC, right here.

And you can read my tribute to June here: Carry On Blogging: Remembering Dame June Whitfield

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

My Review: Carry On Up The Archive

I've just listened to the most wonderful hour of radio, the programme 'Carry On Up The Archive' on the BBC. It was first broadcast a couple of days ago and I blogged about the production earlier in the month. Produced by Richard Latto, the programme is hosted by Carry On legend Jim Dale.

Richard has painstakingly unearthed some extremely rare clips of some of our favourite, most cherished Carry On stars in conversation on radio stations up and down the land. It's always fascinating to hear our beloved stars 'as themselves' and this hour long special really didn't disappoint. All our favourites were featured - from Bernard Bresslaw and Kenneth Connor, to Sid James, Joan Sims and Barbara Windsor. 

Some of the clips were sourced from regional stations and hadn't been heard for decades while others were found in the most unusual of places; dusty cupboards and attics and possibly even a garden shed or two. Back in the day the BBC were perhaps not as forward thinking when it came to preserving programmes or interviews for future generations, either due to a lack of modern technology or just short-sightedness. Whatever the reason, this programme is a really important treasure trove of material for fans old and new.

So what were the highlights for me? Well before we get to the headline act, that special last interview Sid James ever gave, there are lovely moments from Barbara Windsor as she discusses the routine on the Pinewood Studio floor. It was very evocative hearing the down to earth pursuits of these comedy legends as they killed time between shots. It made them seem life size almost after decades on the big screen in outlandish costumes, cracking innuendos in comedic tones. I also loved hearing snippets of Barbara and also Jack Douglas fielding calls from fans on local radio stations. The love from the ordinary man and woman on the street still strong after decades of Carry On capers.

Another highlight was hearing from two of my absolute favourites, Joan Sims and Kenneth Connor. Perhaps two members of the team we heard less from in their own voices. Listening to them having fun as they reminisced over the filming of Carry On Constable and that infamous shower sequence, I was struck by the warmth between the two old pros and just how eloquent and intelligent they were, a bit like the affable, gently spoken Bernard Bresslaw who also features in the range of clips. You'll have to listen yourself to hear what Joan and Kenneth had to shriek about over Constable but all I'll say is it involved Charles Hawtrey's buttocks and some eye shadow…

There was also a lovely little clip of Kenneth Connor again, this time in conversation with the brilliant director of all the films, Gerald Thomas. Another man we rarely heard from, Gerald and Kenneth shared some lovely memories of filming that sweet scene at the end of Carry On Nurse which sees Kenneth's real life son Jeremy appear down the hospital corridor and on cue, give his dad a bit of a slap around the chops!

The headline grabber from this special programme however was the unearthed recordings of the late, great Sidney James. There were two amazing interview clips shared for the first time since they were recorded in 1976. The first from a local hospital radio show and the second BBC Radio down in Bournemouth. At the time Sid was touring with the theatre show The Mating Season and he spoke to the BBC about his lengthy career, his fitness regime and his passion for fishing whenever the hard working actor could grab a bit of down time. Apart from the poignancy of hearing Sid just days before he so very sadly died on tour in Sunderland, it's just lovely to hear the actor as himself - beautifully spoken, erudite, calm and honest. That familiar laugh is there as a crowd pleaser but this really is Mr Sidney James as he was off camera. It's a joy and that joy is bitter sweet given what happened so soon afterwards. How wonderful though, for Sid's children to hear this forgotten interview their father did for the very first time.

Massive thanks go to Richard Latto for all his hard work in piecing this wonderful programme together, it's been a true highlight of the festive season for me and I just loved every second. I couldn't help but shed a little tear as Jim Dale, excellent as the presenter of the show, gathered the story up at the end by remarking that while so many of his Carry On costars are now no longer with us, the laughter and happy times they gave us will be with us forever. 

You can listen to the wonderful 'Carry On Up The Archives' here


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Up The Archive with Jim Dale

As we all know, this year has marked 60 years since the very first Carry On film, Carry On Sergeant, was made and released on the unsuspecting British public. The series has become the stuff of legend thanks to some cracking scripts and an amazing team of comedy actors who continue to delight us to this day.

Now, a special BBC Radio programme, Carry On Up The Archive, featuring many rare or previously undiscovered clips, has been produced and is due to air this festive season.

The programme makers have been trawling through archives all over the country and are now preparing to share a great deal of previously unheard material featuring some of our favourite Carry On actors. You may recall earlier this year that a very rare interview with Sid James was discovered and aired again for the first time in over forty years. Indeed, it was the last recorded interview Sid gave before his untimely death in 1976.

The rare audio recordings, either previously unknown or thought lost, featuring the likes of Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques and Barbara Windsor. Jim Dale, who starred in  eleven Carry Ons in the 1960s (and of course Columbus in 1992) presents this great programme looking back at some of our best loved comedy stars as you've never heard them before.

Carry On Up The Archive will be broadcast across the BBC Radio network on 28 December at 6pm. You will be able to listen live/listen again here. The programme was produced by Richard Latto.

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Elsie, Doris and Joan

We're going way back to 1956 for this treat from the airwaves today. Elsie and Doris Waters were a popular double act who were best known for their comedy performances on film and on radio during the Second World War, as characters Gert and Daisy.

Transplanting their Workers' Playtime characters to a family-run general store, Floggit's had a writing team of great pedigree: Terry Nation, John Junkin and Carry On Behind and Bless This House writer Dave Freeman. While providing scripts for this middle-of-the-road radio comedy, Freeman, Junkin and Nation were also working on Idiot's Weekly Price 2d, the first attempt to present Goon Show humour to a television audience.

Aside from the involvement of Dave Freeman, Floggit's had a superb supporting cast of rising stars. Ronnie Barker, Anthony Newley, Ron Moody and future Beyond Our Ken and Round The Horne voices man Hugh Paddick regularly appeared alongside a certain Miss Joan Sims. Joan had already made a name for herself on the stage in intimate revue by this stage and had taken tentative steps into the world of film, with eye-catching cameos in the Norman Wisdom film Trouble in Store, Doctor in the House, Doctor At Sea and The Belles of St Trinian's. 

Joan adds her excellent vocal talents to this particular episode of Floggit's, playing a switchboard exchange operator, a flirtatious barmaid and a rather canny little girl hoping to buy some sweets! Joan also gives an early outing to her toothless old lady act which gained greater popularity when she played Gran in Till Death Us Do Part. She's quite superb in the show and you can listen to it here:

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Barbara Windsor's Desert Island Discs Archive

One of my favourite radio programmes has always been Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4. I find it a fascinating listen. 

For over seventy years now a famous "castaway" is asked to choose several pieces of music that mean a lot to them. The premise is that they must choose music they would want to have with them if they were ever washed up on a desert island.

The choices of music, together with the conversation in between, is often deeply interesting, revealing and thoroughly entertaining. As this show has been running for so many years, it has of course meant that several Carry On actors have featured as guests. The BBC now have a wonderful archive of past shows available to listen to online. 

Only the other day I listened to Barbara Windsor's two shows. Barbara appeared most recently on the programme way back in 1990 and talked to Sue Lawley about her career to date, her upbringing in the East End and some of the stormier aspects of her private life. It's a fascinating listen and Barbara's musical choices are all great, even including an excerpt of Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques and Tony Hancock from Hancock's Half Hour. Barbara speaks movingly about Kenneth in particular and two years after his death, obviously missed him terribly.

Also available in the archive is an excerpt from Barbara's earlier appearance on the show from way back in 1970. Sadly only a partial recording is available but it's still interesting to hear a much younger Miss Windsor nattering away with Roy Plomley. Both programmes are definitely worth hearing.

 

 
 You can listen to them both here

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

Listen Again: Sally Geeson Interviewed on BBC Radio

 

The lovely Sally Geeson was a guest on BBC Radio Tees yesterday afternoon. Sally, best known to us for her long running role as Sid James' daughter in the 1970s television sitcom Bless This House, was interviewed by Bob Fischer about her life and career.

Sally will be attending a special screening of both her Carry Ons, Abroad and Girls, part of a Carry On evening at the Darlington Film Club in November. More on that to come soon! It's always good to hear from Sally who has returned to the limelight following many years working in the education sector. 

Sally made her biggest and most memorable appearance in the series with her role as Lily in Carry On Abroad in 1972. In what many fans believe to be the last really great Carry On, Sally worked well opposite Carol Hawkins as two young girls off on a long weekend to the Spanish island of Elsbells. Sally proved such a hit with the team that she returned for the very next Carry On, playing the cameo role as Cecil Gaybody's assistant Debra in Carry On Girls.  

 

You can listen to Sally's interview here - it begins around the 2hr mark. 

Sally also now has a Facebook page which you can find here

And you can visit her website here 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

 

Miss Marple Carries On...

Now here's a lovely treat for a lazy Sunday afternoon. To accompany my other Miss Marple blog today, some wonderful person has uploaded a radio version of 4.50 From Paddington to YouTube.

Not only is it worth a listen if you're a fan of Miss Marple, it also has some very strong Carry On connections. The title role of Marple is played by the wonderful June Whitfield, a lot more of her on the blog later this week. Co-starring with June in this adaptation is the brilliant Joan Sims, boasting a hilarious Scottish accent! Also appearing is Dad's Army and Carry On Behind actor Ian Lavender.

It's most definitely well worth a listen!

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan 

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