Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: Christmas Eve

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Who else could I choose for my special Carry On Blogging Festive countdown on Christmas Eve but Mr Bernard Cribbins. Everyone's favourite Jackanory star, this December Bernard turns 90 years young. This suitably cosy, Christmasy snap seems the perfect way to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 23 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Here we have a vintage, pre-Carry On photo of the late great Peter Butterworth. Peter was a beloved star of Christmas pantomimes and this snap comes from December 1953. A promotional shot from Alice in Wonderland at the Kew Theatre. Peter was the Mad Hatter and a young Julia Lockwood was Alice.

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 22 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today I have a photo  of the man himself, Sidney James, from a special comedy hour from way back in 1971. All This and Christmas Too was broadcast that year on Christmas Eve by Yorkshire TV. The festive production co-starred Sid's longtime Carry On chum Kenneth Connor and was directed by Bill Hitchcock, who at the time was married to none other than Sid's great mate, Liz Fraser. 

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 21 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today I have a fabulous photo of the equally wonderful Jim Dale for you. A long time resident in New York, Jim's post Carry On career has focussed heavily on the stage. He has wowed many a Broadway audience with his spellbinding performances and judging by the photo above, this was yet another one. Playing the infamous Scrooge in a production of A Christmas Carol, Jim is quite obviously in his element!

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 20 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

What a line up today! Obviously a promotional shot to launch some prime festive broadcasting, the Carry Ons' Sid James and Barbara Windsor take centre stage as a very jolly Santa and his little helper! Surrounding them are some of the cream of the light entertainment crop - go on, how many can you spot?

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

What a Carry On this Christmas on Channel 4!

Channel 4 will be featuring some classic early Carry Ons in their festive scheduling this year I'm very pleased to say. Although you may need to get up extremely early (or set the video) to catch them. Here are the details:

Carry On Cleo - 22 December, 12.45pm, More4 

Surely one of the best ever films in the entire series, this send up of the big budget Hollywood Cleopatra movie featured particularly lush costumes and sets mainly because the Elizabeth Taylor epic left loads of gear behind when they left Buckinghamshire for a sunnier climate in 1963. Cleo boasts a stunning star turn from Amanda Barrie as the dippy, rather camp Cleopatra who spends most of her time up to her neck in asses' milk. Also along for the ride are Sid James as a very Hancockian Mark Anthony and Kenneth Williams as the definitive comic Julius Caesar. For me though, one of the stand outs is Kenneth Connor as the beautifully judged timid slave, Hengist Pod, inventor of the square wheel. Charles Hawtrey, Jim Dale and Joan Sims provide peerless support.

Further reading - Carry On Blogging Interview: Amanda Barrie 
Carry On Blogging: Five Reasons Why I Love Carry On Cleo 

Carry On Regardless - 26 December, 02.10am, Channel 4

Although writer Norman Hudis is on record as saying this was his least favourite of all the Carry Ons he wrote, I love Regardless. It's the most episodic film of the entire series, basically made up of a series of sketches held together by the central comic force of Sid James as the owner of the Helping Hands Agency. Helping Hands employs a rag bag of diverse workers willing to undertake (almost) anything. This premise gives Hudis a huge amount of scope and the results, in the hands of a cosy bunch of lovable Carry On eccentrics, is just brilliant. It also features the biggest supporting cast of superb British comedy actors even seen. Everyone from Fenella Fielding and Stanley Unwin to Molly Weir, Jerry Desmonde and Joan Hickson appear, mostly fleetingly. Sid is assisted by the likes of Esma Cannon, Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims, Bill Owen and a debuting Liz Fraser.

Further reading: Carry On Blogging: Why I love Carry On Regardless
Carry On Blogging: My Favourite scene - Carry On Regardless

Carry On Jack - 27 December, 04.10am, Channel 4 

Probably one of my lesser favourites, this swash buckling yarn from the early 1960s marked a return to colour for the Carry Ons and also saw the films take on a period subject matter for the very first time. Until this point, every series entry had been firmly based in the present day so for the loyal cinema-going audiences this must have been quite a shock! Jack, written by Talbot Rothwell, is also fairly light both on innuendos and familiar cast members. Indeed of the regular team at this stage, only Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey appear. Jim Dale, back for his second brief cameo role after Cabby earlier the same year, was yet to become a main presence however his appearance is a funny one and most welcome. Grabbing most of the action are Juliet Mills and Bernard Cribbins and very good they are too. Both new to the films, this was Juliet's only Carry On, despite appearing in two other films for Peter Rogers, Nurse On Wheels and Twice Round The Daffodils. Jack does feature some stunning actors in supporting roles, namely Donald Houston, Percy Herbert, Cecil Parker and Patrick Cargill.

Further reading: Carry On Blogging: A Change of Tack about Carry On Jack

Carry On Nurse - 27 December, 09.50am, More4 

Following hot on the heals of the surprise film hit of 1958, Carry On Sergeant, Rogers and Thomas launched into the production of Carry On Nurse, a medical-themed sequel. The overwhelming success of Nurse, particularly in America, undoubtedly laid the groundwork for a series to take shape, so us fans must always be grateful to this film. Added to that, it's also a classic! Norman Hudis again pitches the everyman against authority and this time its the first outing for Hattie Jacques' severe Matron. The male patients in the hospital ward are brought to life by a collection of wonderful actors including Kenneths Williams and Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Terence Longdon, Bill Owen, Cyril Chamberlain and Leslie Phillips. The film licks along at a cracking pace and blends social comment with slapstick, brilliant set pieces and moments of real pathos. The large supporting cast includes a debuting Joan Sims, Joan Hickson, Irene Handl, June Whitfield and Michael Medwin. And of course there's that infamous daffodil...

Further reading - Carry On Blogging: Hattie Carries On As Matron 
Carry On Blogging Interview: Christine Ozanne

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 19 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

A more recent snap today, most probably from the 1990s. I'm not quite sure where it comes from however it must be a BBC promo as both Richard Wilson and Barbara Windsor were big names for the Corporation at the time. Richard was starring in the brilliant comedy series One Foot in the Grave while Barbara was behind the bar of the Queen Vic in EastEnders. Of course Barbara also made a one off guest appearance in One Foot in the Grave too so perhaps that's the link?

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 18 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Talbot Rothwell included many nods to former glories in his Christmas telly specials with the gang and the photo above comes from one such sketch in the 1973 adventure. Carry On Caveman it might have been, but it definitely had shades of Cleo about it. Pictured above are Kenneth Connor, Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw, Sid James and Joan Sims, or the Pods as they were better known. They certainly know all the angles! ;)

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 17 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today we're dipping into the world of Christmas television specials from days gone by. Well 1975 to be precise. Back in colour on the BBC since 1972, the Sykes sitcom was firing on all cylinders again thanks to a company that included Deryck Guyler, Richard Wattis, Hattie Jacques and of course Eric himself. Sadly, by the time the festive edition was broadcast in '75 Richard had passed away, but there was still much fun to be had, with Hattie stealing many a scene as Eric's put upon twin.

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Art & Hue's Christmas Gift Guide!

Stuck for a last minute gift idea for the cultured art loving Carry On comedy fan in your life? Look no further than the brilliant Art and Hue. 

Made in Britain, Art & Hue creates stylish pop art inspired by various themes including the 1960s, cult film & TV, and Mid-Century Modernism. Alongside studio collections, Art & Hue creates bespoke art from your photographs for personalised gifts. An ideal present to commemorate a birthday, wedding, house-warming, or milestone, Art & Hue can transform your preferred photos, including Instagram snaps, into stylish contemporary pop art.

Called Art & Hue because of the combination of imagery and colour, the fact it sounds like two boys names is a delightful coincidence.

Images are given the Art & Hue halftone treatment before blocks of colour are applied. Halftone is an age-old technique that uses dots to make up the printed image, similar to newspapers or comic books – difficult to demonstrate on-screen but looks great printed.

As well as bespoke art prints, customised to the recipients specifications, there are “ready-to-buy” prints on many themes including royalty, London and food to name a few, available in various colours. All art prints are open edition unless otherwise specified as limited.

Struggling to choose? Use the handy Gift Guide to work out exactly what you want! 

Need some last minute Christmas cards? Check out this stylish range right here: Greetings Cards

Art and Hue are also wonderful at reminding us of all the important pop culture milestones across the year. Check them out here: 2018 Anniversaries (including of course, 60 Years of Carry On)

Whatever you choose, you won't be disappointed. So Carry On shopping! And Happy Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 16 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

And who else do we have today, but the lovely Francis! Titter ye not. Frankie Howerd brought such comedic force to the 1969 Carry On Christmas and for me, he really lifted it up to something special. Barely sticking to the script, he turned every appearance into a stand up gem and it's fantastic to watch. The likes of Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey and Barbara Windsor all struggle to keep straight faces and the whole thing is hilarious! 


What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 15 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today we have a rather naughty old Santa in the shape of none other than Kenneth Connor! Taken from the 1972 Carry On Stuffing Christmas Special for Thames, perhaps not my favourite of the four specials the team made, it still features some terrific performances. Barbara looks a little bemused to find Connor Claus perched on the end of her four poster! 


What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 13 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today we have a bright and colourful photo of two Carry On leading ladies in their festive prime! I'm not quite sure what they are up to, but it's definitely Joan Sims and Barbara Windsor and I'm pretty sure it's from the 1972 Carry On Christmas (Carry On Stuffing) telly special! 


What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 12 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today we have a festive snap of two Carry On veterans in the roles they became best known for. Johnny Briggs and Amanda Barrie as Mike and Alma in a Corrie Christmas promo shot from the early 1990s. From watching repeats from that era on ITV3 of late, the festive season was rarely that jolly for either of them. Amanda had starred in Carry On Cabby and Cleo back in the 1960s before stepping onto the cobbles of Weatherfield, while Johnny made three small appearances in the Carry Ons - Up The Khyber, then Behind and England just before he joined Coronation Street in 1976.


What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Reading: Great Carry On Books for Christmas!

It's Christmas shopping time once again so I thought I would bring you some of my favourite Carry On comedy related stocking fillers. I'll have more on this tomorrow with some of my favourite Carry On art but today I thought I'd start off with some brilliant books I've featured on the blog over the past year or so. I recommend them all to you for the classic comedy fan in your life:

Fenella Fielding: Do You Mind if I Smoke?

Sadly we lost the wonderful Fenella Fielding earlier this year, but thankfully we have her brilliant memoirs to help remember her by. In these pages you will fall in love with the real Fenella, whose genuine innocence in her early days in often seedy and dangerous post-war London was her best protection. You’ll learn how she crafted the career she longed for in the face of determined and sometimes cruel opposition from her parents. How she went up the ladders of fame and down the snakes of self-doubt and despair. How she learned to live with, like and sometimes loathe the famous actors, impresarios, conmen and characters of the day.

So famous in the 1960s that she was chosen by Littlewoods to hand over a cheque for a third of a million pounds to a Pools winner, by the 1970s she had one of her own cheques returned and realised she was broke.

The story nearly ended there, but talent and sheer guts pulled her though the dark times and out into the light of new-found success. In 2017 she turned 90. The star known as the 'England’s First Lady of the Double Entendre' was still seducing audiences with that unforgettable voice, her perfect timing and wicked humour never better.

The memoirs very carefully kept the authenticity of Fenella's voice throughout and even though this is the print version, Fenella's voice comes over as beautifully resonate and utterly unique as it ever did.

You can find out more and order a copy here

Bernard Cribbins: Bernard Who? 75 Years of Doing Just About Everything!

The legend that is Bernard Cribbins has written his life story and it's out now. Bernard, who will rather astonishingly turn 90 this December, has told the story of his life and 75 year acting career, working with writer James Hogg. As soon as I heard about this new book yesterday, I downloaded it to my Kindle and I'm already three chapters in. Bernard's is a fascinating tale and definitely worth a read.

Bernard Cribbins is currently celebrating his seventy-fifth year in showbusiness, having first joined Oldham Repertory Company as a full-time actor way back in 1943. Working a seventy-hour week, he was paid just fifteen bob for his services then, all of which went straight to his mother.

After serving as a paratrooper during National Service – and getting shot at several times in Palestine – Bernard returned to the theatre where he was eventually spotted by George Martin, then A&R man for Parlophone Records. Just months away from producing The Beatles, Martin thought that Bernard might have a future in the recording industry and after hooking him up with a couple of writers he became a pop star. His two hit singles ‘The Hole in the Ground’ – which reached no. 1 – and ‘Right Said Fred’ – reaching no. 10 – catapulted Bernard to stardom and after appearing in three Peter Sellers classics, Two Way Stretch, The Wrong Arm of the Law and Crooks in Cloisters, he took starring roles in two Carry On films, Carry on Jack and Carry on Spying.

By the time he appeared in The Railway Children in 1970 Bernard was already bordering on being a national treasure. This was all but confirmed just a few years later when, as well as becoming Jackanory’s longest serving storyteller, he also delighted millions by bringing The Wombles to life. Since then, Bernard’s CV has become an A-Z of the best entertainment that Britain has to offer, and he has undoubtedly become one of our best-loved actors.

Jam packed with anecdotes, Bernard Who? is a book that is almost ninety years in the making and divulges the full story behind one of the longest and most celebrated careers in show business. 

Bernard Who? 75 Years of Doing Just About Everything, the memoir of Bernard Cribbins is out now in hardback and ebook, published by Piatkus, Constable and Robinson – a division of Little, Brown Book Group.

Josephine: An Open Book

Award-winning independent publisher Candy Jar Books is delighted to announce the upcoming publication of the debut novel by Carry On actress, Angela Douglas.

Josephine: An Open Book is a powerful and compelling story of a young woman’s journey to stardom and the trials and tribulations of showbusiness and celebrity. Set against the backdrop of London’s 1960s, her paths cross with the likes of Kirk Douglas, Steve McQueen Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Neil Armstrong.

Though a work of fiction, the novel draws extensively on Angela Douglas’ own experiences, weaving a story which is at its very heart, universal in its themes: love, loss, the breakdown of a marriage and the decline of health. Josephine is ultimately an uplifting memoir of determination and conviction in the face of adversity, and is sure to resonate with the reader. 

Josephine is Angela’s first work of fiction, having already worked as a journalist and author, writing two non-fiction titles, including her autobiography Swings and Roundabouts, which received great praise from audience and critics alike.

As Angela put it herself, Josephine’s life is set in a world she knows well:

“I have described Josephine as ‘made up truth’. Many of the characters with whom Josephine meets are famous names because they are lifted from real-life experiences of my own. Josephine and I share many things, but there are also many differences... She is very much her own woman, and she finds herself in a lot of scrapes and circumstances, which I luckily did not. Josephine is an ambitious, fiercely independent bundle of energy who never settles for less than she deserves. As her father says: “when she was little she tried to ride the rainbow. Her ambition was up high....her reality was at times down there.”

What parts of Josephine’s life are based on truth and what are a work of fiction? That’s what you’ll have to determine for yourself…”

  

Find out more about Candy Jar, and order your copy of Angela's novel here: www.candyjarbooks.co.uk

Whatever you choose, happy reading! 

 You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 11 December

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

And here we have a memorable little scene from the final Carry On Christmas special from 1973. Sid James as a randy old department store Santa, visited by a rather advanced school girl and her henpecked mother. Of course the school girl is Barbara Windsor and the mother Joan Sims! It's one of those scenes that took the series nearer the knuckle and no doubt would never be shown these days but you can't help but chuckle! 


What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 10 December

 

And so, once again December is upon us. I'll be bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice. 

Today, I bring you the glorious Hattie Jacques on the finest of fine forms in the 1969 Carry On Christmas television special for Thames. In amongst the myriad of scenes and sketches this wonderful all colour festive treat brought us, was Hattie dressed as a Mother Superior trying to shepherd her carol singing school girls. When I say school girls, I mean Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, Charles Hawtrey and Terry Scott! How she kept a straight face I'll never know...

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On Blogging Festive Advent: 9 December

And so, once again December is upon us. This will be my fourth Christmas at the helm of Carry On Blogging so I wanted to go all out, bringing you a daily dose of festive Carry On cheer each day on the lead up to the 25th. 

So every day I will bring you another cracking Carry On photo with a festive theme. They will probably all be rather naughty, but hopefully all quite nice.

Every time I see this glorious shot of Frankie Howerd and Barbara Windsor together, I can't help but chuckle. Frankie was the guest star in the first ever Carry On Christmas special in 1969. He had just filmed his second and final appearance in the film series. With his role as Professor Tinkle in Up The Jungle in the can, Frankie gamely joined the regular gang for a festive frolic. 

He appeared in a memorable scene with Hattie Jacques as the poet Robert Browning but my favourite sequence is the one featured above. As a rather unusual fairy godmother, he came to the aid of Barbara's Cinderella in the classic, naughty pantomime that ended the television special with a bang. It's a fantastic performance from Frankie and the gang!

What a Carry On at Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Art & Hue's Christmas Gift Guide!

Stuck for a last minute gift idea for the cultured art loving Carry On comedy fan in your life? Look no further than the brilliant Art and Hue. 

Made in Britain, Art & Hue creates stylish pop art inspired by various themes including the 1960s, cult film & TV, and Mid-Century Modernism. Alongside studio collections, Art & Hue creates bespoke art from your photographs for personalised gifts. An ideal present to commemorate a birthday, wedding, house-warming, or milestone, Art & Hue can transform your preferred photos, including Instagram snaps, into stylish contemporary pop art.

Called Art & Hue because of the combination of imagery and colour, the fact it sounds like two boys names is a delightful coincidence.

Images are given the Art & Hue halftone treatment before blocks of colour are applied. Halftone is an age-old technique that uses dots to make up the printed image, similar to newspapers or comic books – difficult to demonstrate on-screen but looks great printed.

As well as bespoke art prints, customised to the recipients specifications, there are “ready-to-buy” prints on many themes including royalty, London and food to name a few, available in various colours. All art prints are open edition unless otherwise specified as limited.

Struggling to choose? Use the handy Gift Guide to work out exactly what you want! 

Need some last minute Christmas cards? Check out this stylish range right here: Greetings Cards

Art and Hue are also wonderful at reminding us of all the important pop culture milestones across the year. Check them out here: 2018 Anniversaries (including of course, 60 Years of Carry On)

Whatever you choose, you won't be disappointed. So Carry On shopping! And Happy Christmas! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram