Happy Birthday Ian Lavender!

 

The youngest member of the original Dad's Army team celebrates a milestone birthday today! Yes, Ian Lavender, that stupid boy, turns 73! Many happy returns to him. Ian was back on the big screen last year having filmed a cameo role in the new version of the BBC sitcom classic.

To Carry On fans, Ian is familiar for his supporting role as Joe Baxter in Carry On Behind. While I love Behind and think it is the last great Carry On, I do think Ian is wasted in the film and barely gets a look in. Ian is quite clearly brought in as the next generation Jim Dale with Adrienne Posta playing his wife as a bubbly blonde Barbara Windsor type. I think both actors did well in their roles and I believe they were asked back for the next film (or at least on the casting list) but sadly neither joined in again for Carry On England.

I think Ian Lavender was ideal casting for a Carry On, bringing that much needed youthful comedy. He may not have had the same comic physicality as Jim Dale but he was certainly a welcome addition to the team. At the time Ian was branching out into several other low brow British comedy films including roles in Confessions of a Pop Performer, Adventures of a Taxi Driver, Adventures of a Private Eye and Not Now, Comrade. All classics I'm sure you'll agree (!)

 

Thankfully Ian is still flying the flag for British comedy today and is still as busy as ever. Whatever he is up to today, I hope he has an excellent birthday. 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan 

Carrying On with … Confessions of a Pop Performer!

I've written before about the Confessions series of bawdy comedy films from the 1970s but really only from the perspective of the effect they had on the slightly more innocent Carry On films we all cherish. The Confessions films have suffered the same fate as the Carry Ons in that they have frequently been looked down on, written off or just plain criticised.

However these films all featured a superb range of actors and provided entertainment to the masses during years when perhaps the country sometimes didn't have that much to laugh about. What interests me a great deal about these films is how they represent the changing face of British society. By the time Confessions of a Window Cleaner burst onto cinema screens up and down the land in 1974, censorship had been relaxed and a whole new generation were much more liberally minded. 

Last time, I focussed on the hugely popular Confessions of a Window Cleaner, the sexy comedy film which burst onto cinema screens across the country back in 1974 and catapulted leading man Robin Askwith to lasting fame. Today I thought I would move on to the following year and another big hit, Confessions of a Pop Performer. Many of the same original team from Window Cleaner returned for this second outing with recurring actors Bill Maynard, Sheila White and Tony Booth appearing again as the traditional sitcom style family around Robin's Timmy Lea. They provide the grounding and the basis for much of the comedy in between the racier material. Sadly Dandy Nichols did not return to play Mrs Lea after the previous film but she was ably replaced by fellow sitcom legend Doris Hare. Doris would go on to appear in both further Confessions films. 

Val Guest, that legendary British film director, chose not to make another Confessions film, allegedly because his wife wasn't keen on him being on set with so many scantily clad nubile young actresses! Columbia Pictures, the big name backer of these low budget comedies and clearly cleaned up with Window Cleaner (as it were) and were keen for more antics. And Mr Askwith was only too happy to oblige! Pop Performer sees Booth's wheeler dealer character become manager to a dubious pop group called Kipper and Timmy gets involved too. The usual slapstick and naughtiness follows as I'm sure you'll already know.

There are several Carry On links to this film and not just in front of the camera. The brilliant cinematographer Alan Hume, who worked on countless Carry Ons as well as big budget pictures in the Star Wars and James Bond franchises, worked on Pop Performer. Frank Bevis, Production Manager on this film, was also involved in many Carry Ons. Frank was Production Manager on Carry On Sergeant, Nurse, Teacher and Constable and later worked as an Associate Producer on Cabby, Jack, Spying, Cleo, Cowboy and Screaming!

In front of the camera, we've of course got the brilliant Robin Askwith, who had already made a name for himself as Larry in Carry On Girls and as Sid's son Mike in the film of Bless This House. And Bill Maynard, there once again as Mr Lea, appeared in supporting roles in five 1970s Carry Ons. Playing a major supporting role in Pop Performer is the lovely Carol Hawkins as the rather proper journalist, Jill Brown, object of Timmy's affections. Carol had already appeared in Carry On Abroad by this stage, playing Marge and the same year worked with Robin in Bless This House. 1975, the year Pop Performer was made, also saw Carol return to Carry On for a major supporting role as glamorous camper Sandra in Carry On Behind as well as co-starring in two episodes of the ATV series Carry On Laughing. Despite the raunchier material in the Confessions film, Carol maintains her dignity throughout, I hasten to add!

Also appearing is that wonderful comedy character actor Peter Jones. Playing a rather obvious send up of a notorious television host, Peter rather over eggs it as Maxy Naus. Another recruit from the world of television comedy is the great Ian Lavender in a cameo turn as Rodney, which involves a lot of funny business with a pantomime horse! Say no more. Ian  was still appearing as Private Pike in Dad's Army at the time and also in 1975 he cropped up in Carry On Behind as Adrienne Posta's husband. Clearly in the Jim Dale persona, sadly Ian suffered from a lack of screen time. Ian's Dad's Army co-star, the late great Bill Pertwee also pops in for a brief cameo in Pop Performer as the stereotypical angry husband who chases Robin's Timmy off with the help of a javelin! 

Two future Carry On girls made quite an impact in Pop Performer as the aptly named Climax Sisters, a truly awful singing double act! Giving a rather spirited performance are Diane Langton and Linda Regan as Ruby and Brenda Climax. Diane would go on to appear in Carry On Laughing on television the same year and in 1976 would take on the Barbara Windsor persona in the awful Carry On England. Joining Diane in England was Linda Regan who several years before had a small part in one of the Carry On Christmas television specials.

Playing Augustus is that instantly recognisable character actor Robert Dorning. Robert would join what was left of the Carry On team three years later to play The Prime Minister in Carry On Emmannuelle. Also look out for Darth Vader himself, Dave Prowse in a brief cameo as a Man in the Cinema. Dave had played a small role as a Bearded Torturer in Carry On Henry five years earlier. Playing Mr Barnwell is the small screen comedy actor Bob Todd, who had already played two small Carry On roles. He had a wordless cameo as a patient in Again Doctor on the big screen and played two small parts in Carry On Again Christmas in 1970. And finally Carry On Behind cameo player, the Danish born actress Helli Louise, plays Eva, one of Timmy's conquests. We see rather a lot of her here, as did Peter Butterworth in yet another shocking Carry On shower scene also in 1975 when she popped up and out in Carry On Behind. 

Pop Performer clearly cashed in on the very best of British comedy talent from both the big and small screen and followed the pattern started with Window Cleaner in casting a mix of 'interesting' young starlets alongside some instantly recognisable and well respected comedy performers. The content might have dated and may not be for everyone but it's all lighthearted fun and exists today as a fascinating time capsule of a Britain in tumult undergoing great social and cultural change. Watch out for a small cameo from future leading lady Rula Lenska as a rather harrassed receptionist and even a fairly major supporting turn from a pre-The Gentle Touch Jill Gascoine, revealing rather a lot as Mrs Barnwell. 

If the sight of legendary character actress Rita Webb running about a freezing cold Borehamwood housing estate screaming "Have you seen my Fanny?" gives you the giggles, Confessions of a Pop Performer is definitely for you!! As far as I'm concerned, anything that gives us plenty of Bill Maynard, Carol Hawkins and Peter Jones is fine by me. And Robin does what only Robin could. And he does it with aplomb! 

Compared to some of the content we see on our screens these days, Pop Performer is relatively tame but watching it again, it's clear times have certainly changed! It's quite possibly the most gloriously Seventies film I've ever seen. And that's a compliment! 


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carrying On with Dad's Army

The classic BBC situation comedy series Dad's Army will reach a major milestone this summer. The venerable series, which spanned eighty episodes over nine years, debuted on 31st July 1968 making it an amazing fifty years old. Written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, Dad's Army told the story of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard, a platoon of older men who would defend home soil as they were considered to old to fight overseas. As a child I didn't really appreciate just how wonderful this show is. I was put off by the old fashioned sets and costumes and the mainly older cast of actors. What a short-sighted boy I was!

It is only now, in adulthood, that I have come to view Dad's Army as a complete and utter joy. It is packed with sublime acting talent with a cast headed by Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn and the scripts from Perry and Croft are, if you pardon the pun, uniformly superb. The series has different layers of humour from quite smart, subtle jibes at the class divisions between Lowe's Mainwaring and Le Mesurier's Wilson. There is also a fair amount of slapstick too which means it appeals on a broader level, and still to this day. I love the ensemble feel to the programme and so do the audiences of 2018 as the series is still shown  each week on BBC Two. 

So in this, the Golden Anniversary year of Dad's Army, what better time than to take a look back at some of the intriguing Carry On links with this best of British sitcom for the glory days of comedy? 

Let's begin with a Carry On connection you may not be completely aware of. Dad's Army only really came to fruition in the guise we've come to know, love and cherish thanks to the then Head of Comedy at the BBC, Michael Mills. Not only did Michael rename the original setting for the show from Brightsea-on-Sea to Walmington-on-Sea, he also came up with the title for the series itself. And Dad's Army is a term which is still very much in common parlance to this day. Perhaps Michael's biggest and best decision was to pair Jimmy Perry with David Croft to work together on the series. Thus began one of the most successful comedy writing and producing partnerships in British television history. And the Carry On connection here? Well, Michael Mills was married to the very glamorous star of six Carry Ons, the lovely Valerie Leon.

So what of the on-screen talent then? Let us start off with the main cast. In the role of Private "stupid boy" Pike was the actor Ian Lavender. Ian, by far the youngest cast member in Dad's Army, appeared in the 1975 Carry On film, Carry On Behind, in the supporting role of Joe Baxter. Next up is the wonderful actor Arnold Ridley, who played the beloved, gently bewildered Private Godfrey in all eighty episodes. In 1973, Arnold's small screen fame led to him making a cameo at the beginning of Carry On Girls. Playing the sleepy Alderman Pratt in the initial council offices scene saw him work with Sid James, Marianne Stone, June Whitfield and Kenneth Connor. The brilliant James Beck played the spiv Private Walker in the series from 1968 until 1973, when the actor died very suddenly at the age of just 44. Sadly, James was one of the many actors who filmed scenes for a Carry On only to find them cut from the final print. In 1970 he shot scenes as a Mr Roxby, a client of Kenneth Williams (I believe) in Carry On Loving.

Finally, another regular in the series, best remembered for playing ARP Warden Hodges, the thorn in the side of Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army - yes Bill Pertwee. Pertwee popped up briefly in two Carry Ons, first of all playing a barman in Carry On Loving in 1970. Bill did film scenes for Carry On At Your Convenience the following year as the manager of The Whippit Inn, however his performance was cut. He did return once more to the world of Carry On, playing the local fire chief in the 1973 film Carry On Girls.

Now to the legion of guest actors who dropped in for some fun with the platoon during their nine year reign. Let's start with main Carry On team members. The classic 1975 episode "The Face on the Poster" guest starred one of my all-time favourite Carry On actors, the late great Peter Butterworth, in the role of Mr Budgen. Another leading Carry On face to appear in Dad's Army was the brilliant Barbara Windsor. In the very first series in 1968, Barbara played Laura La Plaz in "Shooting Pains". One of Barbara's longest serving EastEnders co-stars who found lasting fame as Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? also appeared in Dad's Army. The much-missed Wendy Richard made four separate appearances in the series between 1970 and 1973. Wendy played Edith Parish in two episodes in 1970 - "The Two and a Half Feathers" and one of my favourites, "Mum's Army". In 1972 she returned to play Private Walker's cockney girlfriend Shirley in the episode "The King was in his Counting House". Wendy came back again the following year to reprise the role of Shirley in the episode "My British Buddy".

The actor E.V.H Emmett makes six appearances in the first series of Dad's Army in 1968, although we only ever hear his voice. Credited as "The Voice Of…:" Emmett played a similar role four years earlier when he was the narrator in the film Carry On Cleo. Between 1969 and 1972 Larry Martyn guest starred in four episodes playing in no particular order, a soldier, a sailor, an Italian Prisoner of War and the Signals Private. Larry made cameos in two Carry Ons in the 1970s. He was the irate shooting gallery owner in Carry On At Your Convenience in 1971 while four years later he was the clubhouse electrician in Carry On Behind.

Playing a character called Mrs Prentice in a 1972 episode entitled "All is Safely Gathered in" was that familiar face the actress Brenda Cowling. Brenda cropped up in two of the later Carry Ons in small roles. In Carry On Girls she played the Matron of the maternity hospital Mayor Bumble visits to unveil a commemorative plaque. Two years later she returned for an uncredited role as a woman in the audience of the lecture Professor Crump delivers at the start of Carry On Behind. In the episode "Room at the Bottom" in 1969, character actor Anthony Sagar made the first of two appearances in the show. He played Drill Sergeant Gregory before returning the year later to play the Sergeant Major in "Fallen Idol". Sagar made several small appearances in the Carry Ons. In the very first, Carry On Sergeant, he played the Stores Sergeant. In Carry On Nurse he was the First Ambulance Man and in Carry On Constable he was an angry customer. In 1960 he played a Bus Conductor who encounters Kenneth Williams out for walkies with a chimp while Carry On Cruising saw Anthony play a cook opposite Lance Percival. He played a Policeman in Carry On Screaming in 1966 before returning for his final screen credit as a hospital patient bemused by Richard O'Callaghan and Jacki Piper in 1970's Carry On Loving. Sagar apparently filmed scenes as a Heckler in Carry On Henry later that year however the scenes were deleted.

The glamorous Penny Irving played the Chambermaid in the very clever 1975 episode "My Brother and I" which saw Arthur Lowe play the dual role of Captain Mainwaring and his scheming brother Barry. Penny was something of a regular in the works of Perry and Croft - she went on to play Mr Grace's secretary Miss Bakewell in 22 episodes of David Croft's Are You Being Served? between 1976 and 1979 before joining the Perry and Croft holiday camp comedy Hi-de-Hi, playing yellow coat Mary between 1980 and 1981. Penny had, back in 1974, played Lizzy, one of Joan Sims' Birds of Paradise in Carry On Dick. Another glamorous Carry On face to guest star was Sally Douglas. in 1969 she played Blodwen in the episode "War Dance." Sally had by then played a girl at Dirty Dick's in Carry On Jack, an Amazon Guard in Carry On Spying, Antony's Dusky Maiden in Carry On Cleo, Kitikata in Carry On Cowboy and finally, a girl in 1966's Carry On Screaming.

In 1975, the actress Janet Mahoney played a Barmaid in the Dad's Army episode "Ring Dem Bells". Janet had played the supporting role of Gay, girlfriend to Julian Holloway and "flat" mate to Jacki Piper and Imogen Hassall in the 1970 film Carry On Loving. Finally, there was the original big screen film version of Dad's Army, made in 1971. While the vast majority of the original television cast reunited for the film, there was one exception. Janet Davies played Mrs Pike over the course of thirty episodes between 1968 and 1977, however for the film her part was re-cast with familiar Carry On actress Liz Fraser in the part. Apparently this decision was down to the film company and had nothing to do with the cast or crew of the television series. Indeed, many of those involved voiced their criticism at the move, showing loyalty to Davies. Despite this, Liz is of course very good in the film.

I hope you've enjoyed this run through some of the classic Carry On connections with the wonderful comedy series, Dad's Army. I am sure there will be many commemorations to mark this special milestone this summer, so look out for those. And of course, Carry On watching the show both on BBC2 and on GOLD.

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Happy Birthday Ian Lavender!

 

The youngest member of the original Dad's Army team celebrates a milestone birthday today! Yes, Ian Lavender, that stupid boy, turns 72! Many happy returns to him. Ian was back on the big screen last year having filmed a cameo role in the new version of the BBC sitcom classic.

To Carry On fans, Ian is familiar for his supporting role as Joe Baxter in Carry On Behind. While I love Behind and think it is the last great Carry On, I do think Ian is wasted in the film and barely gets a look in. Ian is quite clearly brought in as the next generation Jim Dale with Adrienne Posta playing his wife as a bubbly blonde Barbara Windsor type. I think both actors did well in their roles and I believe they were asked back for the next film (or at least on the casting list) but sadly neither joined in again for Carry On England.

I think Ian Lavender was ideal casting for a Carry On, bringing that much needed youthful comedy. He may not have had the same comic physicality as Jim Dale but he was certainly a welcome addition to the team. At the time Ian was branching out into several other low brow British comedy films including roles in Confessions of a Pop Performer, Adventures of a Taxi Driver, Adventures of a Private Eye and Not Now, Comrade. All classics I'm sure you'll agree (!)

 

Thankfully Ian is still flying the flag for British comedy today and is still as busy as ever. Whatever he is up to today, I hope he has an excellent birthday. 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also on Facebook

Whatever Happened to Mr Big?

Now here's a television comedy series I've never heard of before. Until now. I came across a brief mention of Mr. Big online last night and although it doesn't seem to have gone on to much success, it's pedigree suggests it can't really have been that bad surely?

Created by and starring that wonderful comedy actor Peter Jones, Mr. Big also stars Fawlty Towers legend Prunella Scales as Peter's wife, Carol Hawkins as their daughter Norma and Ian Lavender as her boyfriend Ginger. Now as you'll probably know, three of these leading actors have Carry On history. Peter Jones played the vicar who married Frankie Howerd and Joan Sims in Carry On Doctor, before returning nine years later to play the dreadfully unfunny brigadier in the equally unfunny Carry On England. Carol Hawkins meanwhile had roles in both Carry On Abroad and Carry On Behind as well as a couple of appearances in Carry On Laughing on television, while Ian Lavender joined Carol in Behind, playing Joe Baxter.

Mr. Big tells the story of Eddie (Jones) who would like to see himself as a mastermind of the criminal fraternity but then he sees his family and his bubble is burst. His wife Dolly (Scales) believes in people helping themselves, as she does - but only from the very best shops. Their daughter, Norma (Hawkins), lives for her feckless boyfriend, Ginger (Lavender), who has one ambition in life - to be a scrounging layabout. With this picture of domestic trivia, Eddie plans his bank jobs and post office raids with all destined to be bungled and only good fortune keeping them from prison. 

Little else is known about the series although it did span two series, both broadcast in 1977 on BBC1. The idea for the show came out of a single half hour which formed part of the Comedy Playhouse season for the BBC in 1974. As well as coming up with the idea for the series, Peter Jones wrote many episodes alongside Christopher Bond. And the producer of the series was none other than BBC comedy legend Dennis Main Wilson. 

The series also featured guest roles for other Carry On actors, such as Norman Rossington, Penny Irving, Victor Maddern, Elizabeth Knight and Geoffrey Hughes. 

Mr. Big doesn't seem to ever have been repeated and I don't know of a video or DVD release so it's hard to judge the quality of the production. Does anyone remember the series and if so, was it any good?



You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan on Facebook and on Instagram

Happy Birthday Ian Lavender!

 

The youngest member of the original Dad's Army team celebrates a milestone birthday today! Yes, Ian Lavender, that stupid boy, turns 71! Many happy returns to him. Ian was back on the big screen last year having filmed a cameo role in the new version of the BBC sitcom classic.

To Carry On fans, Ian is familiar for his supporting role as Joe Baxter in Carry On Behind. While I love Behind and think it is the last great Carry On, I do think Ian is wasted in the film and barely gets a look in. Ian is quite clearly brought in as the next generation Jim Dale with Adrienne Posta playing his wife as a bubbly blonde Barbara Windsor type. I think both actors did well in their roles and I believe they were asked back for the next film (or at least on the casting list) but sadly neither joined in again for Carry On England.

I think Ian Lavender was ideal casting for a Carry On, bringing that much needed youthful comedy. He may not have had the same comic physicality as Jim Dale but he was certainly a welcome addition to the team. At the time Ian was branching out into several other low brow British comedy films including roles in Confessions of a Pop Performer, Adventures of a Taxi Driver, Adventures of a Private Eye and Not Now, Comrade. All classics I'm sure you'll agree (!)

 

Thankfully Ian is still flying the flag for British comedy today and is still as busy as ever. Whatever he is up to today, I hope he has an excellent birthday. 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also on Facebook

Ian Lavender Returns to EastEnders

 

It's been reported this morning that Dad's Army star Ian Lavender is returning to the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Ian, one of the last surviving star of the classic Perry and Croft war-time sitcom, will be featuring in several episodes later this year as part of a Christmas storyline.

Ian first played the character of Derek Harkinson in EastEnders between 2001 and 2005 and most of his storylines involved Albert Square matriarch Pauline Fowler, played by fellow Dad's Army and Carry On alumni Wendy Richard. Lavender's character was an older, kinder addition to the fairly bleak soap therefore you probably don't remember him from his original stint! No details have been revealed about Ian's return storyline although it's thought to feature regular character Martin Fowler, son of the late Pauline.

Ian is of course best remembered for his role as Private Pike in the long running comedy series, Dad's Army, still a regular feature of the BBC2 Saturday night schedule in 2016. Ian was with the series from the first episode in 1968 right through until the very last in 1977. He also played the supporting role of Joe Baxter in the 1975 film, Carry On Behind, opposite Adrienne Posta and a rather large wolfhound! I always think it's a shame Ian didn't have a larger role in Behind as he could have been the ideal replacement for the Jim Dale character of bumbling young romantic lead. 

Earlier this year, Ian returned to Dad's Army with a cameo role in the big screen adaptation starring Toby Jones and Michael Gambon. Although I'm not an avid fan of EastEnders, it'll be good to see Ian Lavender back on our screens again!

You can read more on this on The Radio Times Website


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

Happy Birthday Ian Lavender!

 

The youngest member of the original Dad's Army team celebrates a milestone birthday today! Yes, Ian Lavender, that stupid boy, turns 70! Many happy returns to him. Ian is back on the big screen at the moment having filmed a cameo role in the new version of the BBC sitcom classic.

To Carry On fans, Ian is familiar for his supporting role as Joe Baxter in Carry On Behind. While I love Behind and think it is the last great Carry On, I do think Ian is wasted in the film and barely gets a look in. Ian is quite clearly brought in as the next generation Jim Dale with Adrienne Posta playing his wife as a bubbly blonde Barbara Windsor type. I think both actors did well in their roles and I believe they were asked back for the next film (or at least on the casting list) but sadly neither joined in again for Carry On England.

I think Ian Lavender was ideal casting for a Carry On, bringing that much needed youthful comedy. He may not have had the same comic physicality as Jim Dale but he was certainly a welcome addition to the team. At the time Ian was branching out into several other low brow British comedy films including roles in Confessions of a Pop Performer, Adventures of a Taxi Driver, Adventures of a Private Eye and Not Now, Comrade. All classics I'm sure you'll agree (!)

 

Thankfully Ian is still flying the flag for British comedy today and is still as busy as ever. Whatever he is up to today, I hope he has an excellent birthday. 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also on Facebook

My Review: Not Now, Comrade

I decided late last year to treat myself to a few guilty pleasures. There are several films associated with the Carry Ons that I have never seen so I've decided to put that right. I have purchased copies of Doctor In Love, Please Turn Over, Not Now, Comrade and the vintage television sitcom Our House. As I'm a first time viewer of all of these classics, I am going to review each title for the blog. Today I'm Not Now, Comrade.

Oh dear, what can I say? Not Now, Comrade is a film version of a Ray Cooney farce. Cooney is well known as a stage farceur having written many plays over the years which seem to be performed again and again. His hits include Not Now, Darling, One for the Pot, Caught in the Net and Run for Your Wife. Over the years many familiar comedy actors have trod the boards in a variety of Ray Cooney farces and although the medium isn't my favourite, you can't help but admire his success.

Comrade was meant to help establish a regular series of films. Three years before Not Now, Darling had been a success in cinemas, starring the likes of Leslie Phillips, Joan Sims and Barbara Windsor. Sadly Comrade wasn't nearly as successful and the series wasn't forthcoming. Having viewed the film for the first time now, I can see why. Although the film stars a wide variety of experienced performers and they all seem very game, the whole thing really fails to come off. Many comedy films made in Britain at this time were quickly and economically made however some managed to get away with it. Not Now, Comrade doesn't.

The plot of the film sees a Russian ballet dancer attempt to defect to the west with the help of a stripper, Barbara Wilcox. Unfortunately the dancer, Rudi, ends up in the boot of the wrong car and back at the house owned by Commander Rimmington. Much farce ensues, with people rushing about, doors banging, and many heavy-handed misunderstandings. The performances are mainly spirited which keeps it going for a time but it soon runs out of steam.

Carrying most of the film are the younger members of the cast, namely Carol Hawkins, Ian Lavender and Michele Dotrice. Carol, familiar to Carry On fans for her appearances in Abroad, Behind and Carry On Laughing, worked many times with Ray Cooney over the years and probably has the biggest role in the film. I like Carol and she does well with the part. Apparently this was the role she took on after turning down Carry On England due to the nudity involved. This didn't stop Carol dancing around in not very much at all outside the Royal Albert Hall at the beginning of Not, Now Comrade!

Leslie Phillips is the headlining star as Commander Rimmington, although he regularly dips in and out of the action. Dotrice plays his daughter Nancy and Lavender her boyfriend. Also along for the ride is the wonderful actor Roy Kinnear who does his best with the role of Hoskins, Rimmington's gardener. The Australian actor Lewis Fiander plays the Russian ballet dancer. Ray Cooney also makes an appearance as a rather sober man, Mr Laver, although he doesn't stay sober for long.

The film also includes cameos from Windsor Davies as the local policeman and his It Ain't Half Hot Mum co-star Don Estelle as Hargreaves. Although June Whitfield is given star billing she only pops up very briefly at the end of the film, playing Phillips' wife. 

Not the finest British film ever made but full marks to the cast involved for making the most out of it! Check it out if it's your thing but I'm not sure it would stand up to repeat viewings.

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan 

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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What A Carry On in Blackpool!

With thanks to regular blog reader Jon Buckland for the heads up on this one. The charity Our Disappearing Planet is holding a celebrity charity autograph convention in Blackpool on Saturday 24 October and there is a strong Carry On presence!

Among the long list of attendees are the following Carry On actors:

- Ray Brooks, who played Georgio in Carry On Abroad  

- Kenneth Cope, who starred in both Carry On At Your Convenience and Carry On Matron

- Melvyn Hayes, who played Shorthouse in Carry On England and also appeared in the Carry On Laughing television series in 1975

- Ian Lavender, who appeared as Joe Baxter in Carry On Behind

- Linda Regan, who played one of the ATS girls in Carry On England

- Madeline Smith, who made a cameo appearance as Mrs Pullitt in Carry On Matron

- Nikki Van Der Zyl, who appeared as the Messenger in Carry On Don't Lose Your Head 


If you get along to this event, please do get in touch either through the blog, on Facebook or Twitter or by email at carryonfan15@gmail.com - I'd love to hear how it all goes!

You can find out more about the charity and the event itself by visiting the official website here 



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