Five of the Best: Carry On Debuts

Over the years many actors came in to swell the Carry On ranks. Some stuck around and became firm favourites while others popped in and out and some just made one off appearances. No matter, what this blog is concerned with is which actors made the biggest first impression.

Nobody did big actors and big characters quite like the Carry On films. Larger than life performances which often practically jumped out the screen and hit the audience in the face. No room for subtlety here, however even with these pantomime turns there was still great skill, total professionalism and sometimes, real heart and soul. Over twenty years and thirty films hundreds of great British character actors added proper depth, quality and class to these cheaply made, quickly churned out comedies and that's why they've lasted so long and still entertain us. Most of the actors are no longer around and they come from a breed raised on drama school and rep theatre week in week out for years so they learned their craft and perfect their timing.

We simply don't see their like these days in the age of instant fame and Instagram stories. The likes of Peter Butterworth, Joan Sims and Joan Hickson slaved away for years in regional theatres and small yet eye catching roles before getting their big breaks and that's what made their contributions later on so valuable. Their experiences guided and informed their talent and we all benefited from that time and time again. 

So who made the biggest initial impression on me when they first appeared in the Carry Ons? Here's my admittedly very personal Top 5, in my particular order:

Barbara Windsor as Daphne Honeybutt - Carry On Spying (1964)

Fresh off the back of success on the small screen in The Rag Trade and in the cinema as Maggie in Joan Littlewood's sublime Sparrows Can't Sing, Barbara was riding the crest of a wave when she was cast in Carry On Spying opposite Kenneth Williams, Bernard Cribbins and Charles Hawtrey. She shines alongside these more experienced male co-stars and really holds her own in scenes with the formidable Williams. So much so that the pair became lifelong friends and confidants. As Daphne Honeybutt, Barbara exudes comedy confidence and not only adds glamour and feminine charm to the film but also plays the most intelligent, resourceful of all the agents. Barbara definitely had star quality and immediately fitted with the Carry On series. More than that, her debut in the series is in my opinion her best performance because there is subtlety, innocence and genuine charm in her character not the cliche she could become by the early 1970s.

Leslie Phillips as Jack Bell - Carry On Nurse (1959)

Leslie is an incredibly experienced actor with scores of credits to his name but in spite of this he remains instantly recognisable and constantly associated with the Carry On films, even though he only made three in the original run of films followed by a cameo in Columbus many years later. Such is the strength of that wolfish upper class persona he created. I love his early black and white appearances, there's such comedic charm and handsome charisma there as he enjoys romantic liaisons with the likes of June Whitfield, Joan Sims and Shirley Eaton. His debut, as bunion-afflicted Jack Bell in Nurse is sublime and earned him his unforgettable 'Ding Dong' catchphrase. Leslie doesn't even appear in Nurse until over half way through but really hits the ground running and freshens things up no end. He really adds something the Carry On films had missed previously and it's a joy to behold.

Imogen Hassall as Jenny Grubb - Carry On Loving (1970)

By the time Carry On Loving was made in 1970 the Carry Ons were part of the British film establishment. Their stars were household names and many had been appearing every year in the series and were hugely successful elsewhere. Despite this, the producer Peter Rogers obviously felt the cast needed freshening up so added some more youthful talents, rising stars if you like, to add a new dimension. Loving, a sexy seventies update on the episodic Carry On Regardless of ten years earlier, was the perfect time to add the likes of Janet Mahoney, Richard O'Callaghan, Jacki Piper (having debuted in Up The Jungle) and Imogen Hassall. Imogen in particular was impressive in her role as dowdy Jenny Grubb who transformed so glamorously half way through the picture. Paired with Terry Scott, Imogen shines. She brings glamour for sure, but also proves her acting credentials and demonstrates a clear flair for comedy. Sadly this was Hassall's one and only Carry On role and I have no idea why she wasn't asked back as she was sublime. We all know Imogen's real life took a tragic turn and for me, not keeping her on as a series regular was one of the Carry Ons' biggest errors of judgement.

Kenneth Cope as Vic Spanner - Carry On At Your Convenience (1971)

Kenneth would have been quite a coup for the Carry On team when he joined for his first of two films in the Spring of 1971. Cope was already a big name thanks to his regular role as Jed Stone in Coronation Street and his starring turn with Mike Pratt in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). Still, Kenneth was the Carry On new boy for Convenience, which remains a controversial film for fans mainly due to its treatment of the trades unions and the working class. While it may have misfired at the time, Convenience is possibly the purest Carry On of them all - set in a toilet factory and even a trip to Brighton thrown in. Perfection. Kenneth is given a difficult role, playing the deeply unlikeable and irritating little union leader Vic Spanner. Forever chasing Jacki Piper's Myrtle, saddled with a thick best mate in Bernie (Bresslaw) and brow beaten by his domineering mother Agatha (Renee Houston). Despite this, Kenneth manages to produce a beautifully comedic performance and really does give it his all. He also fits in seamlessly with the established cast.

Jim Dale as Expectant Father - Carry On Cabby (1963)

Unlike Sid James, Kenneth Connor or Joan Sims, Jim Dale had to work his way up through the ranks of cameos and small part player to fully fledged team member. It wasn't until his fourth film in the series, Carry On Cleo, that he was billed as part of the main team. To be fair, JIm was a relatively untested actor having first claimed fame as a pop star in the late 1950s. His rise to Carry On stardom and romantic lead was thoroughly well deserved and his later roles in the likes of Cowboy, Don't Lose Your Head and Doctor are superb performances which blend pure comedy flair with excellent timing, depth of character and a natural gift of physicality. His debut in Cabby is a fairly small part but it's immediately eye-catching and he sets up a great, easy going chemistry with established leading man Sid James. It's a joy to watch and it really is age and experience versus youthful energy. Watching it back now, it's no surprise Jim went on to such success.

So there you have it, my own favourite five Carry On debuts. So what are yours?

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carry On at 60 in The Telegraph

With the Carry On films turning 60 years young this year there has been a rather subdued flurry of articles about our favourite series of films in the press. I've just come across one of these, written by Andy Roberts for The Telegraph. 

I always read such pieces with trepidation as I hope the writer is going to treat the films and their long departed stars fairly. And I think, on the whole, Mr Roberts does just that. It's a very interesting piece which describes the very best and the very worst of the Carry Ons in glorious detail. 

While Roberts claims that the majority of the well-known cast of actors did their best work elsewhere, he does state that the films would have been nothing without their talents and there I wholeheartedly agree with him. Despite Peter Rogers claiming, as Roberts repeats, that the title Carry On was the star, we all know that wasn't true. It was those loyal, underpaid yet beautifully skilled comedy actors that kept as and indeed keep us coming back for more.

Andy Roberts flags up Norman Hudis for particular praise, believing that his first six films in the series were well written for the actors engaged to play his parts. I was also pleased to see actors such as Peter Butterworth and Patsy Rowlands given plenty of credit for their delightful contributions over the years. So often actors like Peter and Patsy are missed out in tributes. Roberts also pays tributes to the likes of Imogen Hassall, Jacki Piper and Elke Sommer and I'm so glad he has.

And he ends the piece with mention of my favourite Carry On of all time. You can read the article in full here although you may need to register with the site first. It's definitely worth a read.


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Carrying On with Norman - The Early Bird

This is part of a brand new series of blogs looking back at some of my favourite Norman Wisdom films. Although never as fruity or innuendo-laden as the Carry Ons, Sir Norman's films share a similiar feel to many of the early Carry Ons. Indeed they quite often shared the same production base - Pinewood Studios - and Wisdom's films often co-starred some very familiar Carry On faces. 

Norman Wisdom was one of the most bankable British film stars in the 1950s and early 1960s. His stardom lasted long after his peak at the box office too. He appealed to a cross section of society and young and old loved him in equal measure. His cheeky, child-like charm, excellent comic timing and sheer energy catapulted him to fame and he's very clearly one of our most talented comedy stars full stop. 

I've already blogged about the films Trouble in Store from 1953, Just My Luck from 1957, Follow A Star from 1959 and On The Beat from 1962. My most recent blog focussed on A Stitch in Time. We're continuing this series of blogs with a look at another one of Norman's 1960s film hits - The Early Bird from 1965. 

What's it about?

Wisdom's character works for Grimsdale's Dairy as a milkman, in competition with Consolidated Dairies, an ever-growing rival company under the management of Walter Hunter.

Much of the humour centres on classic slapstick comedy, with Norman encountering various comedic escapades. These include being dragged around Mr Hunter's garden by an errant lawnmower and using the fire brigade's high pressure hosepipes to blast firemen off their ladders, after being called to a suspected fire at Consolidated Dairies' HQ.

Who's in it?

Norman is joined by his regular co-stars Jerry Desmonde (playing Hunter) and Edward Chapman in the role of Mr Grimsdale. The film also co-stars John Le Mesurier, Bryan Pringle and Paddie O'Neill.

Carry On faces?

Norman's regular co-star Jerry Desmonde played the cameo role of Martin Paul in Carry On Regardless. Carry On Screaming supporting actor Frank Thornton turns up playing a drunken doctor while Carry On Doctor cameo star Dandy Nichols appears in the brief role as a woman flooded out of her house by milk!

Reliable character actor Harry Locke (who appeared in the first three medical Carry Ons) pops up as a Commissionaire while future Carry On Loving star Imogen Hassall takes on an early film role as Sir Roger's Secretary. Three other Carry On faces appear in small, uncredited roles: Fred Griffiths as a man in a lift, David Lodge as an angry husband and finally, Tony Sagar as a fireman.

Did you know? 

The Early Bird was the first Wisdom comedy to be shot in colour. 

The film was in the top 15 most popular films at the British Box Office in 1966. 
  

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Remembering Imogen

 

Imogen Hassall would have celebrated her 75 birthday today, had she lived. Imogen's life was a turbulent one, cut tragically short when she took her own life in November 1980 at the age of just 38. Much has been written about Imogen, mainly around her appearance, her private life and sadly, her death. I have written about her before, profiling her life and career, however as this day marks a special anniversary I thought I would blog about Imogen Hassall once again.

I never wish to dwell on the private lives of well known actors and personalities. Just because they are in the public eye through their choice of career, it doesn't give us, their public, the right to probe and pry into their affairs. I can't help but view Imogen as a tragic figure due to certain details that have become public knowledge about her life and the way in which her life was cut tragically short that winter's day 37 years ago. Despite this, and the fact that her career was hampered by the way the tabloid press chose to perceive her, I still believe Imogen brought and continues to bring a great deal of pleasure through her performances on screen.

Of course she had a memorable role in the 1970 film, Carry On Loving. As Jenny Grubb, Imogen underwent a dramatic transformation during the course of the film, making the part of Jenny almost a dual role for Imogen. Imogen displayed a real gift for comedy and held her own in many scenes featuring far more experienced light comedy actors - Joan Hickson, Terry Scott and Sid James to name but a few. Without a doubt Imogen is one of the best things about Carry On Loving, in a cast bulging with series favourites and well known guest and supporting actors. I only wish Peter and Gerald had signed her up for more films with the team.

 

Imogen also had memorable roles in a host of television series we still adore today - The Persuaders with Tony Curtis and Roger Moore; The Saint, again with Moore; Jason King and The Avengers. Even though we love this guest spots, sadly they did not help advance Imogen's career in the direction she hoped and indeed worked hard for. Her early obsession with live theatre had seen her train at RADA and spent a season as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company. She won plaudits for her part in the William Douglas-Home comedy, The Reluctant Peer at London's Duchess Theatre in 1964 however she quest to become a serious, acclaimed actress sadly did not work out. 

By the mid to late 1970s, with the British film industry suffering a painful, sad decline, Imogen was only offered supporting roles in less than inspiring productions. She was undoubtedly a talented, vibrant actress which makes it so shameful that she received this reputation as a party girl, only known for attending premieres and for showing off her figure. Despite so many sad aspects to her all too short life, I think Imogen Hassall deserves to be remembered as a good actress, a charming personality with much promise, who lighted up the screen and still gives us joy so many years after her passing.

You can read my blog on Imogen's career here

 

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Carry On Laughing: Carry On Loving

 

The news has been pretty bleak of late what with one thing and another. It can be difficult in troubled times to stay positive but I think if anyone is going to keep us smiling in the face of adversity it's the Carry On team. So every day this week I'm going to blog one of my favourite Carry On clips to hopefully raise the odd smile or two.

Today I bring you a delightful clip from the first Carry On from the saucy seventies - Carry On Loving. The dating agency comedy, Rothwell's in-house tribute to Norman Hudis' Carry On Regardless a decade earlier, features the regular Carry On faces alongside a mix of younger, fresh-faced talent such as Richard O'Callaghan, Imogen Hassall and Jacki Piper. The clip I've chosen features the lovely Imogen before her dramatic and very glamorous transformation.

The slightly randy, accident prone Terence Philpott (Terry Scott) is sent off to the Grubb residence to met the daughter, Jenny (Hassall). However Terry ends up taking tea with the entire Grubb family, a real rogues gallery of mainly silent cameos. Joan Hickson guest stars as the formidable head of the family and the scene is a delightful farce which could have graced the London stage or any of the best television sitcoms of the era:

More coming up tomorrow!

Carry On!

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On This Day: 6 April 1970

 

Carry On Loving has always been one of the Carry Ons I could take or leave. It came at an interesting time for the series as it reached the saucy Seventies and experimented with younger cast members and naughtier material. The film is basically a tribute to Carry On Regardless, a decade before, and features at its heart another agency with its location in the same place as Helping Hands.

Loving focusses on Sid and Hattie's Wedded Bliss Marriage Agency and features the regular rogues gallery of familiar faces looking for love - Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims and Terry Scott amongst them. As it started filming on this very day in 1970, here are five reasons why I love a bit of Loving:

1. As with Carry On Regardless many years before, Carry On Loving is such a melting pot of familiar character players and joyous cameos. While Sid and Hattie are at the helm, many other brilliant actors pop in and out of the action and it's a joy. Any British film which employs the likes of Joan Hickson, Patsy Rowlands, Peter Butterworth, Bill Maynard and Patricia Franklin is definitely worth its weight in gold. The action jumps about quickly so the film keeps hold of its liveliness and pace.

 

2. Richard O'Callaghan makes for probably the most successful Jim Dale replacement the series ever hired. His bumbling, hopeless, inexperienced Bertram Muffett is wonderful and the character is set up as soon as he meets up with the complete opposite - wordly wise Hancockian Sid James as Sidney Bliss. There are so many innocent misunderstandings and complications involving Richard's character and its Talbot Rothwell's farce writing at its finest. My favourite part of this character is the delightful model aeroplanes made from milk bottle tops! When he joins forces with Jacki Piper's Sally Martin the next generation of Carry On stars are off and running!

3. Sid is the governor! Carry On Loving came along just before Sid took on the role of Sidney Abbott in the sitcom Bless This House. This role saw Sid become more of a cardigan wearing, pipe smoking father figure. This change was soon reflected in the Carry On parts he took on. However in Loving, Sid is at his lecherous, wheeler dealing best. He's a man on a mission, keeping "wife" Sophie (Hattie Jacques) sweet while he never gives up chasing Joan Sims' Esme Crowfoot! By the end of the film Sid and Hattie are reunited and pretty much happily married! As Sid worked best with Hattie and Joan, it's all wonderful stuff.

 

4. I absolutely love the scene which sees Terry Scott's Terence Philpott introduced to the Grubb family! At its helm in the superb Joan Hickson doing what Joan did best. Hickson puts in a terrific performance as the Victorian mother in law from hell and the assorted odd family members are a source of joy despite them being mainly wordless cameos. Add to this a great performance from a dowdy Imogen Hassall, pre-glamorous transformation to Jenny Grubb (still in her sausage stuffing days here) and you have a classic scene which could easily have been part of a stage farce. Terry Scott is in his element here and you can see why he made such a great stage farceur. He milks the comedy potential from each and every element of the scene and it's a joy.

5. Finally, I have a massive soft spot for the farcical finale at the wedding reception for Sid and Sophie Bliss. All the main cast are reunited for one final slapstick scene and it doesn't pull any punches. Bernard Bresslaw's grunting Gripper Burke sets things in motion when he realises Sid has been the one carrying on with his Esme! It all kicks off and soon the cakes and flans are flying in a good old messy finale. While it's hilarious to watch it must have been horrendous to film as both Jacki Piper and Patsy Rowlands later recalled how the cream from the cakes all went off after the first day and the next day the actors had to continue regardless! Grim! I can imagine Kenneth Williams hated filming that sequence but nevertheless, I still love it.

So there you go, five reasons why I love a bit of Carry On Loving!

Why didn't Imogen Carry On?

Many Carry On fans love Imogen Hassall in her one and only appearance in the series, as Jenny Grubb in Carry On Loving. She played the role that would normally have gone to the likes of Valerie Leon and most people think she does really well in the part. For me, it's always been a mystery why Imogen wasn't asked back for further films with the Carry On team.

Carry On Loving was an attempt by Peter Rogers to introduce some new, young faces to compliment the established team. By 1970, the Carry Ons had been a fixture of British cinema for over a decade and were at the height of their popularity. However perhaps Rogers thought it was time for a bit of a shake up. Jim Dale, who had handled the youthful romantics for ten of the 1960s series entries had departed after Again Doctor in 1969 to spend more time developing his stage career. While Sid, Kenneth and Joan were still immensely popular and going nowhere, changes in British society meant there was more and more the Carry Ons could openly target and talk about, which needed younger actors. 

Jacki Piper, who had made her debut in the previous film, Up The Jungle, returned for Loving now signed up on a two year contract. Piper needed some younger actors to interact with so in came Richard O'Callaghan and Julian Holloway stepped up for more fun with the team. Julian had been a part of the films in small supporting roles since 1967 and had the opportunity to fill Jim Dale's role in Carry On Camping. I'm not sure what went wrong though as the part of Jim Tanner was eventually drastically cut back. Another female actor was required though and the producers signed up 27 year old Imogen Hassall. Imogen was already widely known, mainly for providing glamorous support in cheap and cheerful British films and television productions. Recent roles at the time of Carry On Loving had included parts in The Saint on television and films such as the horror Incense For The Damned, The Virgin and the Gypsy and When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth.

However Imogen was already becoming more recognised for filling up newspaper columns with gossip from her appearances at celebrity parties and film premieres. This would be a battle Imogen would fight for the rest of her career and one she sadly wouldn't win. Despite all this, I think Imogen gives a great performance in Loving and her scenes with Terry Scott are brilliant fun. She fits in well with the rest of the team and catches on quickly to what Carry On comedy is all about. Why then was she not asked back for more films? 

Was she unreliable? We all know that Peter Rogers, a businessman first and foremost, would cut ties with anyone who didn't play the game according to his rules. If someone cost him money or caused bother, he simply wouldn't use them again. By all accounts though, Imogen was the model professional - sweet, quiet and easy to love. It can't really have been that her performance wasn't up to scratch either as I think we all agree her appearance in the film is one of the highlights. Perhaps there just wasn't room for her to return on a more permanent basis? After all, Barbara Windsor provided the glamour for one Carry On a year and Valerie Leon would be back in 1971 for a run of several more films. 

Sometimes popular actors just couldn't Carry On due to other work commitments, so maybe that's why Imogen didn't come back to Pinewood to work for Peter and Gerald again. However, checking out her career history, she actually didn't make that many more screen appearances before her untimely death in November 1980. There were guest spots in three television series - Jason King, The Persuaders and an episode of the Wendy Craig comedy And Mother Makes Three. There was a one off television film, Images in 1972 and two forgettable films, White Cargo in 1973 (co-starring a young David Jason) and finally, six years later, the action comedy Licensed To Love and Kill, starring Gareth Hunt. Looking at that lot, I cannot see why she couldn't have appeared in the likes of Matron, Abroad or Girls. 

Imogen's story is a sad one as we all know. Yes, she was extremely attractive and glamorous and she capitalised on that in all the roles that she played, however she was also a talented young actress who showed much promise and a real flair for comedy. I guess we'll never really know why she wasn't asked back to Carry On again but I think it's a huge shame it didn't happen.


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From The Archive: Whatever Happened to Imogen Hassall?

Here's another chance to read my blog about the life and career of the late Imogen Hassall, on the anniversary of her birth.

So many of the actors who appeared in the Carry On films are well known to us. Their lives have been well documented both on screen and off. While we always love hearing about them, sometimes it can feel a bit repetitive or that we are collectively raking over old coals.

I want to start an occasional series of blog posts looking at some of the lesser known actors who appeared in Carry On films. Sometimes we will know a fair amount about them but for whatever reason they have not garnered much publicity. Others will be a complete mystery. 

So far I've written about Carry On supporting actors Gail Grainger, Marianne Stone, Esma Cannon and Carol Hawkins. Very different supporting actresses, each providing something special in the films they popped up in. Today I want to write about Imogen Hassall. It's rather a tragic story but one definitely worth sharing. 

Carry On fans will instantly remember Imogen for her role as Jenny Grubb, a character transformed from dowdy and prim to the object of Terry Scott's desire in Carry On Loving. Imogen Hassall was terrific in the film, putting in an assured performance opposite Scott and alongside other younger performers (namely Jacki Piper, Julian Holloway and Richard O'Callaghan) who were drafted in to help update the series as they entered the 1970s. I love the scene where Terry Scott first meets Jenny, her mother (the fabulous Joan Hickson) and the rest of the family. It is pure farce and Imogen displays fine comic timing.

Sadly this was Imogen's only role in the Carry Ons which I still can't understand. I thought she was a natural so I just don't get why she didn't come back for more. Perhaps she asked for more money or just wanted to get away from the role of glamour girl? Who knows. Whatever the reason, it's a great shame.

Away from the Carry Ons, Imogen Hassall appeared in some classic television and film of the era. She cropped up in The Avengers, The Champions, The Persuaders, Softly Softly and Jason King. On the big screen she started off with two small roles in Norman Wisdom films The Early Bird and Press For Time. She progressed to larger parts in When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Incense for the Damned, Take a Girl Like You and a rather strange film called White Cargo. Imogen starred opposite a young David Jason in the latter film. Jason recounts his memories of working with her on this quite dreadful film in his recent memoirs.

Having trained at the Royal Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in the early 1960s, Imogen went on to spend a season working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. From what I have read, this is the kind of work she really wanted to concentrate on, however sadly it just wasn't to be. As she became increasingly well known for her glamorous image, Imogen was quickly pigeon-holed by the media and casting directors as only capable of playing certain roles. One can only imagine how frustrating this must have been for someone who was clearly talented.

Imogen Hassall was given the nickname "The Countess of Cleavage" by the press, mainly due to the series of scantily clad glamorous roles she played in her early career. Finding it difficult to escape this image, offers of serious work seemed to dry up for the actress who later in her career was mostly known for her appearances at glitzy film premieres. Imogen, who was married twice, sadly took her own life in November 1980 at the young age of just 38. What a terrible waste. Who knows what Imogen Hassall could have gone on to achieve both personally and professionally? 

On the DVD commentary for Carry On Loving, both Jacki Piper and Richard O'Callaghan spoke fondly of Imogen, sharing many happy memories of working with her on the film. It was nice to hear them talk of her but sadly such a shame she was not still with us to share her own memories.

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Was Carry On Loving a missed opportunity?

Having watched Carry On Loving recently for the first time in ages it seems like a film of two halves. On the one hand we have the older, regular Carry On faces doing what they always do and then we have several younger actors who are all practically newcomers to the series. Watching the film now, I wonder if Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas were using Loving to plan the next generation Carry On team.

This might be fanciful now and it didn't happen anyway but I love a good ponder. Carry On Loving is a prime example of 1970s Carry On. Talbot Rothwell is still firing on all cylinders with this tribute to the much earlier Carry On Regardless. The whole premise of an agency at the centre of all the random shenanigans is extremely reminiscent of the Helping Hands Agency in Regardless. The whole plot has simply been updated for the saucy seventies. Instead of our Carry On favourites carrying out some odd jobs, they are, ten years later, helping their hands to something quite different! The external scenes of the Wedded Bliss Agency are even filmed at the same location in Windsor used in Regardless.

Loving is very much an attempt to update the series for the contemporary audience. Times were a-changing and the need for fresh faces was obvious. After over a decade the original stars were approaching middle age. Peter Rogers obviously saw the need to attract a new audience to keep the brand going. The regular stars were all too important to replace though, so instead a sprinkling of new actors are brought in for slightly more modern subplots. 

So while we still have Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques and Joan Sims, we also have the likes of Richard O'Callaghan, Jacki Piper, Imogen Hassall and Julian Holloway. While Imogen and Jacki provide some youthful glamour, Holloway is definitely channelling a younger Sid and Richard is clearly taking on the gullible, bumbling Jim Dale part. Acting as a bridge between the generations is Terry Scott, who goes between both sets of stories.

While Sid and the gang would continue at the helm virtually until the end of the original series in the late 1970s, unfortunately these younger names all but vanished from the Carry On films. Richard O'Callaghan only appeared in one more Carry On, At Your Convenience, the following year. Jacki Piper was the only actor ever to sign a contract with Peter Rogers Productions. Jacki would appear in four films in the series but would sadly depart the team after Matron at the end of 1971. Imogen Hassall made her sole Carry On appearance in Loving and was somewhat inexplicably never asked back. I think she gives a tremendous, multi-facted performance in this film and proved herself adept at comedy. Such a shame. Julian was semi-regular face in eight of the films but also rather strangely never fully took over the Jim Dale mantle following the star's departure after Again Doctor in 1969. 

It is an interesting notion to consider that these younger actors could have formed a rebooted Carry On company later in the 1970s. Perhaps if this had happened, the Carry Ons would have continued unabated instead of letting the Confessions films run them out of town? Although these younger actors all demonstrated star quality, it's interesting that none of them became really big names. While Jacki continued to act on stage and television, she rarely appeared on the big screen again after her early success with the Carry Ons. Julian Holloway continues to act to this day, mainly based in Los Angeles and doing a lot of voice over work. He was a familiar guest star in nearly all the big British television series during the 1970s and 1980s. 

Sadly, Imogen failed to escape the "Countess of Cleavage" moniker she was given by the tabloid press in the 1970s and was mainly known for attending film premieres. As we know, she took her own life in November 1980. Richard O'Callaghan continues to pop up on television even now, but is mainly known for his stage performances. 2015 saw him appear in The Importance of Being Earnest in the West End with David Suchet. 

So what do you think of this idea? Would a more youthful Carry On team have seen the original series continue on and go from strength to strength?


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan

Carry On Blogging Interview: Jacki Piper

 

In the latest of my interviews here on Carry On Blogging, I caught up with the lovely Jacki Piper to find out more about her career, how she got involved with the Carry On series and what working with the likes of Bernard Bresslaw, Julian Holloway and Imogen Hassall was really like...

From reading about your career, I know you started off working in rep. How important a training ground do you think that was for you and do you wish it was still around today?

Yes I spent 4 years working in Rep which gave me a terrific training in theatre 

You were playing different parts each week and had to learn scripts very quickly 

This was great when it came to the Carry On Films as every shot was done in one take. Also with TV series today it's very quick with just one rehearsal and then the take. I certainly wish it was around for the young actors today

How did you come to be cast in your first Carry On, Carry On Up The Jungle, in 1969?

Peter Rogers and Gerry Thomas needed some one to replace Angela Douglas as she wanted to take a break from the Carry on Films. I was just opening in the play The Secretary Bird at The Savoy Theatre in the West End with John Gregson who had just taken over from Kenneth More who was married to Angela Douglas! I think Peter saw me in the play and I went to audition for the part of June in Carry on up the Jungle.

 

Of the four Carry On films you appeared in, which did you enjoy making the most?

I think I did enjoy that film the most.

I started my blog as a tribute to my favourite actress, the late great Joan Sims. What are you memories of working with Joan?

I loved Joan. So talented and so funny. She made me laugh so much my makeup melted!!

You were part of a group of younger actors brought into the Carry Ons in the late 1960s and early 1970s which included the likes of Julian Holloway and Imogen Hassall. Do you have fond memories of working with these actors?

I certainly have great memories of Julian Holloway. He was very amusing and great fun to work with. Imogen was very sweet but seemed very vulnerable. I liked her very much.

 

One of the most underrated Carry On actors for me was Bernard Bresslaw. You starred opposite Bernard in all four of your Carry Ons. What was he like to be around on set?

Bernie was quietly spoken and thoughtful and seemed quite studious. I know he learned an African language for the part he played in Up the Jungle.

I love the Brighton sequences in Carry On At Your Convenience. What are your memories of filming those?

It was hilarious. We all behaved like children. Shrieking with laughter and going on the Helter Skelter and the Dodgems. It must have been dreadful trying to keep us all in order!!

I really enjoyed your partnership with Richard O'Callaghan in both Carry On Loving and At Your Convenience. What are your memories of working with Richard?

Richard was a joy to work with. We just clicked and we were both doing plays in the West End at the same time as doing the films. I used to get a lift with Richard after filming back into the West End to do our plays.

You have enjoyed a very diverse, varied career on stage over the years. Of all the roles you have played in the theatre which has been your favourite?

I think I most enjoyed playing the part of Maggie in Hobsons Choice. We did a national tour with this play for months. Bill Maynard played my father. It's a beautifully written play and the part of Maggie is wonderful to play.

One of my favourite comedy actors is Leonard Rossiter. You worked with him in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. What was he like to work with?

Leonard Rossiter was a perfectionist. He worked incredibly hard on perfecting his performance. I was in awe of him really.

It was great to meet you at the London Film Convention a few weeks ago. Do you have plans to attend any more events like this?

Yes I'm sure I will attend another one sometime. I don't do that many which is good as people will get fed up of seeing me there if I go too often!!

Do you have any plans for an autobiography in the future?

Yes I have been asked to write my autobiography. I have had so many funny things happen to me I should write it down!! It's being disciplined enough to sit down and do it !!!

 

Many thanks once again to Jacki for taking the time to answer my questions, I really appreciated. Thanks also to Simon for helping to make this happen!

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