Happy Birthday Kenneth Cope!

Happy birthday to the great actor Kenneth Cope who celebrates his 88th birthday today. Kenneth has enjoyed a long and hugely successful acting career dating back to the 1950s which has taken in many high profile roles in popular British television series and films. 

Kenneth first rose to fame in the part of Jed Stone in Coronation Street, a part he played between 1961 and 1966. He starred alongside some of the great original actors in the Granada soap, including Pat Phoenix, Bill Roache, Doris Speed and Violet Carson. Cope returned to the role many years later in 2008 for another stint lasting several months, which proved to be his last acting assignment to date. 

Kenneth went on to appear in the hugely successful BBC series That Was The Week That Was, for David Frost before finding lasting fame as Marty Hopkirk in the cult Sixties series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). Playing the dead half of a private detective partnership with Mike Pratt's Randall, the series lasted two years. Soon after, Kenneth was recruited by Peter Rogers for two starring roles in the Carry On series.

First up, Kenneth played irritating union leader Vic Spanner in the 1971 film Carry On At Your Convenience. Blessed with a side kick in Bernard Bresslaw, a love rival in Richard O'Callaghan and a love interest in Jacki Piper, Cope excelled in quite a challenging role. Later that year he was back for a more sympathetic role as Cyril Carter, son of Sid James' character, a small time criminal who sends Cyril under cover, in drag as a student nurse to a local maternity hospital. Kenneth's character falls for Nurse Susan Ball played by Barbara Windsor. 

Sadly Kenneth didn't return to the Carry Ons, but his later career included the films Rentadick and George and Mildred. On the small screen he has played regular character Ray Hilton in Brookside and guest appearances in the likes of Casualty, A Touch of Frost, Doctor Who, Minder, Waking the Dead and The Bill.

Kenneth has been married to actress Reny Lister since they met on the set of Coronation Street in 1961. Together they have three children. 

Whatever Kenneth is up to today, I hope he has a great birthday!


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

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

Bernie Carries On … As Bernie Hulke!

Over the past year I have written a series of blogs covering each of the roles of some of our favourite Carry On stars. I began my looking back at each film role played by the three leading ladies in the series - Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques and Barbara Windsor - and most recently I've written about all of Kenneth Connor's Carry On performances in the run up to the great man's centenary. 

Today I am continuing a new strand of this series by turning the spotlight on that gentle giant of British comedy, the late Bernard Bresslaw. Probably one of the most under-rated actors in the main team, Bernard was a part of the series for ten years and fourteen films, tackling a superb range of crumbling villains and delightfully dimwitted foils to the likes of Sid James and Kenneth Cope. Bernard enjoyed a long career away from the Carry Ons and spent much of his later life wowing audiences in legitimate theatre. However he will forever to remembered for his clutch of hilarious Carry On supporting turns. 

Bernard joined the Carry On team in the mid 1960s and along with Peter Butterworth was the last main team member to join the gang. Along with Butterworth, Bernard played a series of smaller, supporting roles to begin with before graduating to major roles towards the end of the decade. Bernard fitted in effortlessly with the rest of the team and he's the kind of actor who is working hard but making it look oh so easy. A quiet, erudite, thoughtful family man away from the film studios, I often think Bresslaw has never received the credit he's due as like Connor and Butterworth, he didn't ever seek the limelight or splash his life over the front pages.

So today, we'll continue this new series looking at Bernard's role as the simple Bernie Hulke, second in command to the union leader Vic Spanner in the 1971 film Carry On At Your Convenience.

Although Carry On At Your Convenience is now seen as a classic Carry On, with stand out performances from a core team of favourite stars, an outrageous script jam-packed full of wonderful innuendo and a storyline that takes in natural Carry On territory of a toilet factory and a trip to Brighton, back in 1971 it was a very different tale. Convenience was the first film to bomb at the box office, with the working class audience less than impressed with the film's treatment of the trade unions. While Kenneth Cope and Bernard Bresslaw put in terrific performances as the union men who are permanently on strike, they are basically a pair of idiotic clowns. This was a rare miss-step on the part of Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas, who immediately attempted to regain popularity with their next entry, the classic Carry On Matron.


These days, Convenience is a fan favourite. The canteen scene at the beginning of the film is just one innuendo after the other with Joan Sims and Sid James having a whale of a time. The other highlight for me is the trip to Brighton which crams in so many wonderful British seaside moments. Chief amongst those is the brilliant fortune teller scene with Sid in drag. It's sublime. While the rest of the cast make it Brighton, sadly Hattie Jacques is stuck at home but her role does provide some wonderful 'domestic sitcom' from her and Sid James. However the two form an irresistible double act yet again, delivering the goods as only they could. Hattie's character Beattie Plummer spends her entire day stuck indoors talking to her pet budgie. Husband Sid is understandably fed up with her slovenly ways until he cottons on to the fact that the budgie can predict the winners in every single horse race. 

So what about Bernard's role in proceedings? Well Convenience is a pivotal role in Bernard's Carry On career as it began a continuous run of appearances across all the gang's cinema releases until his last, Carry On Behind in 1975. This was, in part, due to production going down from two to one film per year. The 1970s films see Bernard's prominence increase though as the team had already lost leading man Jim Dale and after Abroad, there would be no more Charles Hawtrey either. 

Convenience sees Bernard play another version of his rather dim-witted but kind Army Game persona, not unlike his characters in Carry On Doctor or Carry On Camping. Bernard often played second in command in a double act, usually with Sid James, however here he's paired with newcomer to the series, Coronation Street and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) star Kenneth Cope. Bernard and Kenneth are excellent together as the bickering Union reps and their delightful comedic chemistry is at the heart of the film. Bernard certainly has more screen time than previous efforts and once again acts as a useful bridge between the older more established talent and the younger actors (Cope, Piper and O'Callaghan). 

Bernie Hulke is a sometimes unwilling accomplice to Cope's Union leader however, bound my loyalty to the cause, he backs him to the hilt and we see that early on when Vic Spanner calls a stoppage of the works and conducts a hilarious scene in the canteen. In many ways this sequence is Carry On in its purest form and there is sparkling byplay between Cope, James, O'Callaghan and a raunchy, twinkly Joan Sims. Bernie chips in with some perfectly timed misunderstandings and the whole thing is a joy. Once the strike has been called Bernie acts as a foil to Vic as the latter follows the object of his affections, Myrtle Plummer (Piper) on a date with snooty bosses' son Lewis (O'Callaghan). This leads to some excellent, funny scenes as Vic and Bernie attempt to remain inconspicuous in the back of a cinema while a blue movie is played - impossible when you're with a towering Bernie in motorcycle leathers and crash helmet! The sequence culminates in Bernie taking off on his bike, leaving Vic behind in the road, minus his trousers! 

I also love the scene when Bernie turns up as Mrs Spanner's house to collect Vic and, engine revving wildly, completely misses Mrs Spanner's colourful instructions for him to pipe down. Hard to do when Mrs Spanner is brought to life by the incredibly vivid Scottish character actress Renee Houston! We also get to enjoy a spot of coy Bernie embarrassment and misunderstanding as he later interrupts Agatha Spanner and Charles Hawtrey's Mr Coote mid-way through a game of strip poker! Bernie's bulging eyes of incredulity as Charles answers the door in his boxer shorts is one for the scrap book!

Of course, as I've already mentioned, the highlight of Convenience is the deliciously bawdy and outrageous works' outing to Brighton that takes up the latter part of the film. Here Bernie is provided with a love interest in the shapely shape of Margaret Nolan, playing a character called Popsy. Quite. Bernard and Maggie are great together and my only complaint is that Nolan wasn't brought into the film earlier in the action. The scenes of Bernie and Maggie enjoying the delights of Brighton pier are the stuff of legend, especially when they take on the helter skelter - "What's that sticking in me?" asks Popsy…"It's only me camera!" Not to mention their misadventures no the ghost train which I'm sure Bresslaw rather enjoyed!! Down wiv 'em! 

By the end of the film, with support for Vic's strike waning, his men gradually drift away from him. Bernie stands by him until the end though, when faced by the local females in uprising about the state of the factory and their loss of earnings. Yes, it's another fairly right wing, capitalist moment in the film, but when it involves the likes of Joan Sims, Marianne Stone and Hattie Jacques storming the barricades as Renee Houston puts Kenneth Cope over her knee for a spanking, the film makers can almost be forgiven! In the end, Bernie packs it in and temporarily deserts his mate. All is right in the end though with Vic having learnt his lesson as they, wait for it…Carry On Working! 

So those are my thoughts on Bernard's role in Carry On At Your Convenience. Stay tuned for my next blog in this series, as I look back at Bernard's role in the classic Carry On Matron!

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Carrying On with Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

Scrolling through the countless television channels the other evening in a desperate search for something to watch, I stumbled upon an episode of the 1960s series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). I watched repeats of this series avidly as a child but haven't seen the show for at least twenty years now. As with other classics like The Saint and The Avengers, it has a wonderful charm and quality that sets it apart from many others which means it's still very watchable today.

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) was a private detective series starring the late Mike Pratt and the brilliant Kenneth Cope, fresh from his fame in Coronation Street (as Jed Stone). The series was created by Dennis Spooner and was first broadcast in 1969 and 1970. Interestingly, when broadcast in the United States the show was renamed My Partner the Ghost. I wonder if American audiences were a tad squeamish back then?

In the very first episode Hopkirk (Cope) is murdered during an investigation but returns as a ghost. Randall is the only character who is ever able to see or hear him, although certain minor guest characters did so during the series. A single set of 26 episodes were produced by ITC between 1968 and 1969 and the first episode went out in the September of 1969. As I was now reacquainted with the marvellous series from days gone by, I wondered if I could write a blog on any Carry On connections with the show. As with so many other classics of the era, many familiar character actors appeared throughout the run, so without further ado, let's take a closer look at some of them.

I have to start with the wonderful Kenneth Cope who excels in the pivotal role of Marty Hopkirk. Appearing in all 26 episodes, Kenneth is amazing throughout, always seen in his ghostly white suit. It was not long after this major starring role that Kenneth joined up with the Carry On team for two madcap adventures. First of all, as shop steward Vic Spanner in Carry On At Your Convenience and then later in 1971 as the softer character, Cyril Carter in Carry On Matron. 

Playing a supposed reincarnation of Marty in the 1969 episode "The Man from Nowhere" was Carry On Abroad guest actor Ray Brooks. Ray of course played Peter and Hattie's son Georgio, who romances June Whitfield's Evelyn Blunt, in the Elsbells adventure. Another instantly recognisable face to appear, this time in the episode "The House on Haunted Hill" was Peter Jones. Peter played a character called Frederick P Waller. Peter Jones popped in for two Carry On cameos during the original run of films. In 1967, two years before he shot Randall and Hopkirk, Peter played the hilarious tone-deaf vicar in Carry On Doctor. And nearly a decade later he returned to play the dreadfully unfunny Brigadier in the 1976 series entry Carry On England.

The 1970 episode entitled "It's Supposed to be Thicker than Water", which sees members of the Crackan family gather to find out which one will be the heir, stars a very familiar Carry On face indeed. First broadcast on 13 February 1970, the sublime Liz Fraser guest stars as Fay Crackan. Liz is best known for her many comedy film roles which include parts in Carry On Regardless (as Delia King); Carry On Cruising (as Glad Trimble), Carry On Cabby (as Sally) and Carry On Behind (as Sylvia Ramsden). 

Appearing in the very first episode of the series, "My Late Lamented Friend and Partner", as a Night Porter, is reliable character actor Harry Locke. Harry played similar working class roles in three medical Carry Ons - Nurse in 1959 in which he played orderly Mick; Doctor in 1967 which saw him appear as ambulance driver Sam and finally as the porter in Again Doctor in 1969. Also appearing in that very first episode is another familiar supporting player, Anthony Sagar. Playing a hotel proprietor, Sagar cropped up in several Carry Ons - Sergeant, Nurse, Constable, Regardless, Cruising, Screaming and finally Loving in 1970.

Playing Calvin P Bream in the 1970 episode "When the Spirit Moves You" was sitcom star in the making Anton Rodgers. Anton would go on to star in Fresh Fields, French Fields and May to December, but before all that he appeared in small roles in two Carry Ons. In 1962 he played a young man opposite Dilys Laye in Carry On Cruising and the following year he was  Hardy in the very first scene of Carry On Jack. The episode which aired on 21 December 1969, "Who Killed Cock Robin?" featured another very familiar Carry On face. David Lodge, who must have appeared in nearly every series at around this time, played the character of Beeches. David made his first appearance in the Carry Ons as a wine tasting patron in 1961's Carry On Regardless. After a lengthy gap he returned for a run of four more films with the team, starting with Carry On Girls in 1973, playing the Police Inspector. Further roles followed in Carry On Dick, Carry On Behind and Carry On England as well as several starring roles in the 1975 ATV Carry On Laughing series.

The 1970 episode entitled "A Sentimental Journey" features not one Carry On face but four. The superb Victor Maddern (Constable, Regardless, Spying, Cleo, Emmannuelle) plays Det. Sergeant Watts while Billy Cornelius (best known as Oddbod Junior in Carry On Screaming) plays Albert. Larry Taylor, who played tough guys in Follow That Camel, Up The Khyber and Carry On Dick also appears in the role of a Man in a Phone Booth. Finally, the actor Anthony Baird, who played a Guard in Carry On Spying, turns up playing a character called Hamilton. Baird was also, for a time, the boyfriend of a certain Joan Sims.

The rather bizarrely titled "That's How Murder Snowballs" which originally aired on 19 October 1969 co-starred a young actress who had already made four Carry On appearances. Playing Kay was the gorgeous Valerie Leon. Another glamorous presence in the series was Carry On Cowboy and The Big Job star Edina Ronay. Edina played Sandra in "Never Trust a Ghost". That same episode featured the super character actor Brian Oulton, playing Dr Plevitt. Brian appeared in Carry On Nurse, Constable, Cleo and Camping. 

Future Carry On At Your Convenience and Coronation Street actor Geoffrey Hughes co-stars as Harper in the 1970 episode, "Somebody Just Walked Over My Grave". At the end of January 1970 the episode "Money to Burn" was broadcast. Co-starring in that story was the actress Olga Lowe. Olga made a brief appearance as Madame Fifi, the brothel owner in 1972's Carry On Abroad. South African born Olga was one of the first people a certain Sidney James looked up on his arrival in London after the war. In a bizarre twist of fate, Olga was also on stage with Sid in The Mating Game the night he very sadly died in 1976.

And finally, if the internet is correct, a certain Robin Askwith made a very early television appearance in the same episode of Randall and Hopkirk as future Carry On Girls co-star Valerie Leon. Robin had a small part (if you pardon the expression) as an Act Pageboy. 

So if you haven't seen Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) before or if it's just been a while since you last caught it, I hope this blog has been a bit of a nostalgic trip back in time. Next time you see it in the schedules, give it a watch! 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram