My Top 20 Carry On Actors: Number 18 - Marianne Stone

This is part of a brand new series of blogs where I will take a purely personal look at my favourite Carry On actors. I will be doing a countdown of my top twenty actors and actresses in this, the sixtieth anniversary year of Carry On. So why top twenty? Well top ten didn't allow me to include all my favourites and any more than twenty and I'd be at it forever, as it were.

This top twenty will be a mix of regular top team actors and many of those instantly recognisable supporting actors who popped in and out of the series, adding superb cameos here and there. You will probably agree with some of my main choices and be vehemently opposed to others, but it's meant to encourage debate! 

So here we go with Number Eighteen: that instantly recognisable character actress who probably appeared in more films than anyone else - Marianne Stone.

Marianne Stone is one of the most fondly remembered Carry On supporting actresses. Stone appeared in countless films during a forty year career, many of the parts small cameos. In the Carry Ons though, Marianne found her niche. A close friend of producer Peter Rogers, Marianne popped up on screen in a total of nine Carry Ons (the same number as Barbara Windsor), overdubbed Lucy Griffiths in Carry On Constable and filmed a scene for Carry On Matron which was eventually cut from the final film. So quite an impressive, important Carry On contribution.

Marianne's appearances also almost spanned the entire run of the series, from her first role as Alice Able in Carry On Nurse in 1959 through to Mrs Rowan in 1975's Carry On Behind. Stone's most sizeable role was probably that of Maud, Joan SIms' colleague and mate in the 1971 toilet factory comedy At Your Convenience. My own favourite of all her roles was as the old crone Maggie, stealing scenes from Jack Douglas and Kenneth Williams in Carry On Dick.

Marianne Stone, much like Peter Gilmore who I've already featured in the series, took on any role Peter Rogers Productions threw at her at went for it. From the gobby landlady in Don't Lose Your Head and the exasperated Cockney mother in Carry On Doctor through to Maggie in Dick, Marianne was a highly skilled, trained actor who showed what she was made of when given the chance. 

Marianne Stone finds a place on this of of my favourite Carry On actors because she was a loyal Carry On player, who worked ever so well with all the regular team members. Her parts may have mostly been small, but you always felt happy to see her in one of the Carry Ons and well, they just don't make them like that any more.

So Marianne Stone comes in at Number 18 in my top twenty list of favourite actors. Who'll be next?

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Carry On Faces in Different Places: Yield to the Night

Here we go with another in my series of blogs looking at some of the cream of British comedy film making from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Although this blog is all about the Carry Ons, believe it or not, there were some other joyous comedy films made away from Peter Rogers Productions. However, given the quality of the actors Peter employed to make his series, it's no wonder that most of them popped up elsewhere.

So far I've looked at the wonderful 1959 crime caper Too Many Crooks , the 1954 domestic comedy starring Dirk Bogarde, For Better For Worse , the big screen spin off Please Sir! and the wonderful Up Pompeii and the brilliant John Gregson and Diana Dors vehicle, Value for Money.
  
More recently I blogged about the Sid James and Kenneth Connor comedy horror What A Carve Up! and the the Gordon Jackson drama, Floodtide. 

And last week I looked at the Carry On links with the wonderful film I'm All Right Jack

Today I'm going to blog about the 1956 prison drama, Yield to the Night.

 

What's it about?

Yield to the Night is a 1956 British crime drama film starring Diana Dors. It was directed by J Lee Thompson. The film is based on the novel of the same title published in 1954 by Joan Henry. Dors plays Mary Price Hilton, a woman who has been convicted of murder and sentenced to hang, and she spends her last days in the condemned cell in a British women's prison.The storyline bears a superficial resemblance to the Ruth Ellis case, which had occurred the previous year. The film received much positive critical attention, particularly for the unexpectedly skilled acting of Dors, who had previously been cast solely as a British version of the typical "blonde bombshell.

 

Who's in it?

The undoubted star of the film in the superb Diana Dors, playing a very different role from what we'd usually expect. Casting aside her usual glamorous persona, Dors shows real acting skill in this downbeat, often traumatic role. She shines throughout. Co-starring with Diana are Yvonne Mitchell as prison matron Hilda MacFarlane, Michael Craig as Jim Lancaster and reliable character actor Geoffrey Keen playing the Prison Chaplain.

 

Carry On Faces?

Quite a few reliable British character actors appear, however fleetingly in the film. Of those who went on to grace the Carry Ons, special mention must go to the brilliant Harry Locke, who plays Fred Hilton. Harry co-starred in three of the medical Carry Ons - Nurse, Doctor and Again Doctor.

Carry On Doctor guest star Dandy Nichols also appears in the film as Mrs Price, while semi-regular Carry On face, the ever-reliable Marianne Stone crops up in the role of Matron Richardson.

And of course, leading man Michael Craig worked several times for either Peter Rogers or his wife Betty Box, with credits including Doctor in Love, The Iron Maiden and Upstairs and Downstairs. The wonderful Athene Seyler also adds support here as Miss Bligh. Athene played a supporting role in the 1963 district nurse comedy, Nurse On Wheels.

Did you know?

Diana Dors remained intensely proud of her association with this film. It would remain one of her favourite screen performances.

The film was nominated for the Palme D'Or at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.


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Marianne Stone: Her Carry On Story

 

I was watching the very moving, thought provoking prison drama Yield to the Night the other evening and who should pop up for a brief scene? Yes, Marianne Stone of course. Playing prison matron Richardson in just one scene with leading lady Diana Dors, Marianne utters only one line, but the film probably could not have been made without her involvement.

I just of course, yet Marianne at one point (not sure if she still does) held the record for the most appearances in British film. Over 200 I believe. How much this record had to do with Marianne being married to film critic Peter Noble, I don't know. Marianne Stone was instantly known to cinema goers despite the fact she was never really a star. A hard working character actress, Stone was able to appear in so many films because her parts were usually pretty tiny. 

A friend to the Attenboroughs and Stanley Kubrick, Marianne and Peter hosted famous theatrical parties at their large house in Abbey Road, London. She was well known in the business and respected by her peers yet she was almost always blink and you'll miss her. And then the roles dried up as she approached late middle age in the mid to late 1980s. Which is a shame given how prolific she had been for so long. While she flitted in and out of many films, it is arguable that Marianne really did find her niche in the Carry Ons. She was never one of the main team in those films but Stone still managed to appear in as many of the films as series regular Barbara Windsor.

 

A friend to producer Peter Rogers, Marianne provided reliable continuity for almost the entire run of the Carry Ons, making her first appearance in 1958 and her last in the spring of 1975. As with the majority of her film roles, her parts were usually small but the Carry Ons seemed to still give Marianne more to do. As Mrs Able in Carry On Nurse, she appears in only a couple of scenes yet puts in a very believable performance as the working class wife of patient Bert Able, played by Cyril Chamberlain. In Carry On Constable the following year, Marianne was not seen but still heard. For whatever reason, she overdubbed Lucy Griffiths' character in the short scenes with P.C Leslie Phillips.

Following a break of a few years, Marianne returned for a very brief role as one of the girls in the aptly named DIrty Dicks pub in the first historical Carry On, Carry On Jack in 1963. Engaging in some good natured horseplay with the likes of Juliet Mills, Marianne again played to type. In 1966 Marianne returned to Pinewood for two more historical Carry On epics, first of all in a blink and you'll miss it appearance as Mrs Parker opposite Joan Sims in Carry On Screaming. That September she was back again, this time playing a landlady in an eye-catching scene in which she gains the upper hand over Peter Butterworth's CItizen Bidet! 

 

Marianne had a recurring plot strand in the classic Carry On Doctor in 1967. She played an exasperated mother who visits Jim Dale's Dr Kilmore at various points throughout the film complete with naughty son, beleaguered granddad and a certain chamber pot! Marianne then took a break from the series, for unknown reasons - probably due to demand elsewhere. Stone was back at Pinewood for Peter Rogers Productions in the early 1970s and for probably her best remembered role in the series. In 1971 she joined the gang as Maud, an employee at Boggs' toilet factory. As Chloe Moore's best friend, Marianne again worked with Joan Sims and pops up throughout the film, complete with an appalling laugh to rival Betty Marsden's in Carry On Camping! Marianne got to enjoy a few days filming on location in Brighton with the team and is seen having fun on the dodgems with Geoffrey Hughes at one point!

Sadly, Marianne's next role in the series was cut. This was a fate that affected even the series regulars, with Terry Scott's entire performance disappearing from Carry On At Your Convenience. In Carry On Matron, made later in 1971, Stone played Mrs Putzova, a patient of Dr Prodd's although for whatever reason she was cut from the final print. In 1973 Stone played the very small role of Miss Drew, secretary to the Mayor in Carry On Girls. She joins Kenneth Connor, June Whitfield and Sid James for that very funny, near the knuckle scene in the boardroom at the very start of the film.

Probably my own personal favourite of all Marianne's Carry On roles was in the next film in the series, as Maggie in Carry On Dick. As the fruity old crone, Marianne is barely recognisable and is constantly on the make when providing Kenneth Williams' Desmond Fancy with information on Big Dick Turpin! It's a gloriously comedic performance and she doesn't miss a beat. I always think that role in particular gives us an insight into just what Marianne could do if given the screen time. That role could have been developed into a much bigger part.

 

Stone made her final Carry On contributions the following year, 1975. In Carry On Behind she plays Mrs Rowan, a customer at Fred Ramsden's butchers shop. Marianne shares scenes with fellow legends Windsor Davies, Liz Fraser and Jack Douglas. The same year Marianne made a one off appearance in the ATV Carry On Laughing series. In the episode entitled "The Case of the Screaming Winkles" she is reunited with Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims and Peter Butterworth for her scenes as Madame Petra.This would mark Marianne's very last contribution to the Carry On story.

Marianne Stone was one of those actors who straddled the lines between small part actor and main team player. Along with the likes of Patsy Rowlands, Julian Holloway and Peter Gilmore, she may never have been a true star of the Carry Ons, but surely no fan would deny the importance of her contributions to the films. Without these superb character actors, supporting the leading players, the Carry Ons would not have been the quality comedies they remain to this day.



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Carrying On at The Film Fair!

Now in its 33rd year, the The Film Fair is still going strong. On Saturday, 2nd December the Film Fair will be taking place at the Conway Hall, London. And this time around there is a strong Carry On connection to the line up.

Yes, the lovely Madeline Smith, who I interviewed last year will be in attendance to sign autographs and meet fans. Among Madeline's most famous films are of course Carry On Matron, Up Pompeii, Up The Front and Live and Let Die as well as classic horror films Theatre of Blood, Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell, The Vampire Lovers and Taste The Blood of Dracula.

Also, making a very rare appearance at a convention, if not her first, is the actress Pauline Peart. Pauline appeared in Carry On Girls in 1973, playing beauty contest entrant Gloria Winch. She went on to appear in The Satanic Rites of Dracula for Hammer and the film version of the successful sitcom, Man About the House.

So if you love the very best of classic comedy and horror, check out The Film Fair on Saturday, 2nd December at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. You can find out more here

And many thanks to Sam Bessant at Cult Film Posters for giving me the heads up! 

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Carrying On with Norman: Just My Luck

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. 

We're continuing this series of blogs with a look at one of Norman's 1950s film hits - Just My Luck from 1957.

What's it about?


Norman Hackett (Norman Wisdom) is employed in a jeweller's workshop and is innocently preoccupied with dreaming of meeting the window dresser in the shop across the street from his workplace. He wishes to purchase a diamond pendant for her and, after persuasion, gambles a pound on a six-horse accumulator at the Goodwood races. The bookmaker grows concerned when it appears Hackett, after winning on the first five races, could win over £16,000.

 Who's in it?

Another one of Norman's films with an impressive supporting cast, he is joined once again by the glorious Dame Margaret Rutherford playing Mrs Dooley. His regular film sparring partner Edward Chapman also appears, not as Mr Grimsdale this time, but as Mr Stoneway. Just My Luck also co-stars Jill Dixon and Delphi Lawrence.

Carry On faces?

As with the earlier Trouble In Store, Just My Luck features a lovely supporting turn from a pre-Carry On Joan Sims. Joan's film career was gathering momentum by this stage and by the end of the following year she'd had joined the Carry On team as Stella Dawson in Carry On Nurse. Here she plays Phoebe and enjoys an eventful trip to the cinema with our Norman! 

Another glorious Carry On star turning up for fun with Wisdom is the legendary Leslie Phillips as the Hon. Richard Lumb. There are also small supporting roles for early Carry Oners Michael Ward, Cyril Chamberlain and the brilliant Marianne Stone as a Tea Bar Attendant. Of course Marianne appeared in more British films of the era than practically anybody else!

Did you know? 

Regular stooge to Norman Wisdom, the great Jerry Desmonde, appears in an uncredited role as a racegoer in Just My Luck. 

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Remembering Marianne

I love the late actress Marianne Stone. I'm not sure of the facts, but it would seem to be highly like she appeared in more British films than any other actress. She pops up in so many classic (and not so classic) films from the 1940s to the 1980s I just can't possibly keep track of them all. A terrific character actress, sadly a lot of Marianne's roles are all too brief, but the skill of her performances mean she is always spotted and never forgotten.

Marianne sadly passed away in December 2009 at the age of 87, having pretty much retired from the business in the late 1980s. I have written about Marianne on the blog before (see below for links to those pieces) however as today marks 95 years since Marianne's birth, I thought I would provide a quick guide to this most prolific of supporting actresses' Carry On appearances.

 

Marianne's Carry On career spanned almost the entire run of the films, much like more established regulars such as Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims. Marianne made her first appearance back in November 1958 when she played Alice Able in Carry On Nurse. Her character visited the hospital to see her husband, played by reliable character actor Cyril Chamberlain.

Why, might you ask, am I sharing a photo of the actress Lucy Griffiths in a blog about Marianne Stone? Well, following Carry On Nurse there would be a gap of several years before Marianne appeared in another of the series. Despite this her vocal talents could be heard in the 1959 film, Carry On Constable. Marianne over dubbed Lucy's role as Miss Horton, a character P.C Leslie Phillips come to call on in the film.

Marianne was forever being cast as Cockney barmaids, cleaners and the like. Her return to Carry On came in 1963 with a fairly typical cameo role as Peg, a barmaid in Dirty Dick's, in Carry On Jack. She sets upon the rather green Bernard Cribbins with some relish!

Three years later Marianne was back at Pinewood for one of her smallest Carry On supporting roles, playing Mrs Parker in Carry On Screaming. Sharing a brief scene in a taxi carriage with Joan Sims, she puts a suspicious Emily Bung onto the night time antics of her errant husband (Harry H Corbett).

 

Later that same year Marianne was back for one of my favourite of her cameo roles in the series. Filming just one scene in the 1966 film Carry On Don't Lose Your Head, Marianne plays a spirited Landlady who has memorably "just called temps!" She spars deliciously with Kenneth Williams and Peter Butterworth as Citizens Camembert and Bidet and certainly gets the better of Bidet!

The following year, the gang reunited for one of the landmark films in the series, a return to medical comedy in Carry On Doctor. The cast of this film features nearly all the Carry On regulars with the addition of guest star Frankie Howerd. The film is also littered with cameos from some cracking comedy actors (Peter Jones, Dandy Nichols, Julian Orchard, Pat Coombs) and of course Marianne Stone. Marianne has something of a running gag as a put upon mother who makes repeated trips to the hospital with son, grandad and an offending chamber pot!

 

In 1971 Marianne had probably her biggest Carry On role, as factory worker Maud in that classic comedy, Carry On At Your Convenience. Best friend of main character Chloe (Joan Sims) the pair enjoy winding up Kenneth Cope's shop steward and Marianne's main scenes involve the delightful works outing to Brighton towards the end of the film. Her character's memorable laugh is right up there to rival Betty Marsden's in Carry On Camping!

Yes I know that's a picture of the wonderful Hattie as Matron. Sadly the Carry Ons were filmed on a tight budget and if things over ran then the editor would cut, cut, cut. It happened to some of the very best of them, with Terry Scott having his entire 10 minute appearance in Carry On At Your Convenience hitting the cutting room floor. Unfortunately this happened to Marianne Stone in Carry On Matron. She filmed a role as Mrs Putzova however for whatever reason the role was completely deleted from the final print. No wonder Matron looks upset!

Another tiny role for Marianne, she appears at the very start of the 1973 film Carry On Girls as secretary Miss Drew. Her few lines of dialogue are shamefully upstaged by some gloriously near the knuckle Talbot Rothwell lines going to Sid James, June Whitfield and Kenneth Connor.

Ah. Probably Marianne's best character part in a Carry On! In 1974 she played the rather grubby old hag and patron of The Old Cock Inn, Maggie, in Carry On Dick. It's a delicious seedy performance which sees her pass on information about the identity of Big Dick to Kenneth Williams and Jack Douglas. The gag about the diddler goes down in Carry On history! 

Marianne bade farewell to the Carry On series in 1975 with her supporting role as customer Mrs Rowan in Carry On Behind. Filming scenes which introduced leading characters Fred Ramsden and Ernie Bragg (Windsor Davies and Jack Douglas) Marianne shares scenes with Liz Fraser and hams it up with the gang for one last time.

However...

1975 did see one final, brief Carry On performance from Ms Stone. That year saw two series of the ATV comedy Carry On Laughing broadcast. Although the series proved less than successful it did give us some more precious moments from the likes of Sid James, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth and Patsy Rowlands. Marianne turns up as Madame Petra for a scene in the episode "The Case of the Screaming Winkles" which starred Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, Peter Butterworth, Joan Sims and Sherrie Hewson. 

And there you have it - Marianne Stone's eclectic Carry On career summed up in one lovely blog post. Her roles may have been brief but she deserves to be remembered as an important part of the Carry On story.

You can read my blog about Marianne's life and career here 

And you can read why I chose Marianne Stone to be one of my Carry On Heroes here

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Carrying On with British Pathe - Film Fanfair with Joan & Shirley

 

 
Some more wonderful old British Pathe newsreel footage has appeared on the interweb and I feel that it's my duty to share some of these gems with you! Right up until the mid-1960s, British Pathe presented regular short films and features on a wide range of subjects, promoting businesses, the best of British events and updating cinema-goers on the latest news from both near and far.

A good many of these brilliant shorts featured some very familiar faces from the world of British comedy and in particular, the Carry On films. I have tracked down a fair few and plan to share them in a series of blogs. They present a fantastic glimpse back into possibly simpler times, to a Britain that probably no longer exists and gives a precious, fleeting glance at some of our comedy heroes still on duty but away from the familiarity of Pinewood. 

Today we're going all the way back to 1956 for a spot of film reviewing! Host Paul Carpenter chairs the Celebrity Film Quiz and there are a few Carry On connections. Look out for a couple of young actresses who would soon go on to become big hits in the team. Already a star name by 1956 was 19 year old Shirley Eaton, who had been making a name for herself since her eye catching appearance in Doctor In The House in 1954. Also joining in the fun is none other thanJoan Sims, two years before making her Carry On debut as Nurse Stella Dawson. Joan was going from film to film at this stage of her career, working alongside the likes of Norman Wisdom, Dirk Bogarde and Sid James in lovely cameos. 

Also look out for PEter Noble, a noted film critic and husband of that wonderful Carry On supporting actress Marianne Stone!

 

You can view the film here 

Enjoy! 

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An August Month for Carry On

What is it about the month of August when it comes to Carry On related birthdays? I hadn't really noticed until now but as I've been blogging either good wishes to Carry On actors who are still with us and celebrating or remembering those who are sadly not, it's made me realise that August is a really prolific month for Carry On birthday celebrations.

Let's look at the evidence:

 

 Jacki Piper, born 3 August 1946

 

Joan Hickson, born 5 August 1906

Barbara Windsor, born 6 August 1937

Liz Fraser, born 14 August 1930

Jim Dale, born 15 August 1935

Marianne Stone, born 23 August 1922

Imogen Hassall, born 25 August 1942

Peter Gilmore, born 25 August 1931

Pat Coombs, born 27 August 1926

Windsor Davies, born 28 August 1930

I think you'll agree that's quite a roll call of names! Can you think of any more that I've forgotten? If so get in touch! 

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Joan Carries On ... As Chloe Moore

This blog is part of a new regular series on Carry On Blogging. I'm going to attempt to blog about each of Joan Sims' wonderful roles in the Carry On films. Joan was the most prolific of all the actresses involved in the series, clocking up 24 films. Indeed, only Kenneth Williams made more Carry Ons. 

Today I am going to write about Joan's role in another landmark Carry On film. In 1971 it was back to the present day for the first film which proved less than popular at the box office. The industrial strife, unrest and send up of the trade unions did not go down at all well with the core working class Carry On audience. Despite all this, I think Carry On At Your Convenience is a superb entry in the series, full of fruity innuendos, great set pieces, classic performances and a glorious trip to Brighton to boot!

Joan plays Chloe Moore, a worker at W.C Boggs' toilet factory. She is Sid Plummer's next door neighbour and married to salesman Fred (Bill Maynard). This is business as usual for Joan as she spends the film being chased around and leered at by our Sidney! It's a return of sorts to glamorous dolly bird roles for Joan and for a change she isn't on nagging wife mode. She interacts beautifully with Sid throughout the movie and also shares a few effective scenes with Maynard. She is also blessed with a cinematic best friend in regular supporting actress Marianne Stone. As Maud, Marianne grabs her biggest and most effective part in a Carry On in this film.

 

Joan makes her mark early on in Convenience in the now classic canteen sequence. I've often thought that if aliens invaded and I had to explain to them quickly what a Carry On film was all about, I'd just sit them down and show them this scene. Featuring Joan, Marianne Stone, Geoffrey Hughes, Sid, Richard O'Callaghan, Bernard Bresslaw and Kenneth Cope, it's a constant barrage of one liners, misunderstandings, double entendres and earthy good fun. Joan dominates the scene and as usual bounces out of it with every line. It's incredibly real, believable and her timing is perfection. It's clear all involved are having a ball. 

In many ways the peak of the film is the delicious trip to the seaside. The Carry Ons returned to their spiritual home in Convenience ahd it just feels so right to see Sid, Kenneth, Charles and Joan camping about on the pier. This adventure involved several days away from Pinewood on location and the cast and crew were all put up in local hotels. This must have been quite a treat for Joan after over a decade limited to location work in Black Park and Pinewood Green! 

Joan's character Chloe is involved in some delightful high jinks down the pier and she and Sid set up Kenneth's stuffy pompous W.C Boggs and his secretary, the downtrodden Miss Withering (the always excellent Patsy Rowlands). As Sid poses as a gypsy fortune teller, sending up W.C and Miss Withering and promising them they will have one, two, three...fourteen children, Joan peers through the tent flap with almost uncontrollable giggles. It's classic feelgood Carry On at its finest. The climax of the scene sees Joan pop Sid's balloons! As with a similar climatic scene in Abroad, Sid and Joan's shared laughter goes way beyond performance!

 

Joan is involved in another one of my very favourite Carry On moments in this film. It's not typical Carry On fare either. Sid has been chasing Joan throughout the film and as they return home after the riotous trip to Brighton, they both find themselves tempted to take things further. As they stand outside their homes late at night, they share a touching scene which tugs at the heart strings and is also more gently comic than usual. It's the pinnacle of their onscreen relationship and Sid and Joan's chemistry is once again superb.

The end of the film sees Sid's wife Hattie Jacques leave her obsession with her budgie at home and take more of an interest in his working life, scuppering any chance of a Sid and Joan fling. Joan may lose out in the love stakes in Convenience but it's still a cracking performance in cracking Carry On. It will always be one of my favourites. 

What do you think of Joan's role in Carry On At Your Convenience? If you need a reminder of her classic canteen scene, here it is again for you to enjoy:

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