My Carry On Blogging Highlights So Far...

 

It's not normally very British to blow your own trumpet (Matron!) however I wanted to do a little blog post as a round up of Carry On Blogging highlights so far. It's been quite a journey since I started blogging back in 2015 and I've loved every minute of it!

I'm thrilled that the blog has now received nearly 600,000 page visits since I set it up in March 2015! January this year was the most visited month so far with over 45,000 views!

The blog Twitter account now has nearly 12,000 followers and nearly 600 of your have "liked" my Facebook page. Thank you to everyone who tweets, follows, likes and comments - it's always great to hear from you!

I marked what would have been Kenneth Williams' 90th birthday last February with a special week of blog posts celebrating the life of the great man.

 

I have published a series of blogs covering each of Joan Sims' 24 Carry On performances, giving my own opinions on the roles she played.

I have started to publish a series of blogs covering each of Hattie Jacques' 14 Carry On performances. 

I have started a project of blogs running through some of the lesser known Carry On supporting actors in an A - Z feature.

I have cast the net out far and wide for a range of guest blog posts to bring in different opinions on the Carry On films.

I got a sneak preview of Sarah Miller Walters' new book Joyce To The World

I visited the London Film Convention back in Spring 2016 where I had the great pleasure of meeting Carry On actors Jacki Piper and Fenella Fielding. You can read about that here 

 

One of the biggest developments has been the start of my Carry On Blogging interview series. So far I have interviewed several Carry On actors, authors and interesting folks connected to the series and British comedy:

- I interviewed the lovely Angela Douglas - you can read that here 

- I caught up with the delightful Valerie Leon to discuss her new Forever Carrying On show - you can read that here 

- I interviewed the wonderful Jacki Piper - you can read that here 

- Carry On writer and historian Robert Ross answered my questions and celebrated twenty years since the publication of The Carry On Companion here 

- I learned more about Steve Lilly's wonderful British comedy art work when I interviewed him - read that here

 

- I asked the brilliant Simon Sheridan all about his book Keeping The British End Up and the saucier side of British film comedy here

- I found out more about the fantastic Sid's Place blog in an interview with Stuart Ball - you can read that here

- I interviewed screen legend Fenella Fielding about her new audio book of memoirs - you can catch up with that here  

- I published an interview with Odysseas from the superb Art and Hue, celebrating the best of British film and television in Pop Art! You can read that here

- I interviewed the lovely Louise who runs the fantastic Joan Hickson tribute Twitter account and you can read that here

- I interviewed the brilliant Craig Deeley and you can read that here

 

- I caught up with the fabulous Judy Matheson for a chat about Hammer Horror, Robin Askwith and all things Carry On and you can read that here

- I interviewed Stuart Morriss from the terrific Misty Moon Film Society and you can catch up with that one here

- You can read my blog interview with Peter Reed, Senior Producer at the BBC Radio station 4 Extra by clicking here

- I had the great pleasure of visiting Elstree Studios to meet and interview Morris Bright and I even got to sit at Sid's piano! You can read Part 1 and Part 2 by following these links. 

 

 

- I blogged an interview with the lovely Ben Peyton, which you can read here 

- And I've also published a blog interview with the legendary actress Francoise Pascal  

- In September I enjoyed a wonderful chat with the lovely Madeline Smith and you can read the blog interview of that encounter here

- I interviewed the brilliant film director and Carry On fan Jason Figgis and you can read that here

 

- I published a guest blog by Carry On fan Adam Endacott who is currently writing The Kenneth Williams Companion. You can read that here

- I interviewed Carry On Super Fans Robert Jervis Gibbons and Callum Phoenix about their love of the films and their stars. You can read that here and here

 

 - I caught up with Please Sir! actor and author David Barry and you read all about that here

- I published a fantastic guest blog by Dr Laura Mayne on the relationship between two of the leading lights of Carry On - Producer Peter Rogers and writer Talbot Rothwell. You can read that here

- I interviewed Bless This House and Carry On star Sally Geeson and you can find that blog here

I most recently interviewed Carry On actress and all round entertainer Anita Harris about her time with the team making Carry On Follow That Camel and Carry On Doctor in 1967. You can read about that here

At the start of November I had the great privilege to catch up with the lovely Robin Le Mesurier, a true gentleman who answered my questions on life with his wonderful parents, Hattie Jacques and John Le Mesurier. You can read that interview here

 

In January this year I interviewed the lovely actress and author Josephine Bailey about her time as a child actor, studying at the Corona Academy and of making Carry On Teacher. You can read that here

I also had the great pleasure of interviewing the glorious Amanda Barrie about her long and successful career which of course has included two Carry Ons and Coronation Street. You can read that here

Most recently I spoke to the delightful Judy Buxton about her career as an actress, her time with the Royal Shakespeare Company and of meeting and working witht he great Joan Sims on the series On The Up. You can read that here

Last October I celebrated reaching 1000 blogs. I invited many of those who have contributed to Carry On Blogging over the past eighteen months to tell me what Carry On films mean to them. I was thrilled that so many people took part, including the likes of Fenella Fielding, Robert Ross, Sherrie Hewson, Jessie Wallace, Jacki Piper, Francoise Pascal, Angela Douglas and Madeline Smith. You can catch up with these special blogs here:

Part 1
Part 2 
Part 3 


In March I celebrated Frankie Howerd's centenary by interview his agent and long-time friend Tessa Le Bars. You can read that interview here

I also spoke to the actor Mark Farrelly about his love of Frankie and his plans for a new one man show telling Howerd's story. Read this here.

Paul Taylor-Greaves told me all about his love of blogging and podcasting and that can be found here 

 

Carry On Nurse actress Christine Ozanne spoke to me earlier this month about her long and varied career and her new memoir, The Tome of the Unknown Actor. Find out what Christine had to say here

And more recently I interviewed Jennie Linden on her long stage and screen career, finding out what it was like to work with Kenneth Williams on the play My Fat Friend. Read more from Jennie here 

To celebrate my second anniversary, on 29 March this year I interviewed my blogging colleague and Coronation Street Blog Editor Glenda Young about blogging, Corrie and of course, Carry On. You can check that out here.

Having written about all of Joan and Hattie's Carry On adventures, I have also started blogging about Barbara Windsor's nine Carry On roles as part of the run up to Barbara's 80th birthday in August. You can read the first of those blogs here 

I'm also now beginning a new series of blogs looking back at all of Kenneth Connor's Carry On performances in the lead up to his centenary next June. You can read the first of these blogs here.

Earlier this summer saw comedy historian Robert Ross embark on a special Carry On Cruise with some very familiar faces. Robert very kindly answered some questions on his European jaunt with Valerie Leon, Jacki Piper, Anita Harris and Richard O'Callaghan. You can find that article here 

Having interviewed the fabulous Madeline Smith last year it was a thrill to finally meet her in person in June. I attended "From Biba to Bond: An Evening with Madeline Smith" at the Stow Roses Women's Institute in North London. You can read about my encounter with the lovely Maddie here 

Another great moment in June was interviewing the writer Mark O'Connell on his long association with Pinewood Studios and his love of all things James Bond. You can read that interview (and find out more about Mark's book Catching Bullets) here

Also, omething I have been blogging about and calling for since I started Carry On Blogging actually happened in June (an apt month). Yes, June Whitfield was finally made a Dame. You can read my thoughts on this wonderful news here 

I was thrilled to receive an exclusive chance to review Network's newly released The Complete Sykes on DVD last month (many thanks again to Blue Dolphin). You can read that review here.

I was absolutely delighted to be contacted recently by Patrick Purcell, son of the late great Irish actor Noel Purcell. We had a smashing interview and you can read all about that here 

Only the other day I interviewed actor and writer Jack Lane about his passion for the work of Sir Norman Wisdom and Jack's one man show, Wisdom of a Fool. You can read that interview here

In July published my interview with the lovely Georgy Jamieson, passionate comedy fan, BBC Suffolk presenter and Director of the British Comedy Society. You can read our interview here

Also that month I enjoyed a hysterical hour on the phone with British film legend Robin Askwith. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here  

I celebrated Carry On legend Barbara Windsor's 80th birthday with a series of blogs at the beginning of August - you can read the main one here

I started a new series of blogs in August asking some of my favourite people to write in about the five greatest influences on their careers. You can read Judy Matheson's blog here, Sarah Miller Walters' blog is here, Stuart Ball's blog is here and you can read the blog from Jason Figgis here

Also in August I had the great pleasure of chatting with television legend Derek Griffiths and you can read my blog interview with him here  

And finally, in September I travelled to Elstree Studios for a celebration of the very best of 1960s and 70s British television. Hosted by Morris Bright and featuring classic clips and interviews with Dame Diana Rigg and Carry On actors Angela Douglas and Valerie Leon, you can read my review of the evening here.

A huge thanks to everyone who's kindly taken the time to answer all my questions - it has brightened many a day and been completely and utterly enjoyable.  

Finally, a massive thank you to everyone who reads my blog. I only do this as a hobby and your kind comments and observations keep me going even when the chips are down and I think I'm too tired to Carry On! 

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

Robin Le Mesurier's Charmed Rock'n'Roll Life

 

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Robin Le Mesurier late last year. Robin, the son of legendary actors Hattie Jacques and John Le Mesurier, told me at the time he was finishing off his much-anticipated autobiography. Well now his book, A Charmed Rock'n'Roll Life, has now been published.

The book will tell the story of Robin's early life growing up with two very famous parents. It will also chart his own career in the music industry. From my chat with Robin, I can tell he's had a very varied and interesting life and career so it should be a great read! Here's what his publisher, The Book Guild has to say:

Robin Le Mesurier, the son of two of Britain’s best-loved comedy actors, John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques, and a hugely successful musician, has penned a tell-all book about his life. Robin cut his first single for EMI at 16 and was offered a place at the Royal College of Music but choose rock and roll. Playing in various groups and studio sessions led to a spell with The Wombles, the chart-topping band based on a children’s book – but his involvement with them came to an abrupt end after he was arrested.

Robin began his association with Sir Rod Stewart by working as a roadie with the band, but later on he became a key member of the group, with whom he recorded and toured worldwide. His love life was hectic at times – numerous girlfriends included Sharon Osbourne and Brogan Lane, Dudley Moore’s ex-wife, before he married a Playboy Bunny girl.

In 1994, Robin started working with Johnny Hallyday, one of the world’s bestselling recording artists and has since toured worldwide regularly with the French actor and rock icon, often described as ‘The French Elvis’.

Inevitably, the rock and roll lifestyle took its toll. In 2011 Robin was drinking a bottle of vodka a day and his second marriage was in trouble. He appeared on Rehab, in which a group of celebrities with addictions resided at a rehabilitation centre in Malibu. This treatment certainly saved his marriage… if not his life.

 

I've already ordered my copy and I can't wait to get started on it. You can find out more about the book here and you can buy a copy here

Robin also has his own website which you can visit here

You can read my interview with Robin here
 


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

Robin Le Mesurier on The One Show

With many thanks to my lovely Twitter follower @CattyJacques for bringing this to my attention. I'm not a regular viewer of BBC1's The One Show but thank goodness for the iPlayer service! This evening the programme featured a short film on the marriage of John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques and it was really lovely.

Their son Robin was at the centre of the film as he remembered his famous parents with great fondness and affection. Robin first took us to the Actors' Church in London where Hattie's ashes were scattered following her death in 1980. He then went back to the family home in Eardley Crescent, Earls Court, where Robin reminisced about all the fun family times they had and the famous houseguests, such as Sid James, Tony Hancock and Peter Sellers. 

Joan Le Mesurier, John's wife until he died and Robin's step-mother, was also featured in the film and together they watched Hattie's This Is Your Life tribute. Robin and Joan talked about John and Hattie's marriage problems and the arrival of John Schofield as Hattie's new partner. 

It was a very touching little film and definitely worth checking out. Despite the delicate issues involved, it was still a warm, affectionate tribute and Robin is obviously so grateful to his parents for many things. 

You can view the film here - it's about half way through the show.

You can find out more about the Actors' Church here

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

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Carry On Forever: My Verdict

The Carry On Weekender is at an end. It was fun, it was surprising in places and at times a bit exhausting but from all the contact and interactions I had on Twitter, everyone loved it!

So what did I think of the jewel in the ITV3 Carry On crown, Carry On Forever?

Overall I absolutely loved it. It was comforting, familiar and great fun. A chance to wallow in some bright, colourful nostalgia, reliving memories of many cinematic friends. It was often hilarious but also incredibly touching in places. I think the team behind Carry On Forever got the balance just right and on the whole did a terrific job.

I liked the chronological order the programme followed. It made sense and felt thorough, although given the approach they took it seemed strange that films like Don't Lose Your Head, Again Doctor and Behind were only touched on very briefly or completely glossed over. A minor rankle. I also thought Martin Clunes was a very good narrator, clearly exhibiting a warm affection for the films and even making brief reference to his own appearance in the dreadful Columbus in 1992!

It was wonderful to see so many former cast members take part. Yes there was a noticeable Barbara Windsor shaped gap in proceedings but we don't know the reasons for that and I think overall there was plenty of other great stuff to focus on. It was a shame though. What struck me was how good so many of the actors taking part still looked - I think they need to bottle whatever it is they are on! 

One of the main highlights for me was the decision to take some of the actors back to the locations used for filming. In particular I found Fenella Fielding's trip back to the Carry On Screaming mansion very emotional. It had obviously played and continue to play an important part in her life. Liz Fraser wandering around the Pinewood Studio used to film Carry On Cruising and the lovely Angela Douglas returning to the location in Wales for Up The Khyber were also incredibly 
touching moments. 

I also loved the opportunity to hear from the children of some of the dearly departed Carry On stars. I had seen Robin Le Mesurier interviewed about his mother, Hattie Jacques, several times before however I had never seen James Bresslaw, Jeremy Connor or Tyler Butterworth speak about their famous dads until now and it was just lovely. I have recently read Jeremy's book on his father, Kenneth, and loved it so it was great to see him reunited with Peter's son Tyler to share memories and open up the photo archive of their dads' work. Wonderful moments.

We saw many familiar Carry On faces in the likes of Jim Dale, Sally Geeson, Valerie Leon and Jacki Piper however there were some brilliant unexpected surprises in the form of Julian Holloway, Juliet Mills, Rosalind Knight, Margaret Nolan and Alexandra Dane. 

Excellent to have their involvement in the documentary - it brought a whole host of memories flooding back for many of us. For the regular Carry On fan there was very little new in the stories shared by our favourite cast members but that didn't matter. It was still glorious.

The programme certainly ticked many of my boxes however if I had to pick on one aspect to criticise it would be the end of the final episode broadcast on Sunday night. Don't get me wrong, I adored the series, I just felt that for some reason the ending felt a bit rushed. There was so much material to cover in the three hours it would inevitably be hard to pull everything together at the end. 

There were touching tributes to the likes of Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey, but while they touched on certain demons in their lives it did feel slightly uncomfortable about how deep to dig. 

I also felt it was a shame that certain other important Carry On contributors didn't get a mention of even a name-check. People like Patsy Rowlands, Joan Hickson, Jack Douglas, Carol Hawkins and Peter Gilmore all had substantial roles in the series and weren't mentioned. It might also have been good to hear more about those behind the camera other than Rogers, Thomas, Hudis and Rothwell. What about Dave Freeman who scripted Behind? Or Director of Photography Alan Hume? There was a regular team of people at Pinewood who really did make the films what they were - skilled technicians it would have been nice to hear more about. I also still think this should have been broadcast on the main ITV channel.

Anyway, I'm nitpicking now. I thoroughly enjoyed Carry On Forever. It was a wonderfully colourful nostalgic wallow in what many people agree is the most successful, most talented, most loved comedy film franchise we've ever seen. The sadness remains that so many of them are gone, but their rich legacy and beautifully bawdy comedy performances keep their memories and their massive popularity alive and intact. Long may that continue.

On a personal note, I absolutely loved all the tweets and comments from everyone over the Carry On Weekend. It was great to share the experience with so many loyal Carry On fans. So thank you for making it extra special. 

Carry On Tweeting and Carry On, Carrying On!

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