Carry On Blogging Interview: Julian Holloway (Part 1)

I was absolutely delighted to receive an email over the weekend from the actor Julian Holloway. I have long been a fan of Julian's work, both in the Carry Ons and elsewhere and often thought he would be a great person to interview. And all of a sudden here we are. I was surprised to hear that Julian not only was aware of my blog but had read several pieces I had written about his career. The power of the internet strikes again!

I tentatively asked if Julian would be up for a chat for the blog and thankfully he agreed. We spent a thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining hour on the phone on Monday afternoon and the whole experience was a delight. Our conversation was fairly wide ranging so I have decided to split the interview write up into two different parts. While obviously I wanted to ask about the Carry On films, I was well aware that Julian has enjoyed and continues to enjoy a wonderfully diverse career. Looking up his career history on the internet I was spoiled for choice over what to ask about, but I hope you find the following interview a good read.

Julian first joined the Carry On team in 1967 with a small part as a ticket collector in Follow That Camel. A further seven film roles followed: Simmons in Carry On Doctor; Major Shorthouse in Up The Khyber; Jim Tanner in Camping; Adrian in Loving; Sir Thomas in Carry On Henry; Roger in At Your Convenience and finally Major Butcher in Carry On England in 1976. He also appeared playing several different roles in the 1973 Carry On Christmas television special.

Julian with his parents Stanley and Violet 

To begin, I asked Julian why he decided to become an actor in the first place and how he got started in the profession.

Acting was in the family. My father was the actor Stanley Holloway and my mother the actress Violet Lane. Violet had sort of been cut off in her prime, as it were so I was pushed towards it as a career whether I liked it or not! As a young person you sometimes accept these things in a way you wouldn't as you get older. I trained at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) and as with many other actors who come from famous acting families there are many positive and negative aspects. It can be a difficult business to establish yourself in and sometimes I wanted to be left alone to establish my own self and what I wanted to do. I found that having a well-known name opened some doors very easily but it closed others. 

Can you remember how you first came to be involved with the Carry On films?

Yes! Very clearly. When I was a child we lived out in Buckinghamshire and the likes of Betty Box and Peter Rogers, Gerald and Ralph Thomas all lived nearby in Beaconsfield. They all knew my parents so they knew me as a boy. I also would go quite regularly to see my father if he was making a film at Pinewood Studios so I was around these people from quite an early age. 

In the mid 1960s I landed a recurring role in a comedy series on television called Pardon The Expression, which starred Arthur Lowe (playing his character Leonard Swindley from Coronation Street) and Betty Driver. It was a well-received part in a popular series and through that I got a call from my agent to ask if I wanted a day's work in Follow That Camel…

…punching Angela Douglas's ticket…

Yes! They had obviously seen the series and they knew of me anyway. I never had to audition for a part in a Carry On. After Camel, I was asked to be in the next one which I think was Doctor and it went from there.

When Dick van Dyke met Sir Sidney & Lady Joan Ruff-Diamond! 

I wanted to ask you a couple of questions about Carry On Up The Khyber. There is a great photo somewhere of you on the set with Sid James and Dick Van Dyke. How did that come about?

Well Dick was making Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on another stage at Pinewood at the same time we were making Khyber. It wasn't a planned visit at all, I think he'd enjoyed a scoop or three at lunchtime and had gone walk about! I'm not sure he knew where he was or what we were doing! You have to remember that in those days at Pinewood there would be several films in production all at once, many of them very expensive international films. We, the Carry On lot were always the poor relation! The grounds at Pinewood were so extensive you could have three different productions being shot in them all at once.

…these days that shot of you with Dick Van Dyke would be a staged photo call so it's interesting to hear he just turned up!

Yes you're right it would be but no, he just appeared out of nowhere! 

The climatic dinner party scene from Up The Khyber: Joan Sims get a little bit plastered with Julian & Roy Castle

The famous dinner party sequence in Up The Khyber is probably my favourite scene in any Carry On and also one of the best loved generally. 

Well it took several days to do, it was about three days I think. They actually took some time over it which shows in the end result I think and is probably why it's one of the better scenes in a Carry On. I remember on the first day the food that was provided for us was pretty awful but by the third or fourth day it was inedible! Full of bits of styrofoam or whatever they used! How none of us became seriously ill I'll never know!!

My favourite actor in that scene who I wanted to ask you about was…

…Peter Butterworth?

How did you know?!

He was brilliant! A very unsung actor. He was very difficult to act with because he would deliberately do things to wind you up and make you corpse! He was merciless and once he'd seen he was making you laugh he wouldn't let up! I remember one scene we were doing on Camping and he kept making me break up laughing. The crew were laying bets behind the scenes that we'd never get it shot! 

But he was a lovely, clever man. Very sweet. 

Julian in the film version of Porridge in 1979

I wanted to ask you about another couple of films you made, after the Carry Ons. My all-time favourite comedy series is Porridge and you were in the film version in 1979. What was that like?

Well Porridge was the best written comedy series I think. The writers (Clement and La Frenais) were at the top of their game and Ronnie Barker as the star was captain of the ship. For a start Ronnie was a comedy actor, not a comedian and that's a big difference. He was such a generous performer all for sharing out the good stuff. He also genuinely loved to laugh which made him lovely to be with and around. 

And you worked with Richard Beckinsale on that film too?

Yes I did and he was a sweetheart. It was very tragic though as he died not long after we made the film. So sad, he was only 30, 31 years old. Richard and Ronnie had a terrific working relationship though and it was clear to see Ronnie was like a adopted father figure to Richard. Ronnie was clearly devastated when Richard died. 

I was recently at an event where Liz Fraser was being interviewed about her career. She recalled being in the Sex Pistols film, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle with you! Do you remember that?!

Ha! I don't think I made the final cut in that one! It's not a film I've heard of since and I've never seen it. Funnily enough it's not one I put on my selected list of credits! 

I think you were in a cinema with Liz and Irene Handl?!

Yes that's right! I remember there was a guy there in it who's now known as Edward Tudor-Pole but at the time he was going by the name Tenpole Tudor…

Julian with Charles Hawtrey, Terry Scott, Roy Castle & Sid James in Up The Khyber

Moving on…You have appeared in so many classic series on British television from the 1970s and 1980s (e.g. The Sweeney, Minder, The Professionals) that I didn't know what to ask about so a general question: what was it like to be working in television here during that golden era?

Well I think the quality of drama production back then was very high. That period certainly to me is better than our current output. British television was the envy of the world and we exported a huge amount overseas, for instance an awful lot of our shows went out on the American channel PBS. I wonder how much is today? For me reality television has been the death knell. When you look at situation comedy now, there's a reason why the BBC are still showing episodes of Dad's Army so regularly and why it's still so popular. 

I wasn't going to ask you about any particular actor, but I know you worked with the late Gordon Jackson in The Professionals. He was one of my favourites. What was he like?

Gordon was a lovely man and such a solid actor. But he was a worried man, always worried that he'd forget his lines or dry. I worked with him at least two or three times and he never ever dried, always totally professional. Gordon actually wrote out all his lines in long hand and used different coloured pens, so concerned was he that he'd not know them! I think he used to go through the long hand notes every night at home with his wife Rona before the next day of filming! Extraordinary. I also think he was a good influence on Kenneth Williams, I know they were very close for a long time and Kenny was also very fond of the Jackson family. 

Julian gets to know Babs and Fanny (Barbara Windsor & Sandra Caron) in Carry On Camping

So that's Part 1 of my interview with Julian. Don't worry, there's more on the Carry Ons in Part 2, including Julian's thoughts on working with Sid James and for Peter Rogers. And there's more on some of Julian's other television work and his thoughts on his years spent working in America. So look out for that coming up soon!


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and on Instagram

Elsie, Doris and Joan

We're going way back to 1956 for this treat from the airwaves today. Elsie and Doris Waters were a popular double act who were best known for their comedy performances on film and on radio during the Second World War, as characters Gert and Daisy.

Transplanting their Workers' Playtime characters to a family-run general store, Floggit's had a writing team of great pedigree: Terry Nation, John Junkin and Carry On Behind and Bless This House writer Dave Freeman. While providing scripts for this middle-of-the-road radio comedy, Freeman, Junkin and Nation were also working on Idiot's Weekly Price 2d, the first attempt to present Goon Show humour to a television audience.

Aside from the involvement of Dave Freeman, Floggit's had a superb supporting cast of rising stars. Ronnie Barker, Anthony Newley, Ron Moody and future Beyond Our Ken and Round The Horne voices man Hugh Paddick regularly appeared alongside a certain Miss Joan Sims. Joan had already made a name for herself on the stage in intimate revue by this stage and had taken tentative steps into the world of film, with eye-catching cameos in the Norman Wisdom film Trouble in Store, Doctor in the House, Doctor At Sea and The Belles of St Trinian's. 

Joan adds her excellent vocal talents to this particular episode of Floggit's, playing a switchboard exchange operator, a flirtatious barmaid and a rather canny little girl hoping to buy some sweets! Joan also gives an early outing to her toothless old lady act which gained greater popularity when she played Gran in Till Death Us Do Part. She's quite superb in the show and you can listen to it here:

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The Importance of Peter Eade in the Carry On Story

Peter Eade is an important name in the Carry On story but today he is rarely talked about and indeed, little is known about him. Peter was a theatrical agent who represented a small yet incredibly famous group of actors. Those actors included the legendary Ronnie Barker and two Carry On stars - Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims. 

Eade was a young agent making his way in the business in the early 1950s when he first came across both Kenneth and Joan. Peter was Kenneth's agent from the very early days of his career right up until the late 1970s and the pair formed a close bond. Both bachelors, they shared concerns about life, the business they worked in and living with older parents. Peter was a notable player in the pages of Kenneth's diaries and at one point even references the infamous tomes which lined Williams' living room walls, asking in a pointed way, whether they'd ever be published. Sadly Eade would not live to see that day.

Peter Eade comes across as an extremely patient, kind and generous mentor to the occasionally highly strung, incredibly changeable Kenneth. There was obviously a close bond between them which was essential given the nature of their working relationship. Peter encouraged and coaxed Williams and put up with all sorts of neuroses. Together with his ever faithful assistant, Laurena Dewar, Peter guided Kenneth's career through the ups and downs. He even knew him well enough to attempt to convince Kenneth to spend a few extra bob on his shirts! A brave man indeed!

Kenneth claimed to know Peter better than any of his other clients however another frequent visitor to Peter's Cork Street offices was Joan Sims. Peter first encountered Joan at the very beginning of her theatrical career. Attending press shows at RADA, Peter spotted Joan and invited her to a meeting with the idea that he could represent her professionally. The very green Miss Sims had heard rumours of the infamous casting couch and became convinced Peter Eade's intentions were less than honourable. Eventually a close friend persuaded her to meet Peter and thankfully, she never looked back. As with Kenneth, Joan was represented by Eade for nearly thirty years and he was a powerful, reliable influence in her life. 

In her autobiography, Joan is very honest about her inability to cope with aspects of her professional life, mainly due to a lack of confidence. This probably resulted from her long and troubled relationship with her mother, Gladys. Peter was a sympathetic mentor to Joan and as she herself admitted, became much more than just an agent to her over the years. During some difficult years with her mother, it was Peter's advice Joan sought on how to respond to some fairly unpleasant correspondence regarding Joan's private life. Eade was a big part of Joan's life and his sudden death in April 1979 left a gaping hole that she struggled to move on from. It did help that the same two year period saw Joan lose others close to her - her accountant, her mother and her closest friend, the actress Hattie Jacques.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Williams' shock at losing Peter was movingly documented in his diary. Peter, in his fifties at the time of his death, died suddenly in his office one April day. Laurena Dewar took charge of everything, asking Kenneth to read the eulogy at Peter's funeral. The loss of Peter Eade was a massive blow to both Kenneth and Joan and although both would continue to work, finding new agents in the process, it would not be the same for either of them ever again. 

I think it's a shame that we don't know more about Peter's life. He was a vital component in the professional and personal lives of two of the greatest comic actors this country has produced and two of the most prolific Carry On team players. Thankfully he is a regular presence in Kenneth's diaries, otherwise we'd know practically nothing about the man. As for Laurena Dewar, she was obviously much more than just an assistant. She continued to run the Eade office until the early 1980s and then gave it up to spend more time with her family. I have no idea what happened to her after that point or indeed if she is still alive today. 

I think we owe a debt of gratitude to Peter Eade for nurturing and guiding the careers of Kenneth and Joan. He spotted their unique talents early on and I for one am extremely glad that he did.



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Joan joins Ronnie for an Odd Job

Joan Sims wrote very fondly of the great Ronnie Barker in her autobiography, High Spirits. The pair worked together several times during the 1970s, with Joan even guesting in the infamous Two Ronnies sketch, The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town! It's clear Joan admired Ronnie's gift for comedy acting and writing and they shared a terrific sense of humour, as can be found in Joan's legendary Tit Boxes, a rather unusual present from Mr B!

Anyway, in early 1971 Joan co-starred with Ronnie in an episode of his television comedy series, Six Dates with Barker. Each episode was its own individual comedy playlet, as it were. The LWT series, rarely heard of today, also featured Ronnie's close friend and regular co-star David Jason. Joan's episode, broadcast in January '71 is called The Odd Job.

Ronnie plays Arthur Harriman, a rather boring suburban middle aged man lacking in imagination. Joan is his wife, Kitty, who having had more than enough of Arthur, packs her suitcase and leaves him telling him in no uncertain terms to drop dead! In comes David Jason as odd job man Clive. Arthur decides to end it all, but when faced with the grim task, he can't go through with it. So he asks Jason's Clive to do it for him. Of course, being a comedy show from the 1970s all does not go to plan, particularly when Arthur and Kitty are reunited and Clive really doesn't take the hint.

Despite Ronnie's star status, this half hour is really a showcase for the blossoming young talent of David Jason. Joan, although smashing as always, is given another nagging middle aged wife to play and while she does it admirably, I wish she'd been given something a little more challenging to do.

Anyway, it's a rarely seen blast from the past and you can view it here:

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Favourites in Five: Stuart Ball

I started a brand new series of blogs a couple of weeks ago, asking some of my favourite people to write in about the five most important influences on their lives from the world of theatre, film and television. You can read Sarah Miller Walters' wonderful blog here 
and actress Judy Matheson's super piece is here

Today it's the turn of writer and blogger, Stuart Ball.

Laurel and Hardy

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were my very first comedy heroes and they remain special to me today. As a young lad, I remember watching Stan and Ollie with my late father. They were his absolute favourites and, through laughing alongside him at their on-screen antics, they became my favourites too. When my father was 70, we had a family party to celebrate. Myself and a very dear friend of mine formed a guitar/vocal duo for a time and provided part of the entertainment for the party. We included Laurel and Hardy's famous signature song Trail of the Lonesome Pine in our set and very quickly the whole room was singing along with us. It was a treasured moment  

Laurel and Hardy were the perfect combination really. Stan developed all of their gags and routines and was very much the creative force behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Oliver Hardy, or Babe as he liked to be called, liked to unwind after filming by playing a round of golf. He fully trusted Stan's ability as an all-round filmmaker and knew he would always make sure everything was 100% right. Stan was perfectly happy being left to the creative side and knew Ollie wasn't as interested as he was in that side of things. Babe just liked to concentrate on acting..

On-screen, they were both magical. Stan's supreme skill as a physical comedian was equal to anything that Charlie Chaplin could do. Oliver Hardy's superbly executed mannerisms, such as the exasperated camera look and his bashful tie-twiddle, have become legendary and those moments are often what I look forward to most when watching one of the Boys' films. What always comes across to me when watching Laurel and Hardy is their real-life warmth and obvious affection for each other. I think that is the secret to their long-lasting appeal through a number of generations - genuine warmth and a desire to simply make people laugh.  

Sid James

Those who read my Sid's Place blog and follow the accompanying Twitter page will know of my great admiration and affection for the wonderful Sid James. Although Laurel and Hardy were my very first comedy heroes, Sid was not very far behind. I think the first thing I ever saw Sid in was a TV screening of Carry On Cleo when I was around seven or eight. Of all the stars in that film, Sid was the one who immediately grabbed my attention. The raucous laugh, mischievous twinkle in the eye, roguish smile and wonderfully crinkled features all appealed greatly to my young self. Despite playing the villainous Mark Antony to perfection, Sid still managed to convey a great warmth and humanity, You couldn't help but like him. As a kid, I always rooted for Sid, even when he played villains.

Through writing the Sid's Place blog, I've been lucky enough, and indeed honoured, to get to know Sid's son Steve James  I have also had the pleasure of chatting to some of Sid's co-stars such as the lovely Sally Geeson  When my book A Question of Carry On was released last year, I was fortunate to be a guest on a number of BBC local radio shows across the country. On every show, the one person that everyone wanted to talk about the most was Sid James. That shows the continuing appeal of the man, both as an actor and a human being. 

Sir Christopher Lee

As with my first two choices, Christopher Lee has been a hero of my mine since I was younger. This was back in the day when horror films were, in the main, a lot tamer then they are today and were just fun to watch. I wouldn't recommend letting children watch the kind of horror films they make today but, to utilise the old cliche, 'back in my day' it was all about monsters, old castles and mad professors. 

Christopher Lee had such a magnetic screen presence. He commanded your attention whenever he appeared on-screen, combining his tall stature, continental-style looks (gained from his Italian ancestry) and rich, cultured voice to startling effect. Of course, as the man himself said many times, he was much more than simply a star of horror films. Indeed, when you look at the incredible amount of films he appeared in over his amazing near-seventy year career, horror films account for quite a small percentage. He was one of James Bond's most memorable foes, Scaramanga, in The Man with the Golden Gun, battled Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy in the form of Saruman and, like his dear friend Peter Cushing before him, became a part of the Star Wars universe as Count Dooku..

Although the Official Christopher Lee Website no longer exists, I still own my premium membership card which I first received over 15 years ago. In addition to the card, premium members received a welcome letter from the man himself, an autographed picture and priority notifications of personal appearances and events.One year, we even received a Christmas card from Sir Christopher and family. To this day, the card never fails to make an appearance on the mantelpiece every festive season.

In 2003, I got to meet the great man himself. All these years later, I can still vividly recall the feeling of excitement mixed with a whirlpool of nerves. Members of the website had been invited to a special screening at the ICA, London of the film Nothing But the Night. Sir Christopher Lee gave a screen talk after the film and then we all got the opportunity to individually meet him afterwards. It is a day I will never forget.

Ronnie Barker

Of the many great comedy actors that Britain has produced over the years, I believe Ronnie Barker to be the greatest of them all. His ability to totally inhabit a character and make that character his own still amazes me to this day. To my mind, his performance as wily old lag Fletcher in the classic comedy series Porridge is the finest in sitcom history. The greatest compliment I can give is that, whenever I watch Porridge, I never think of Ronnie Barker being in it. Instead, it really is Norman Stanley Fletcher on that screen. Compare Fletch with the rascally shopkeeper Arkwight in Open All Hours and, apart from some physical similarities, you really would not think it is the same actor. 

The Two Ronnies were a huge part of my childhood. Saturday night television in the seventies and eighties was a special event and The Two Ronnies show was one of the main reasons for that. Christmas telly was never quite the same after Ronnie Barker retired. I have very fond memories of Christmas evenings spent at my Nan's house, her silver Christmas tree sparkling in the corner as we all sat together laughing at Ronnies Barker and Corbett.

As with many of my choices, Ronnie Barker remains so beloved today because, in addition to being a fine comedy actor and writer, he was simply a nice man. His warmth always shone through, whether he was scheming as Fletcher, devising ways to make money as Arkwright, pispronunciating words as an official spokesman or mercilessly plaguing Ronnie Corbett at a party.  

Sir David Jason

It is such a shame to think that, out of my five favourites, only David Jason is still alive. Of course, David had a long history with Ronnie Barker, whom he affectionately called The Guvnor. When Ronnie retired in 1988, that mantle passed to him. 

Arguably, David Jason is the most beloved British actor of all-time. The British public took him to their hearts many, many years ago and he still retains a place there today. The character of Derek Trotter in the magnificent Only Fools and Horses is right up there with Porridge's Fletcher as the greatest  in history. David Jason has that special ability to make you laugh uproariously one minute and then hold back a tear the next. His physical comedy skills are also of the very highest order. If you are in any doubt about that, just re-watch the famous scene in Only Fools when Del falls through the bar.  

Sir David Jason remains at the very top of my list of people I would like to meet. After writing my first book Trotter Trivia back in 2012, I luckily got to meet, and in some cases become friends with, a lot of the Only Fools cast, The wonderful David Jason remains on my wish list! 

Thanks once again to Stuart for taking the time to write this wonderful blog. You can visit Stuart's blog here: Sid's Place 

And you can follow him on Twitter: @sidjamesplace


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

Carry On Blogging Interview: Christine Ozanne

 

I have recently interviewed the actor Christine Ozanne about her lengthy, diverse acting career, her brief but memorable Carry On association and her new memoir, The Tome of the Unknown Actor. 

So please Carry On Reading for more on Christine's experience of making the classic Carry On Nurse, her favourite roles on stage and screen and her memories of working with the likes of Joan Hickson, Joan Sims, John Inman and Ronnie Barker...

First of all, I'd love to know why and how you became an actor in the first place? 

I never really became an actor, I believe I always was one. I possess the entertainment gene which manifested itself in early childhood and developed through amateur dramatics at the Leicester Drama Society. Then, it was suggested that I try for RADA ~ I got in and left two years later with an Honours Diploma and three comedy prizes. 

 

Back in late 1958 you appeared in a film which would become a classic – Carry On Nurse. What are your memories of that time? 

Within three months of leaving RADA, I was contracted for four days work on Carry On Nurse, with a guaranteed fortune of £15 a day. Imagine a dank early autumnal morning, walking a mile from the nearest bus stop to the entrance of Pinewood Studios, knowing no-one, and being entirely new to film work. Gradually meeting this already well-known group of comedy actors, and delivering my one line “Do you mind?” on the first morning, this was to be a major learning curve. The film was made in three weeks, so there was always an element of ‘let’s get on with it’ in the air. My ‘close-up’ for the line was done in one ‘take’, and I was scrutinized closely by Kenneth Williams, who was actually in the bed behind the camera, and he made an ungracious remark about me as we moved on to the next shot. At lunchtime I went to the canteen with other ‘small part’ players, but discovered the beautiful oak-panelled restaurant when I was invited to dine there on my last day. After lunch I went to watch the previous day’s rushes. This was quite a thrill as I could learn how they filmed the two-handed scene between Irene Handl and Bill Owen, the one with his leg in plaster and she is trying to fill in some forms. This experience made me feel I had arrived, and belonged, in the film making world. 

At the end of the first day, Joan Sims offered me a lift in her chauffer-driven limousine. She was appearing in a West End show in the evenings, and I was in the process of rehearsing a provincial pantomime at the time, so she asked her driver to take me on to wherever I wanted to go. I was tempted to say Northampton, but had to settle for Euston. 

Carry On Nurse featured two of my favourite actors in Joan Hickson and Hattie Jacques. What were they like to work with? 

Joan Hickson as like a mother to me. A real woman of the theatre and understood my situation. We travelled on the tube together and chatted away like old friends. She told me that she was always extremely nervous before each ‘take’, almost to the point of sickness, which astonished me. I had been an admirer of hers from watching all those wonderful black & white movies of the 40s and 50s. Mostly small cameos, but I always hoped I could do exactly those sort of parts one day. How on earth she coped with Miss Marple I will never know. 

Sadly, I saw very little of Hattie Jacques, except in the ‘make-up’ room. I remember someone asking her how John was, (John Le Mesurier, of course), and she said “Oh, he’s lovely”. What a great performance she gave as ‘Matron’ ~ a very interesting woman altogether, I believe. 

 

You have worked with Ronnie Barker in both The Two Ronnies and his series Six Dates with Barker. What was he like to work with? 

 

Ronnie was a delight to work with. Not only as a person but, as an actor he was extremely generous. In my first job with him, a sketch called How to Get Married he would often place me in a more favourable position for the camera. This kind of unselfishness was borne out in his casting, where he would use the same group of actors several times. They were like a friendly family. He came from the repertory system of theatre troupes, and loved all the camaraderie. Some years later, we re- made the same sketch, this time in colour, for inclusion in The Two Ronnies. We filmed it at Woodstock, using the grounds of Blenheim Palace, and stayed at The Bear Hotel, a magnificent lodging, I must say ~ a four-poster bed, no less. Ronnie, who wrote many of his scripts as Gerald Wiley, said that all you had to do was write ‘they are seen punting on the river with Magdalen College Tower in the background, and you were guaranteed a week of luxury in Oxford. 

I was chosen by Ronnie again to appear in one of his Six Dates With Barker series, this time in three different roles. The episode was called 1899: The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town, written by Spike Milligan. The raspberries were blown (off screen) by David Jason. David, again was one of the ‘team’, before he rose to fame in Only Fools and Horses. This half-hour show was re-written as an episodic feature in The Two Ronnies, without me this time, but Ronnie did ask for me again when casting a ‘Post Mistress’ (girl-friend for Granville) in Open All Hours. My scenes were shot on film in Yorkshire and were shown during the studio recording. Unfortunately, the episode was over-running, so my scenes had to go, being considered not important to the main story-line. Shame ~ I thought I might become a ‘semi-regular’ character. That’s show business! 

 

In 1981 you worked on the series Take a Letter Mr Jones with John Inman and Rula Lenska. What were they like to work with? 

John Inman was hilarious, and a total joy to work with. He was a personal friend of mine, however, which helped, but he was the same with everyone. Even if he had to put his foot down about something, he would be utterly charming about it, and always produce a pay-off that would make us all raw with laughter. 

I first met John in Rep at Chester in 1962. He was the Stage Manager and small part player. We toured together with Charlie Chester in a dreadful play call Done in Oils, and we did some plays and music hall at Chelmsford, all before he became famous as ‘Mr Humphries’ in Are You Being Served. John could turn his had to almost anything and would go out of his way to make me laugh. He would set up a gag ~ like a trap for me to fall into. I really miss him. 

Rula Lenska was fun, too ~ and was one of those people who could look beautiful in sackcloth, but didn’t involve herself too much with the company; I think there were personal reasons at the time. My chums, Miriam Margoyles and Joan Blackham were in this series, which made it all the more enjoyable, especially with Miriam’s particular brand of humour! 

I understand you have developed and delivered Shakespeare workshops and masterclasses for some years now? Can you tell me a little more about that? 

I learnt much of what I teach about Shakespeare from my partner, Patrick Tucker, but found my own way of developing and promoting this knowledge. 

‘Uncle Bill’ was a genius. He put everything the actor needed to know into their lines. Actors were not able to read the whole play, they had no rehearsals (like we have today), and no director, so the acting guide lines were all in their own ‘cue script’. They were not able to see or hear the other character’s lines until the performance. All I do is point out what these instructions are, how to find them and ways of theatricalising the clues. I go back to the source material ~ The First Folio ~ which holds these ‘messages’ for the actor, because modern editors have removed many of them in the name of ‘literature’. Anyone curious enough can go to the website friendlyfolio.com where all will be revealed. 

You obviously have a passion for Shakespeare, having formed the Original Shakespeare Company in 1991. What was the idea behind the OSC? 

Having trained lots of actors in finding the clues in the text, the idea behind the OSC was to mount a performance of a full length play, recreating the same conditions enjoyed by the ‘original’ Elizabethan actors. This we did, most successfully, at the Globe in London for three years running in the late 1990s, plus twice in Germany, four times in Jordan, twice with local actors in Canada and once in Australia. 

In order to give the productions the spontaneity required ~ that is, the actors not knowing the arc of the play ~ we would change the casts around if more than one performance was requested. In Australia, for example, we did A Midsummer Night’s Dream three nights running, changing almost every actor round. We had enormous support in this from Greta Scacchi who, not only rounded up a goodly group of professionals for us, but volunteered to play ‘Helena’ in the first and third shows, and ‘Titania’ in the second. Greta’s film experience meant that she was no stranger to private study and speedy line learning. 

The Globe experience, of course, was a huge benefit to us because we had a replica of the ‘original’ building to work in. Academics were sceptical since they assumed that “everybody knows the plays these days.” So, after As You Like It, we chose King John and Cymbeline, on the grounds that they were far less well-known. All three plays were amazingly entertaining and gave us much additional knowledge of the building and Shakespeare’s wonderfully helpful text. 

Of all the roles you have played on stage, which has been your favourite and why?

Three parts spring instantly to mind. ‘Miss Prism’ in The Importance of Being Earnest, an eccentric character in a period piece; and ‘Mary Featherstone’ in How the Other Half Loves, an ‘innocent’ in a modern, sophisticated world. Both suit my particular acting talents (and looks) perfectly. Alan Ayckbourn could have written this second part just for me, as he could with ‘Kate’ in Bedroom Farce. In all three I found it extremely difficult not to laugh (or ‘corpse’ myself) during the performance, especially the scene where ‘Kate’ is shown the lop-sided table her husband has cobbled together. The audience laughter went on and on, almost the actor’s nightmare of agony and ecstasy combined, where you have to judge the right moment to top the laughter and move on. It’s called ‘a belter’ and it is bliss! 

I set up my blog as a tribute to the Carry On films and my heroine, the late Joan Sims. Why do you think those films and actors like Joan have remained so popular for so long? 

The popularity of the Carry On films, in a way, replaced the local repertory theatres where the same group of actors appeared regularly in different roles. Both these genres have now run out of time. The Reps theatres died when television took their place, and the Carry On film troupe simply grew old. However, the films can live on and find completely new audiences who weren’t even born when they were originated. These comic films were well made and had a lasting humour which has stood the test of time, as have the regular actors who each attracted their own following. 

Joan Sims was a total original, she had funny bones. A natural comedienne, with a huge talent and a master of screen craft. Her great virtue was that she looked like the girl next door with a warm and friendly touch. This never let her down, and is probably the reason for her eternal popularity. After Carry On Nurse and her kindness to me, we worked together again on a BBC Children’s television play called Fowl Pest. She remembered me, although it was some years later, and lunch-times were a highlight of the day as we exchanged show-biz anecdotes galore. Evidently, Joan’s jovial personality and comic performances were, hiding a more sombre private life.

 

You have recently written your memoir. What was it like to go through the writing process and relive your life and career to date? 

Extremely therapeutic. Because of one particular job, I was inspired to write dozens of anecdotes, which involved lots of research through records and diaries. I then developed it into an investigation as to how my career began and who else was involved. A book began to emerge and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing process. I loved it, actually, and to reach 85,000 words felt like a mighty achievement. Getting the book published was another matter. Most companies were not willing to risk publishing a book by an unknown actress. Fair enough, although I did point out that being ‘unknown’ was the whole point of the book ~ the clue is in the title. 

Finally, being persuaded to self-publish, I need to rely on social media and ‘word of mouth’ to promote my memoir, but my main wish is that it reaches all those wonderful actors whose careers parallel mine. They are heroes and deserve a gong. 

If you had to choose between theatre, television and film, which would be your favourite medium and why? 

Theatre is the most satisfying by far. Having an effect on a ‘live’ audience is what acting is all about. However, now in my eighties, I would not relish the physical challenge. I love the completely different craft involved in screen acting, and I would welcome more opportunities to exercise those skills. 

Your memoir is called “The Tome of the Unknown Actor”. What should people expect from your book?  

My memoir is an account of a professional acting career, with a broad variety of anecdotes, poignant, hilarious and everything in between ~ many stories involve famous and celebrated actors. There is mention of Shakespeare, in a fresh and novel way, and many extraordinary tales of my world-wide travels. Some of my answers in this questionnaire are chronicled more fully in the Tome. 

What roles would you still like to play and why? 

Anything which has an effect on the audience and, these days, not so many lines to learn. 

Finally, what's next for you? 

My next project is to study My Facebook for Seniors a gift from Patrick, and come to terms with social media in general. I need help. Acting-wise, I was recently being considered for a feature film playing the Mother Superior in a horror movie to be made in Latvia. I didn’t get it, but hope springs eternal. 

I'd like to thank Christine for such a warm, engaging and entertaining interview. It was the greatest of pleasures. I encourage you all to check out Christine's memoir, it's a wonderful read! 

 

You can buy Christine's fascinating memoir via Amazon  Alternatively you can find it on Christine's website 

You can read more about Christine's memoir, The Tome of the Unknown Actor, in my blog here

 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook