Three Years and Counting: 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 850,000 page visits since I set it up in March 2015! March this year was the most visited month so far with over 70,000 views!

The blog Twitter account now has over 14,000 followers and nearly 700 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 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 carried on this theme by publishing a series of blogs covering each of Hattie Jacques' 14 Carry On performances and all 9 of Barbara Windsor's roles.

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  

In September 2017 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.

Last November I had the great pleasure of interviewing actress and artist Jayne Bickerton about her varied career and her association with the late, great Bob Monkhouse. You can read that here

A few days later I also interviewed the actress, singer and cake maker extraordinaire, Kathy Jones who spoke to me about her time in Coronation Street and her love of Carry On. You can check that out here

Later in November I featured a fascinating interview with singer and writer Ty Jeffries talked to me about his own career and that of his late father, the brilliant actor Lionel Jeffries. That interview can be found here

December saw me publish a fantastic guest blog from David Powell on Frankie Howerd's film The House in Nightmare Park

I also had the pleasure of interviewing actor, director, writer and agent Andrew Lynford about his varied career and the various Carry On actors he's worked with. You can read it here

January 2018 started off with a wonderful trip to see Kenneth Williams' legendary diaries at the British Library. You can read my blog on Kenneth's 1951 diary here and his 1952 diary here

I also ventured out to the Victoria and Albert Museum in January for a special Evening with Dame June Whitfield where the legendary actress discussed her decision to donate her archive to the museum. You can read about that wonderful evening here

I also started off a couple of new series in tribute to the 60th year of Carry On. I began profiling the stars of the original Carry On, Carry On Sergeant. You can read the first of those blogs here and I have recently began counting down my own Top 20 Favourite Carry On Actors

February also saw John Hewer write a terrific guest blog on the Carry On links with the classic situation comedy series, Steptoe and Son. That can be found here

My first interview of the year was with the author Kaye Crawford who spoke to me about her brilliant biography of the late, great Beryl Reid. You can read that again here

A couple of weeks ago I travelled to the British Film Institute to view some of the Gerald Thomas Archive. I have several blogs on this trip coming up but for now, you can read the first of these here

And last week I interviewed two more actors with connections to the Carry On films. First up was the super lovely Patricia Franklin who told me all about appearing in the likes of Carry On Camping, Loving and Girls. Part One of the interview is here and Part Two can be found here

I have also recently spoken to the actor Hugh Futcher, who appeared in the likes of Carry On Spying, Carry On Again Doctor and enjoyed a trip to the seaside with Carry On At Your Convenience. Part 1 One of my chat with Hugh is here and Part Two is 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

Carry On Blogging Interview: Ty Jeffries

I'm thrilled to bring this wonderful interview to Carry On Blogging. Ty Jeffries is the son of the late actor, writer and director Lionel Jeffries. I grew up loving Lionel's performances in films like Two Way Stretch and The Wrong Arm of the Law. He also directed one of my all-time favourite films, The Railway Children. 

Ty is an accomplished entertainer in his own right, with a long career as a musician and more recently as his fabulous alter-ego, Miss Hope Springs. It was delight to find out more about Ty's life and career.

First of all, I'd love to know what it was like to grow up with Lionel Jeffries as your dad?

It was certainly not your average childhood. I was often plucked out of school and whisked off to live for a year in Hollywood, or 3 months in the South of France or 2 in Spain when dad was shooting. He liked to take us all with him. I went from my prep school in Buckinghamshire with cricket bats and earthworms to school in LA with fruit bats and earthquakes! Dad really lit the passion I have for film and photography and movie musicals. And he taught me all about the great stars back in the day when there was a double bill every Saturday and Sunday on TV. We were spoilt for choice back in the day. We would watch Garbo and Bette Davis movies and he would explain all about camera angles and why certain actors and actresses were stars, their technique, the difference between stagecraft and movie acting…I learned a great deal at his knee. 

Can you tell a little about how your dad became an actor in the first place. I know he also wrote and directed - do you know which aspect of his career he preferred?

He was in the Coldstream Guards in his late teens, lying about his age to get in and fought in Burma in the Second World War. I believe, like a lot of actors of that era, he found his calling entertaining the other soldiers in plays and concert parties. He came back from the Far East and went to The RADA, where he met my mother Eileen who was also an aspiring actress with the comic timing of Lucille Ball and the looks of Hedy Lamar (her great pal Diana Dors offered to be her agent but she chose to give up acting to be a mum and wife). He went on to Rep and started making movies in his 20s. Acting in 144 one way or another.

I've read that the family home played host to many well known actors and celebrities. What kind of people did you get to know during that period?

I would sit doing my homework at the kitchen table (my mother had a bright orange Hygena kitchen…all the rage at the time) and I would see Shelly Winters or Shirley MacLaine or Lee Remick or Anouk Aimee pass by in the hallway…they would always pop their head in to say hi. Nanette Newman and Bryan Forbes, John Mills and his wife Mary Hayley Bell the playwright were great family friends. Fred Astaire would often stay the weekend. His wonderful daughter Ava is my Godmother. I remember Morecambe and Wise, Dick Emery and Bernard Cribbins as well as Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl coming to my parents summer evening garden parties. And Sid James! He came over to the house for dinner and I was awe at meeting him…I was an still am often very star struck.It was idyllic in many ways. 

I know that one family friend when you were younger was the legendary Diana Dors, someone who has always fascinated me. What was she like?

She was always in my life as a child. She was my Aunty Di. She was warm and funny and kind and of course super glam - a lot of people see Diana in Hope- she and my mother were great pals. When Diana and Alan Lake decided to convert to Catholicism they asked my parents to be their Godparents…So Diana would my Godsister, if there was such a thing. She is still very much missed.

I think my favourite film role your dad ever played was in Two Way Stretch. Do you know if your dad had a favourite film or performance from his long career? And do you have your own favourite?

I loved those British comedies of the 40s 50s and 60s. Dad did so many. Two Way Stretch, Wrong Arm of the Law, You Must Be Joking even Rocket to the Moon with Terry-Thomas and First Men in the Moon with Edward Judd. All great Sunday afternoon TV fare these days on channels like Talking Pictures TV which I love to watch. The Trials of Oscar Wilde probably was one of my favourites and his performance and also King Pelinore in Camelot. He was extremely versatile. He could play high comedy and high drama, and of course he wrote screenplays and directed with great success too, The Railway Children, The Amazing Mr Blunden...Quite a career.

What was it that made you want to become a performer yourself?

Well, I started writing songs at the age of about 5 years old. American friends left their Steinway grand in our enormous shed for a year or two when they went back to The States. It really was a gift from the gods…I sat at it and found I could play. I was writing melodies and songs almost immediately. Although I have always felt that I don’t actually write my work…that I channel it. But that’s another story. I am a composer and lyricist. I studied piano, violin, voice and composition from the age of 16 at The Purcell School of Music. That was a pretty good foundation. Although being a bit of a maverick I didn’t go through the normal channels. I had something different I wanted to express - so I started doing small theatre projects and found that one man pieces worked best for me. It wasn’t until 2010 that I really ‘came out’ as a drag artist. Not that what I do is traditional drag because I play Hope as a real person. She IS a real person to many. But it certainly draws on the work of the great Danny La Rue and America’s late Jim Bailey.  I write all Miss Hope Springs songs and dialogue and make her costumes…She’s very demanding and keeps me very busy!

From reading about you, I know that you moved to New York in the late 1970s. What are your memories of starting a new life in that great city back in those days? 

In the 70s I was still in school…it was the 80s I went to USA and caught the tail end of the Studio 54 Andy Warhol scene. Andy became a friend. I have one of the screen prints he did of Hope! its worth millions obviously!

Where did the idea for Miss Hope Springs come from and can you describe what your show is like for those unlucky not to have seen you live?

It’s very simple. I was inspired by Victor Borge and Blossom Dearie. Hope sits at the piano and tells stories about her life and plays the piano and sings songs to illustrate those stories. Talking about her life…from the Ritz to the pits her disastrous love life (falling for Liberace was a big mistake) and all those career wrong turnings and dead ends. I love Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton…So there is an element of physical comedy…also Lucille Ball and Martha Raye. Broad comedians or comedians who were broads. But there is an element of Dietrich and Piaf in Hope too and a lot of Peggy Lee. She has a fully formed back story populated by her gay husband Irving his hairdresser boyfriend Carlos and her mother Rusty (Rusty Springs) a one time strip…I mean exotic dancer. They all live together in a camper van in Dungeness…a long way from her heyday headlining at the Pink Pelican Casino in Vegas in the 60s.

What do you think your dad would have made of the path your career has taken?

Although I’ve been writing songs since I was 5 and had my first publishing deal at the age of 16 my path to the stage has been a tortuous one…there was the modelling and playing the piano at Langan’s to earn a crust but I also tried property development and landscape gardening. However, in the end, sequins and show tunes won out! I’ve been very lucky. Since starting Hope in 2010 I have not stopped working. I moved back to London from Brighton and Jeremy King of Corbin and King the hugely successful restaurateurs kindly asked me to open his new cabaret room Crazy Coqs in Brasserie Zedel in the West End and I’ve been resident there one way or another ever since. 

Last year I toured the USA and this year the UK. Some telly would be nice…but it seems a very closed shop these days and no matter one’s success as a live entertainer you have to be flogging a big new record or a movie to get on a sofa - let alone do a number. I do a lot of radio ‘appearances’ which I do in character as Hope. It’s hysterical really being a 7 ft glamazon ex showgirl blonde on the airwaves. Much of the effect is obviously lost. Like being a radio contortionist. Hope has been referred to as a blonde bombshell but also as a blonde bombsite which I think is a hoot. My mother and father were both great friends of Danny La Rue’s and dad played Horace Vandergelder at The Comedy Theatre to Danny's Dolly in Hello Dolly back in the 80s.
 

Do you have a favourite venue you like to perform in and where would you love to take your show next? 

Well Crazy Coqs or Live as Zedel is it is known currently in Piccadilly has been my home from home for 5 years now it’s London’s best kept secret. Magical Wilton’s Music Hall in Whitechapel I do a couple of shows there every year. The magnificent Wigmore Hall was a joy to play. I was amazed to sell out there in June during what was a very challenging week for everyone in London, the London Bridge terrorist attack and awful Grenfell tower tragedy had just happened. But people need entertaining at dark times. Someone very cleverly wrote that I was continuing the war-time spirit and in fact the great Joyce Grenfell (by a strange twist of moniker synchronicity) had played Wigmore Hall during the blitz…I like to think I was doing my bit too.

Do you have more shows as your alter ego Miss Hope Springs coming up and if so where can we see you?

I have several Christmas A Gogo shows coming up. That’s my all original festive musical evening with songs and stories from Hope’s lost 1971 Granada TV special. She reminisces about Harry Belafonte and Mama Cass…oh and Shari Lewis and Lambchop were in it too of course. I have a run of shows at the charming theatre in The Museum of Comedy in Bloomsbury. It’s nestled beyond the little Victorian bar and quaint museum where there are vitrines of original vintage comedy paraphernalia such as Little Titch’s shoes and Charlie Drakes toupee…it’s hysterical. There’s a lovely photo of my father and Danny La Rue there too in Hello Dolly…so I hope they will both be smiling down on me when I’m on.

Finally, what would you like to do next in your career? 

In March next year I am presenting a musical version based on the making of Joan Crawford’s last movie Trog. It’s all about a 45,000 year old stone age man encased in ice who Joan falls in love with. After she’s thawed him out of course, otherwise it would just be silly! The songs are all earworms I am told. Be warned once you’ve heard the song Trog you’ll never get it out of your mind…’He’s short and fat and hairy and he’s very very scary…He’s a Trog!’ Don’t say I didn’t warn you...

Miss Hope Springs is appearing at The 2 Brewers in Clapham on Dec 8th, The Chapel Arts Centre in Bath on the Dec 16th and at The Museum of Comedy theatre in Bloomsbury from Dec 19th 23rd and she is appearing with her special guest Rula Lenska at Live at Zedel in Piccadilly from the 28th to the 30th Dec.

All tickets available from www.misshopesprings.com/concerts

Finally, I'd just like to thank Ty very much for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do this interview. I found it fascinating and thoroughly entertaining and I hope you do too!

You can follow Ty on Twitter @TyJeffriesMusic 

And Miss Hope Springs is on Twitter @followmisshope


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