Keep On Carrying On.

Richie

Well-Known Member
Staff member
This thread is about everything that was the iconic bawdy Carry On series of films in the 50s/ 60s and 70s. It was the great chemistry of the core of ensemble actors imo that spawned 31 movies and assorted television programs and kept we the audience often having our funny bone tickled. That core were Joan Sims, Sid James, Babs Windsor, Hattie Jaques, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey. (see below)
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Jim Dale is added in this shot of the principal Carry On cast.
 
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I have some Carry On trivia 🤗

The producers were unable to get insurance for Hattie Jacques before filming Carry On Abroad, because of her weight problem, so instead of leaving her out of the film she was given a small part and refined to the hotel kitchen as a Spanish cook.
Personally I thought her size was good for the characters she played, especially the matron, she was an awesome actress. 🤗
 
I have some Carry On trivia 🤗

The producers were unable to get insurance for Hattie Jacques before filming Carry On Abroad, because of her weight problem, so instead of leaving her out of the film she was given a small part and refined to the hotel kitchen as a Spanish cook.
Personally I thought her size was good for the characters she played, especially the matron, she was an awesome actress. 🤗
Totally with you about Hattie.
You like the thread Jessica.
 
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Lets go back to the beginning of the Carry On films era. It was never conceived as a film series by its instigators producer Peter Rogers , director Gerald Thomas and screenwriter Norman Hudis . But that is precisely what happened after the success of the first film Carry On Sergeant in 1958 which depicted a group of National Service recruits. It was based on the play The Bull Boys and had William Hartnell, Bob Monkhouse and Eric Barker in the three lead roles. Playing smaller roles were actors that were to form the nucleus of the Carry On ensemble for the next two decades, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Hattie Jacques. Additionally there were two young actors that would play an important part in the success of the Carry Ons.. Terry Scott and Kenneth Connor.

Carry On Teacher was next with the addition of the dashing West End comic actor Leslie Phillips. This then inspired a similar venture, again focusing on an established and respected profession in Carry On Nurse. This introduced the world to a RADA trained beauty by the name of Joan Sims who played the role of the accident prone trainee nurse. That too was a hit that led to Carry On Constable which established the series and introduced audiences to a South African born craggy faced actor called Sid James. Then came Carry On Regardless about a small group of out of work people who unable to find anything set up their employment agency. The first color Carry On.. Cruising followed about the misfit crew of a passenger liner that drive their captain up the wall. There were several important supporting roles, one being the dizzy passenger played by Australian actress Esma Cannon..

The stock-in-trade of Carry On humor was innuendo and the sending-up of British institutions and customs, such as the national health service (Nurse, Doctor, Matron and the proposed Again Nurse), the monarchy (Henry), the Empire (Up the Khyber), the armed forces (Sergeant, England, Jack and the proposed Flying and Escaping), the police (Constable) and the trade unions (At Your Convenience) as well as recreation (Camping), foreign holidays (Cruising, Abroad), beauty contests (Girls), caravan holidays (Behind), and the education system (Teacher).
Although the films were very often panned by critics, they mostly proved very popular with audiences.

The remainder of the Carry On series developed with increased use of the English comic traditions of music hall and bawdy seaside postcards such as Carry On , Camping, Girls, Loving, Henry, Matron and Abroad. Many titles parodied more serious films, such as their tongue-in-cheek homages to James Bond (Spying), westerns (Cowboy), and Hammer horror films (Screaming!). The most impressive of these was Carry On Cleo (1964), in which the budget-conscious production team made full use of some impressive sets that had been intended for the Burton-and-Taylor epic Cleopatra (1963). Carry On Emmanuelle, inspired by the soft erotic Emmanuelle, brought to an end the original Carry On run. There was an attempt to revive the series in 1992 with Carry On Columbus but it was box office flop.
 
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I have some more Carry On trivia 🤗
In Carry On Camping, the grass at the camp site had to be spray painted green because it was filmed in the winter and the grass was muddy, also thin wire fencing was placed over it to make it firm for when the cast walked on it.
 
I'll have to watch Carry On Camping again Jessica to see if I can notice the muddy grass spray painted green 😄

Top info Richie about the beginning of the Carry On films era :thumbsu:
 
I'll have to watch Carry On Camping again Jessica to see if I can notice the muddy grass spray painted green 😄

Top info Richie about the beginning of the Carry On films era :thumbsu:
I've looked many times and haven't seen it so hopefully you have more luck than me :thumbsu:
 
Carry

Carry On Cruising? He looks like the fitness instructor on board the ship?:D
Brilliant Jessica. The scene was when the Dilys Laye character was being given some rope climbing lessons. No idea of the man in the shot? I am shattered. It is Australian actor Vincent Ball. One of many young Aussie actors that chased work in the UK in the 50s/60s.
 
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I've looked many times and haven't seen it so hopefully you have more luck than me :thumbsu:
I will look online for Camping for you both and post the link. I have it in my library but unable to share those films.

Here it is. Enjoy.


You two let me know when you intend watching. I will do same and then we can compare notes.
Watch closely for Bab's boob flash :rolleyes:
 
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Brilliant Jessica.. Cruising it is. The scene was when the Dilys Laye character was being given some rope climbing lessons by the fitness instructor played by Australian actor Vincent Ball. One of many young Aussie actors that chased work in the UK in the 50s/60s.
Cruising is hard to find. In case you dont have it here is a link. Sorry not the best quality print.
 
I will look online for Camping for you both and post the link. I have it in my library but unable to share those films.

Here it is. Enjoy.


You two let me know when you intend watching. I will do same and then we can compare notes.
Watch closely for Bab's boob flash :rolleyes:

Watched Carry On Camping a couple of days ago... definitely noticed Bab's boob flash 😁
 
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