Ross The Carry On Girls

1. Auflage 2023
ISBN: 978-1-80399-341-6
Verlag: The History Press
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 224 Seiten

Whether it is the seaside postcard bubbly blondes of Barbara Windsor, the hysterically historical leading ladies of Joan Sims, the coquettish authoritarians of Hattie Jacques, or the statuesque confidence of Valerie Leon, the Carry On girls are stoic, sexy and fiercely independent. In this lavish celebration of a pioneering generation of comedy actresses who continue to radiate charm and contemporary relevance, a few home truths are revealed and some myths are debunked; but, above all, some of the best-loved icons of British entertainment are given fitting affection and respect.

GEMMA ROSS is the bestselling co-author of The Carry On Girls. She presents, writes and directs the podcast The Comedy Historian. She has also contributed to audio commentaries for British film comedy releases.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ross, Gemma

Ross, Robert

Leseproben

JULIE STEVENS

Julie Stevens is best known as the original girl – the blonde-bobbed Venus Smith, alongside Patrick Macnee as John Steed, and alternating with Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale. Venus was a nightclub singer, featured in six episodes, each of which would include an interlude for Julie to sing a song. She later went on to be one of the best-loved presenters on : ‘I actually gave my mouse chatting with a giraffe business from that programme for my audition!’

When Julie joined the team she was utterly thrilled; for one thing, the money was terrific. ‘I went from £15 a day on television work to £50 a day for . That was a lot of money, it was very good stuff.’ Moreover, Julie was delighted to be working with what she calls the ‘crème de la crème’ of British comedy. At the time, although she had just given birth and she was still carrying her post-baby weight, Julie was self-conscious that her breasts were not big enough. Indeed, the costume department had to pad her out. Looking back she doesn’t understand what she was worried about: ‘My figure looks gorgeous.’

When she went up for the role, she attended the audition not really knowing what it was about. She simply delivered her line and giggled. Thinking how lovely Pinewood Studios was, she left. When she was offered the role, she couldn’t believe her luck. In fact, she told her agent, ‘You’re kidding, I’m a midget with stumpy legs.’ To aid her with her concerns, they put her in high heels and a big blonde wig so she could be taller. ‘It’s hilarious,’ Julie remembers, ‘whenever I went up for a part and had dyed my hair blonde, I never got it. I kept my dark hair for the , and got the part!’

Julie had the most fun on set, particularly with Amanda Barrie (‘We would giggle all the time, and just enjoy the silliness of it all’), and Sid James:

Sid only lived around the corner from the studio, so he would go straight home after filming, so although they did provide Sid with a Dressing Room at the studios, he never used it. He was such a sweetheart. When I’d finished one day and was really in need of a shower, Sid threw me his keys with ‘I’m off home, so help yourself.’ I was so touched by his kindness. Sid was a true gentleman.

Rome Antics for Ancient Britons in Egypt: Horsa (Jim Dale) and Gloria (Julie Stevens) are reunited at the end of hysterical historical .

When Julie began filming, she wanted her character of Bristolian Gloria to have a Bristol accent. After her first scene:

Gerald Thomas pulled me to one side to say ‘What’s with the accent?’ I said, ‘Well, it says in the script she’s from Bristol …’ Gerry smiled and said, ‘Don’t worry about that,’ so I dropped it from there on in. It’s still in the film. Just. Right near the end, when I escape with Jim Dale, which was my first scene to be filmed.

For Julie, everyone was professional on the set, and she felt it was about as luxurious as her career could ever be. It was fast and it was fun: ‘No one ever changed the script. You had it, you came to work, and got on with it. It was a joy. They were all naughty boys in the nicest possible way.’

DAME SHEILA HANCOCK

Just before starring as the dipsy Carole in , from October 1961 through to June 1962, Sheila had originally been cast in the role Ambrosine Phillpotts plays in . With the chimp! However, Sheila did join the team in She played Senna Pod the domestic ogress who becomes the affectionate mother and sexually eager wife to Hengist Pod (Kenneth Connor). A few months after completing her role, in October 1964, Sheila appeared in BBC2’s production of . She was cast as Olive Leech, the role created by June Jago. wheels within wheels …

Horsa (Jim Dale) is welcomed by his new next-door neighbours Hengist and Senna Pod (Kenneth Connor and Sheila Hancock): a snarling ancient Briton, ‘without a lick of woad on!’

TANYA BINNING

The buxom Chief Vestal Virgin, Virginia, in , Tanya was a statuesque model and showgirl who was paid in cash from the kitty for her three days’ work on the film. Part of the assignment was a prestigious publicity photograph session in London in August 1964. These photos were circulated in the press as an advance coming attraction for the Christmas 1964 launch of the film.

A reflective moment for Tanya Binning, being fitted for her part at theatrical costumers Bermans. The Australian-born beauty would follow the film up with an appearance in the musical comedy film .

THELMA TAYLOR

Thelma Taylor is the beautiful blonde servant to Seneca (Charles Hawtrey) in . Something of a secretary, the aged sage is teaching her to write; after all, Thelma has little to do but look lovely. She does it beautifully. Of course.

Thelma Taylor’s performance in was too funny for words, and she blended perfectly with the ancient Rome decor (even in sixties kinky boots): a gloriously haphazard assortment of sets left over from 20th Century Fox’s epic production of , and from a production of rented out from fellow player Victor Maddern. Vic had played Helicon in the stage play so ‘those sets were very familiar to me!’

WANDA VENTHAM

Chalking up two very different, decidedly strong girls, Wanda Ventham is the determined auction bidder at the Marcus & Spencius slave market, trying to pick up the handsome hunk Horsa (Jim Dale), in . She is outbid by Peggy Ann Clifford (1921–86), the rotund character actress who specialised in those over-fed, overly affectionate roles. Wanda’s sheepish shake of the head to the hirsute slave as she is outbid is delightful indeed, and not even Jim’s desperate plea, that he’ll pay her back should she go higher, does any good. He’s destined to be Willa Claudia’s ‘pampered pet of an old Roman bag’. W.C. Oh, no!

Wanda returned four years later, for . Here, as the number one wife of the Khasi of Kalibar (Kenneth Williams) she brings a serene sensitivity to the role. She is part of the package deal that Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sid James) insists upon bedding, thanks to the Khasi, supposedly, seducing Sid’s good lady wife, Lady Joan (Joan Sims). While the scene is played in the broadest of strokes by the regulars, this was common practice during the days of the British in India, and Wanda’s subtle playing adds just the right touch of authenticity to this right old .

A frequent face on British screens, Wanda’s first break in Pinewood Studios comedy was opposite Norman Wisdom, in uncredited roles as a debutante in (1962), and as a nurse in (1963). In between romps with the team, she played sophisticated Priscilla Blunstone-Smythe, opposite Mark Burns, in the glamorous thriller (1966); and demure Clare Mallinger in the Tigon horror film (1968), where Inspector Peter Cushing is on the trail of a murderous moth. Oh, yes. Spoiler alert here: it turns out to be Wanda, the pretty daughter of mad doctor Robert Flemying.

Wanda’s sitcom credentials are high, most notably playing Pamela Parry, wife of Alan (Denis Lill) in , from 1989 through to 1992. Along with second husband, Timothy Carlton, she joined the cast of , playing the parents of Sherlock Holmes – the couple being the actual parents of star Benedict Cumberbatch.

Sid James, in character as Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond, was whisked into … publicity mode, and snapped on the Pinewood Studios village set for concurrent production , with gorgeous Vicki Woolf and Wanda Ventham, as the Khasi’s wives, the last and first to ‘right the wrong’.

JULIE HARRIS (1921–2015)

was the only assignment for Julie Harris but one of splendour to be sure. Julie, who had graduated from the Chelsea School of Art, was something of the go-to designer for swinging sixties British film. Indeed, she worked on The Beatles films and Soon after completing work on , she was employed by director John Schlesinger for . Julie recalled that star Julie Christie ‘badgered me to make the skirts shorter. And she was right.’ Harris was presented with the Academy Award for her designs. The wealth of Victoriana required by Bryan Forbes for pocketed Julie a BAFTA. She designed the elaborate, flowing threads for former Bond girl Ursula Andress in the James Bond spoof , and later worked on the official...