Wednesday 29 July 2015

Carry On Fan of the Week: Simon!



I have started a series of blogs which feature, well, some of you! I love interacting with you all on Twitter and Facebook, so I thought I would give you the chance to share your thoughts on the Carry Ons on the blog itself.

Last week Jon shared some of his answers with us and now it's time to hear from another follower on Twitter. Many thanks to Simon Copley for taking the time to get in touch!

What was the first Carry On film you ever saw?

Sergeant, then soon after Nurse and after that Teacher. Purely a coincidence I saw the first three in order!

Who is your favourite Carry On actor and why?

This is a difficult choice.  Originally I would have been torn between Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey, but over time I've come to appreciate Kenneth Connor more and more, and would say he is just ahead of them now.  His performances in the first seven films are all brilliantly funny, but with depth and subtlety too. The scenes in Teacher and Cruising, with Rosalind Knight and Dilys Laye respectively, where his character is trying to overcome his nerves with romance are some of the best in the series. I think he was underused in the later films, although he was always good to watch.

Looking at occasional Carry On leads, Ted Ray in Teacher and Harry H Corbett in Screaming excel. A shame they didn't do more!



Who is your favourite Carry On actress and why?

Hattie Jacques is my favourite regular Carry On actress, although often cast in the fearsome matron type roles she did so well, some of the films show her true versatility as an actress, none more so than the beautifully played part in Cabby.

Of the more occasional female leads, Dilys Laye, Fenella Fielding and Angela Douglas are all favourites across the films they are in.

Who is your favourite Carry On supporting actor?

Difficult to know how to define supporting actor and who would fall into this category, but I would say Esma Cannon, whose every appearance adds a mixture of charm and eccentricity.



Have you ever visited any Carry On film locations?

Waddesdon Manor, where Don't Lose Your Head was filmed.

Have you ever met any Carry On actors?

Many years ago I met Bill Owen, who starred in four of the early films, most memorably Sergeant.

Sadly nearly all of the events with cast members take place in the south of the country and are not easy to attend. Given so much British comedy has links to the north, we could do with a northern branch of the Museum of Comedy, which could host such events.

Do you have any Carry On memorabilia?

No, would like to though, but it is hard to come by.

Finally, what's your all time favourite Carry On film?

My favourite scene from a Carry On film would be the famous dinner scene from Up the Khyber, for it's portrayal of the British in a crisis.

However for my favourite film as a whole it would be one of three depending when you asked me!

Teacher is my favourite of the early films, with it's blend of humour and pathos, all the team on top form, plus Ted Ray, Rosalind Knight and Leslie Phillips all excellent.

Screaming again full of first class performances from the whole team, with excellent guest stars Harry H Corbett and Fenella Fielding. The only pity is that Angela Douglas isn't given more to do.

Don't Lose Your Head, another where all the regulars were given plenty to do and were on top form, which seems to be the common thread to these three, plus my favourite of Sid James' performances, with the dual role of Sir Rodney ffing and the Black Fingernail, the former proving his real versatility as an actor.



Thanks again to Simon for emailing in his answers! You can follow Simon on Twitter @SimonCopley1


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

Clicking on the adverts helps to keep this blog going.



No comments:

Post a Comment