Jack Douglas Tribute Event.

On Sunday 8th May 2011 there will be a Jack Douglas Tribute Event at Pinewood Studios. Jack of course appeared in a handful of Carry On films and whilst I personally found most of his characters somewhat annoying (except in 'Dick') I thought that people may like to know about this event. For more information please visit http://www.britishcomedysociety.com/#/welcome/4528895891

Barbara Windsor's Comedy Roast.

Yes I know it's a bit 'after the event' but I thought I'd give you my perspective of this event as I was actually in the audience.

What was recorded on the evening bore little resemblance to what was actually broadcast. The actual recording was about 2 hours long and VERY rude - in places it went beyond 'near the knuckle'. I am in no way a prude and thrive on innuendo and double entendres but this was actually quite nasty in places. Patrick Kielty was especially cruel.

Barbara looked genuinely shocked at times and kept muttering things like 'what time's this going out' etc... She had a few rather worried exchanges with a guy who was either her PA or something to do with her publicity. On occasion I couldn't even look at her following particularly vitriolic comments. I'm sure she's heard all the old gangster and toyboy jokes before but on this evening they descended into an unpleasant tirade of abuse from the alleged comedians. Apart from Bernard Cribbins, who was a perfect gentleman and Christopher Biggins.

I left the event quite shocked and I can't emphasise enough how un PC I am and how much I usually like quite 'rude' humour. There's a huge gulf however between something that's funny and something that's just plain crude. I really felt for Babs that evening. And 'gawd bless her', during one of the breaks in filming she trolled around the audience shaking hands and full of 'thanks for coming darlin'' etc... Thankfully Scott (her husband) wasn't there or I should imagine that the event may have made the 10 o'clock news that night. 'Comedians punched in face by irate husband' would have been the headline.

Carry On Henry - Behind The Scenes.

I found this little gem on Youtube and just love it. Interviews with Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Terry Scott as well as behind the scenes footage during the shooting of Carry On Henry. Have to love KW - he is SO snooty to the interviewer who doesn't know what the OED is - very funny I think.

Carry On Henry, Behind The Scenes

A Brief Encounter With Kenneth Williams.

Many years ago one of my uncles was a bus inspector and worked at Oxford Circus. One day whilst crossing the road he 'met' Kenneth Williams (probably popping to the co-op for his fags) half way across. He enquired as to how KW was and he rather gruffly replied ''fine thank you', then my uncle asked how his mother was to which he responded ''oh dear boy, she's very well, how kind of you to ask'' ''lovely weather we're having'' etc etc... This enquiry as to the wellbeing of Louie completely changed KW's frame of mind and just backs up what we already know of his fondness for his mother. I always loved this little story and would often get my uncle to repeat it. Has anyone else had any Carry On encounters they'd like to share?

Liz Fraser - What's She Really Like?

Many years ago when I was still at school I had a Saturday job in a department store in Fulham. I had the joyless experience of often having to 'serve' Liz Fraser. A most disagreeable individual if ever I met one. She would waft in with her basset hounds and it would be her and not they who did the barking. Barking orders to the staff and generally being 'the customer from hell'. If she's reading this (highly unlikely, she's probably somewhere charging 10 or 15 quid (or however much it was) for her autograph like she did at Vinmags in Soho,) and thinks my comments are libellous then she'd be wrong because if it's true then it's not libellous and this is 100% true. She still lives in Fulham, I see her occasionally walking her bassett hound (I assume it's a different one because when I used to see her in the shop it was about 23 years ago) and she always looks bloody miserable.

Shooting Stars - Carry On Camping Parody.

I've reuploaded the Shooting Stars Carry On Camping parody. You can find it on the right side panel, over there ----->>>>>>>>>>>. Ooh it does make me snigger!

Carry On Out-takes and Missing Scenes.

I often wondered why there had never been a DVD released of out-takes and/or missing/deleted scenes from the Carry Ons. I sent Robert Ross (that's him on the left) an email about this (he's a Carry On enthusiast and has written many books on the subject). I'm sure he wouldn't object to me sharing his email reply with you. This was the response I got,

''Alas, the out~takes and missing scenes don't exist. I know. I've looked! :-) Producer Peter Rogers always maintained that the film out~takes were destroyed out of respect for the actors. The deleted scenes went the same way. Thus, short of a hidden, miracle archive, treasures like Terry Scott's cut performance from Carry On At Your Convenience are gone forever ~ save the photograph and script I included in 'Carry On Uncensored' (Boxtree, 1999). Gerald Thomas kept everything for up to ten years after a film was completed and then signed the paper~work to see the un~used material junked. Usually to make space in the studio. They were a working unit, afterall, and had no idea how valuable and interesting this material would be.
Anyway, continue to enjoy them and I hope you have managed to listen to some of the current Radio 2 documentary.
All the best, Robert.''

I think this is quite an interesting piece of information and something fans would like to know.

If you're interested in his book that he mentioned in the email then you can get it here

Blog Revisited.

After a break of nearly FOUR YEARS I have decided to return to this blog and give it a kick up the proverbials! I wanted to coincide a new post with Kenneth Williams' birthday but of course (running true to form) it went completely out of my head and I missed the birthday by 2 days (it was on 22nd February.)

Anyway, I'm going to post on a MUCH more regular basis. So, all you old contributors (and some new ones too I hope) get tapping on these keyboards again. Carry on posting!