The Complete A–Z of Everything Carry On

DANIELLE, SUZANNE

Role: Emmannuelle Prevert in Emmannuelle

Born in London in 1955, Suzanne Danielle grew up in Romford, Essex, where she attended the famous Bush Davies School between the age of seven and sixteen; it was here that she nurtured not only her love of acting but dancing, too. She gained experience of the stage at Hornchurch Rep before joining the cast of Billy, starring Michael Crawford. After four weeks in Manchester, the play moved into the West End.

Soon after appearing in Billy, Danielle was seen on the big screen in The Prince and the Pauper, while other credits include The Wild Geese, Golden Lady, Long Shot, The Stud, Flash Gordon, Arabian Adventure (as a dancer) and, one of her last films, The Boys in Blue, in 1987.

On the small screen, meanwhile, she enjoyed a busy period between the late 1970s and late ’80s when she was seen in several television series, such as The Professionals, The Generation Game, Doctor Who, Hammer House of Horror, Tales of the Unexpected, Strangers and the Morecambe and Wise Show.

In the late 1980s she married golfer Sam Torrance and quit showbusiness.

DANIELS, BILL

Sound recordist on Nurse, Constable, Cruising, Cabby, Jack, Spying, Cleo, Camping and Again Doctor

Bill Daniels began working as a sound recordist from the mid-1950s, with early films including The Secret Place, Hell Drivers, Rockets Galore!, A Tale of Two Cities and Too Many Crooks. He worked regularly until the mid-70s, with later credits such as the big-screen version of hit sitcom Bless This House and in 1976, his last film, The Slipper and the Rose.

DANIELS, DANNY

Role: Nosha Chief in Up the Jungle

Other screen credits for Danny Daniels include the television shows White Hunter, The Saint and Man in a Suitcase as well as films such as Passionate Summer, Murder Club, Prehistoric Women and The Oblong Box.

DANIELS, PENNY

Continuity on Nurse, Cruising, Cabby, Jack, Spying and Screaming!

Working in continuity from the 1950s, Penny Daniels’ long list of film credits include Tiger in the Smoke, A Night to Remember, The Captain’s Table, The League of Gentlemen, Whistle Down the Wind, Séance on a Wet Afternoon, Where Eagles Dare, The Medusa Touch and two Bond movies, Octopussy and A View to a Kill.

DANN, DAN

Played by Charles Hawtrey

Works as a lavatory attendant at the public conveniences outside the entrance to Hocombe Park. Formerly employed at the Bide-a-Wee Rest Home, near Hocombe Woods, as a gardener before securing the job which comes with free accommodation! He sadly meets an unfortunate end when he’s drowned in one of his own toilets. Olando and Virula Watt, the residents of Bide-a-Wee Rest Home, become concerned that he’ll spill the beans to the police about the goings-on at their eerie house, so they despatch Odbodd to do their dirty deeds. (Note: in an early version of the script, Dan was to be Doris Mann’s father.)

DANN, LARRY

Roles: Boy in Teacher, Clive in Behind, Gunner Shaw in England and Theodore Valentine in Emmannuelle

Born in London in 1941, Larry Dann joined the Corona Stage School from the age of eleven. Just like his opening performance in the Carry Ons, his screen debut, back in 1949, saw him cast as a schoolboy in Rank’s movie, Adam and Evelyn, with Stewart Granger and Jean Simmons. While studying at stage school he appeared as an extra in several pictures, including The Million Pound Note, Trouble in Store and The Bulldog Breed.

He left Corona aged twenty-one and joined Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop in London’s Stratford East, appearing in the original production of Oh What A Lovely War, marking the beginning of a fruitful stage career. Over the years he’s performed with numerous repertory companies and in plenty of West End productions, while his small screen work includes playing Elsie Tanner’s son, Dennis, in Florizel Street, the pilot episode of Coronation Street and Sergeant Alec Peters in The Bill for eight years.

MEMORIES

‘I made my debut as a schoolkid in Teacher. Most of the kids were from the Corona Academy School, including myself, and I remember having a great time. It was terribly sad, though, because a scene I was in ended up being cut. For me, it was one of the best moments on the studio set because I got a huge round of applause after finishing it. It was during the orchestra scene. The orchestra went into a jazz number and it all became chaotic. I was on the drums, playing a stupid, dumb boy, and went bananas. Suddenly it was cut out of the film and I assume lost on the cutting-room floor. But I had a great time with all my mates.

‘I hadn’t appeared in a Carry On for what seemed like 150 years when I was offered a role in Behind. I got into that one purely because in those days I used to do a lot of commercials and a few months before Behind started, I went to film a commercial and Gerald Thomas was directing it. I walked into the room and he said: “Hello, Larry, long time no see.” He then went on to say: “You’re not right for this commercial, but I want you for the next Carry On.” I thought to myself, “Oh yes, I’ll believe that when it happens.” But a week later I was in it!’

LARRY DANN

DARCY DE PUE, LORD

Played by Jim Dale

A friend of Sir Rodney Ffing, he is saddened to hear of the plight of so many French men and women; since the revolution across the channel, the aristocracy are losing their heads to the guillotine at an alarming rate and the brave Darcy, accompanied by Ffing, sets out to snatch the victims from the brink of death via a series of audacious ruses and artful disguises. Seen in Don’t Lose Your Head.

DARCY, MAUREEN

Played by Carol Wyler

One of the beauty contestants rushed on stage during the itching powder fiasco in Girls.

DARK, GREGORY

Assistant Director on Emmannuelle

DARLING, JANE

Played by Valerie Leon

The film star gives birth to triplets in the back of the ambulance during Matron. Even more remarkable, though, is that Cyril Carter, dressed up as a nurse, administered the delivery because Dr Prodd, who should have been doing the job, was knocked out after having an injection accidentally pushed into his backside.

DARLING, MR

Played by Robin Hunter

Jane Darling’s husband who waves his wife goodbye during Matron before heading back inside his house for a bit of fun with the shapely au pair.

DARVEY, DIANA

Role: Maureen in Behind

Born in Richmond, Surrey, in 1945, Diana Darvey followed her mother – who topped the bill at the Windmill Theatre during the war years – into showbusiness. Originally starting out as a singer and dancer, her early career was spent working with Miss Joan Baron’s Ballet in Madrid; spotted by former musical revue artist Celia Gomez, who groomed her to become England’s first female star in Spanish light entertainment. She later won more plaudits as leading lady to Spanish revue artistes Luis Cuenca and Pedro Pena in Barcelona. Three years later, she returned to Madrid’s Teatro Alcazar as the star attraction.

In the 1970s she was working on British television, making occasional appearances in shows such as sitcom And Mother Makes Five, starring Wendy Craig. She also played various character roles in several series of The Benny Hill Show. For many years continued to lead a successful career in cabaret at the Savoy and other top venues.

She died in 2000, aged fifty-four.

DAVENPORT, CLAIRE

Role: Blonde in Pub in Emmannuelle

Born in Sale, Cheshire, in 1933, Claire Davenport was the archetypal character actress, often seen playing a host of battleaxes, from fearsome traffic wardens to overbearing wives.

After grammar school she trained as a teacher at Liverpool’s St Catherine’s College and subsequently taught at a school in Salford. Always a keen amateur actress, she spent her evenings performing with various local companies before, in 1960, deciding to swap careers.

She studied at RADA for two years before making her professional debut in the stage version of television sitcom, The Rag Trade; the following year, she played Myrtle in the final series of the TV show.

Hers quickly became a regular face on television, mostly in comedies such as George and the Dragon, Love Thy Neighbour, Fawlty Towers, Robin’s Nest, George and Mildred and On the Buses. On the big screen she played a masseuse in The Return of the Pink Panther, a fat lady in The Elephant Man and a six-breasted dancer in Return of the Jedi. She subsequently popped up in various low-budget sex comedies, including The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones and Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse.

A series of strokes in the 1990s stopped her working. She died in 2002, aged sixty-eight.

DAVENPORT, DAVID

Roles: Bilius in Cleo, Sergeant in Don’t Lose Your Head and Major-domo in Henry

Born in Hertfordshire in 1921, David Davenport moved to London at the age of thirteen to attend the Cone Ripman ballet school, before joining the Lydia Kyasht Russian ballet at seventeen. Four years later, he was invited to join the Royal Ballet.

His career as a dancer was suspended for four years whilst he worked as an RAF wireless operator during World War Two, but he continued after the war with parts in Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House in 1946 and Annie Get Your Gun in 1948. During the 1950s, he moved into musical stage work, playing in many productions including The King and I and Oklahoma! He also began choreographing ballets for the Joanna Denise Classical Dance Group and made the transition into acting, in films and television.

His small-screen credits include playing the nationally hated Malcolm Ryder in Crossroads and frequently appearing in All Creatures Great and Small. He also acted in numerous films including King’s Rhapsody and 84, Charing Cross Road.

He died in 1994, aged seventy-three.

DAVEY, BERT

Art Director on Cleo, Cowboy and Screaming! Began as an art director in the 1950s and went on to spend the next three decades working on such films as Time Is My Enemy, On the Beat, A Stitch in Time, Battle of Britain, At the Earth’s Core, The People That Time Forgot, Eye of the Needle and, in 1986, his last film, Aliens.

DAVID, EVAN

Role: Bridegroom in Cruising

Windsor Davis struck gold by playing Sgt. Major Williams in the sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum as well as appearing in two Carry Ons.

DAVIES, WINDSOR

Roles: Fred Ramsden in Behind and Sergeant Major ‘Tiger’ Bloomer in England

Born in London in 1930, Windsor Davies is probably best known for playing loud-mouthed Sergeant Major Williams in Perry and Croft’s 70’s sitcom, It Ain’t Half Hot, Mum.

He worked as a teacher and miner before completing a drama course at Richmond College in 1961 and turning his attention to acting. His screen career had begun by the mid-60s with early credits including television shows Dixon of Dock Green, Redcap, The Corridor People and Probation Officer, playing Bill Morgan. His film work covers the likes of Murder Most Foul, The Alphabet Murders, Drop Dead Darling and Endless Night.

More recent credits include small-screen productions 2point4Children, Sunburn, Casualty, Vanity Fair, My Family and Cor Blimey!

DAVIS, JOAN

Continuity on Sergeant and Constable

Her other credits in continuity, dating back to the 1940s, include Candles at Night, Turn the Key Softly, A Town Like Alice, The Iron Petticoat, The Spanish Gardener, Campbell’s Kingdom, The 39 Steps, Victim and two Bond movies, Thunderball and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

DAVISON, RITA

Continuity on Don’t Lose Your Head, Henry and At Your Convenience

Rita Davison began working in continuity in the 1950s and proceeded to clock up a host of film credits. She joined the production team of films such as Innocents in Paris, The Vicious Circle, Tunes of Glory, Tom Jones, Help!, Petulia and her last film, 1981’s Dragonslayer. She also worked on the ITC drama series, The Saint.

DAWE, CEDRIC

Art Director on Doctor

Born in London in 1906, Cedric Dawe was designing for the US stage for several years before entering the British film industry. Other than the war years, during which he served in the army, he was regularly in employment.

His film credits included Black Limelight, Traveller’s Joy, Freedom of the Seas, Easy Money, So Long at the Fair, Street Corner, Star of India, Up in the World, A Hill in Korea and his penultimate film, The Day of the Triffids. He also worked on the 50s television series, Colonel March of Scotland Yard.

He died in 1996.

DAWES ROAD

Mentioned in Cabby during the scene where Peggy and Sally are driving along while being held at gunpoint by crooks.

DAWSON, NURSE STELLA

Played by Joan Sims

The accident-prone student nurse is seen in Nurse, working at the Haven Hospital. She’s so green she even thinks suppositories should be adminstered orally. Thankfully for poor old Ted York, the patient, she discovers her mistake before it’s too late.

DAY, TILLY

Continuity on Teacher

From the 1930s, when she worked on films such as The Mystery of the Marie Celeste, Tilly Day’s lengthy list of credits include The Rocking Horse Winner, The Malta Story, Lost, Too Many Crooks, Futtock’s End, Up the Front and, in 1974, Diamonds On Wheels.

Nurse Dawson (Joan Sims) is a liability at Haven Hospital (Nurse)

DE WOLFF, FRANCIS

Role: Agrippa in Cleo

Born in Southminster, Essex, in 1913, Francis De Wolff graduated from RADA and made a living playing character parts on stage and screen. His television work saw him in shows such as Disneyland, Interpol Calling, The Cheaters and running roles as Leopold of Austria in Richard the Lionheart and Jedikiah in 1970’s sci-fi series, The Tomorrow People.

He was working in films from the 1930s, and among his credits are Flame in the Heather, Adam and Evelyne, Tom Brown’s Schooldays, The Diamond, The Smallest Show on Earth and The Three Musketeers.

He died in 1984, aged seventy-one.

DEAF OLD LADY

Played by Esma Cannon

Seen in Constable, the old lady has just diced with death and managed to cross a busy main road when along comes interfering PC Benson who shepherds her back across, much to her annoyance.

DEAN

Played by Donald Hewlett

The Dean of the University of Kidburn is seen in Behind. He informs Professor Crump that he’ll be assisted on the archaeological dig by Professor Vooshka.

DEARLOVE MODEL LAUNDRY (DRY CLEANING)

One of their vans is seen chugging into Heathercrest National Service Depot in Sergeant carrying an extra piece of cargo in the shape of Mary Sage, the newlywed who wants to be near her hubby, who was called up on their wedding day.

DEBRA

Played by Sally Geeson

With her enormous specs, Debra is Cecil Gaybody’s assistant on the television programme, Women’s Things. Seen in Girls when the TV crew arrive at the Palace Hotel in Fircombe to film the beauty contest.

DEIRDRE

Played by Valerie Leon

Deirdre Philkington-Battermore is employed as Dr Nookey’s secretary in Again Doctor. With her short, low-cut dresses she’s obviously willing to satisfy her boss in every conceivable way.

DELLING, HELEN

Played by Carol Shelley

Mr Delling’s wife is seen in Regardless. She returns to the family house unexpectedly, just as her husband has arranged for Delia King, from Helping Hands, to model some new clothes, including underwear, he wanted to buy his wife as a surprise anniversary present. Helen has quite a shock when she hangs her coat up in the bedroom cupboard only to find Delia, disguised as a workman, clambering out.

DELLING, MR

Played by Jimmy Thompson

Appears in Regardless. A smart, dark-haired man who hires Delia King to model a set of outfits he’s bought his wife as a surprise anniversary present. When his beloved, Helen, arrives home early, Mr Delling panics and pushes Delia into the cupboard.

DEMPSEY, MISS

Played by Patsy Rowlands

For years, the dowdy Miss Dempsey has been Mr Snooper’s housekeeper, taking care of his every need, so she’s understandably jealous when Sophie Bliss appears on the scene, albeit temporarily. Seen in Loving, she makes sure Sophie doesn’t get her claws into Mr Snooper by dressing seductively – or as seductive as Miss Dempsey can be – and coming out with plenty of outrageous comments about her relationship with her boss.

DEMPSTER, JEREMY

Role: Recruit in Sergeant

DENBY, EILEEN

Played by Laraine Humphrys

One of the beauty contestants eager to win the Miss Fircombe crown in Girls.

DENE, CARMEN

Roles: Mexican Girl in Cowboy and Hospitality Girl in Up The Khyber

Between the mid-1960s and early 70s, Carmen Dene was offered small parts in a handful of films, such as Genghis Khan, Cuckoo Patrol and Subterfuge, as well as television shows including The Avengers and The Benny Hill Show.

DENTON, NURSE DOROTHY

Played by Shirley Eaton

A staff nurse at the Haven Hospital who’s infatuated with Dr Stephens. Seen in Nurse, she carries out her job efficiently and effectively, but when she realises her chances of romance with Stephens, who seems to like every young and pretty nurse in the entire hospital, are slim, she considers applying for a job in America. Her plans change, however, when she falls for journalist Ted York.

DERNLEY, DOREEN

Continuity on Camping

She began working in films in the 1950s and established a list of credits which included such pictures as Shadow of a Man, Dracula, Cairo, Up the Junction, Get Carter, On the Buses and one of the sequels, Mutiny on the Buses.

DESIREE, MADAME

Played by Joan Sims

In Dick, Madame Desiree tours the country with a group of girls entertaining at pubs, like the Old Cock Inn, as Madame Desiree et ses Oiseaux des Paradis, or Birds of Paradise. A cockney by birth, she’s adopted a French accent over the years to go with her act.

DESK SERGEANT

Played by Frank Forsyth

Seen in Screaming! telling Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung that he’s wanted when Albert Potter causes mayhem at a milliner’s.

DESMONDE, JERRY

Role: Martin Paul in Regardless

Born in Middlesbrough in 1908, Jerry Desmonde was always cast as the straight man, including a long-standing relationship alongside Sid Field and, later, Norman Wisdom in his films of the 1950s.

Adroit at playing haughty roles, such as Major Willoughby in Wisdom’s Up in the World, Desmonde’s other film credits included The Perfect Woman, The Malta Story, Ramsbottom Rides Again, A Kind of Loving and Gonks Go Beat. On television he was a regular panellist on What’s My Line.

He died in 1967, aged fifty-eight, after committing suicide.

DEVEREAUX, ED

Roles: Sergeant Russell in Sergeant, Alec Lawrence in Nurse, Mr Panting in Regardless, Young Officer in Cruising and Hook in Jack

Born in Sydney, Australia, in 1925, Ed Devereaux’s greatest screen success was playing Matt Hammond, a park ranger in the television series, Skippy, about a pet kangaroo, which sold around the world.

Prior to this success, he was a regular face in British films during the 1950s and ’60s, appearing in such pictures as The Captain’s Table, Watch Your Stern, Man in the Moon, Very Important Person, The Bargee and Money Movers. He was also regularly seen on television.

After leaving school he undertook a succession of jobs, including taxi-driving, before breaking into radio and films in Australia. He moved to England in the early 1950s and began appearing on the stage. An accomplished singer, he had starring roles in musicals such as Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Damn Yankees, Pyjama Game as well as Variety and cabaret acts.

He returned Down Under in 1964 but contined appearing on British screens, including an appearance in an episode of Absolutely Fabulous.

He died in 2003, aged seventy-eight.

DEVIS, JIMMY

Camera Operator on Don’t Lose Your Head, Abroad, Girls and Dick

Jimmy Devis, born in London in 1931, followed his brother into the film industry in 1946, joining Gaumont-British, based at Lime Grove, as a mail boy. He spent a short spell in the cutting room and, later, joined the camera department.

After the studios closed, Devis completed his National Service in the RAF, before returning home and, in 1952, working as a freelance clapper-loader. It wasn’t long until he was offered a contract at Pinewood, where he worked between 1952–60, before returning to a freelance status.

He retired in 2001, by which time he was working as a director of photography for second units and directing action units. His long list of credits include Return to Oz, Wild Geese II, Labyrinth, Christopher Columbus: The Discovery, Avalanche, Superman, For Your Eyes Only, Empire of the Sun and Daylight.

MEMORIES

‘The Carry Ons were some of my favourite films to work on because they were humorous, there was no tension and they were organised. And what a wonderful crew and cast.

‘I was given my first chance as a camera operator on Don’t Lose Your Head and, fortunately, Alan Hume and Gerry Thomas were very patient. They liked to shoot within one or two takes and on my first shot, which was very difficult, I took about seven goes. There was a big crowd, and it turned out to be one of the most difficult I had to do for them. It was a scene set in Paris where people are queuing up at the guillotine while others arrive by cart. We had to pan them, then track back and look up at the guillotine. In the background there were other sets, which were very tall, that were going to be used for another film. Trying to keep them out of the picture, together with everything else, made it very difficult. I was really sweating but fortunately everything turned out well in the end.’