Carol Hawkins
Carol Hawkins (born 31 January 1949 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is an English actress, best known for her various comic roles in numerous TV sitcoms and films in the 1970s and 1980s.
Carol Hawkins | |
---|---|
Born | Carol Hawkins 31 January 1949 Barnet, Hertfordshire, England |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1969–present |
Spouse |
Martyn Padbury
(m. 1984; died 2013) |
She played the roles of Sharon Eversleigh in the film of the television series Please Sir! and Sandra in the BBC TV series Porridge, and starred in two Carry On films (Carry On Abroad as Marge and Carry On Behind as Sandra).
Biography
Hawkins trained early on as a shorthand typist at Pitman's College, London, but, following some modelling and promotion work, attended the Corona Stage Academy in Hammersmith, London.[1] While still training as an actress, she won the part of Sharon Eversleigh in the film of the popular television series Please Sir!, replacing the departed Penny Spencer.[2] Hawkins went on to play the part of Sharon in The Fenn Street Gang.[3]
She performed in British comedy films of the 1970s, such as two Carry On films: Carry On Abroad (1972), alongside Sally Geeson, and Carry On Behind (1975), alongside Sherrie Hewson.[4] In 1972, she again appeared alongside Geeson in the film adaptation of the popular British television comedy, Bless This House.
She appeared in the Carry On Laughing television series, but she declined to appear in the 1976 Carry On England, due to the excessive nudity. (The part written for Hawkins was played instead by Tricia Newby.)[5] Her other film appearances at that time included principal roles in British comedy films Not Now, Comrade and Confessions of a Pop Performer.[6][7] At the end of 1975, she appeared in the Porridge episode "No Way Out" as a fake doctor assigned to secretly give Fletcher a false passport.[8]
Hawkins "more or less retired" in 2005,[9] with the aim of devoting more time to spiritual matters and animal care.
Film, television and theatre credits
Filmography
- The Body Stealers (1969) - Paula
- Zeta One (1969) - Zara
- Monique (1970) - Blonde Girl
- When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970) - Yani
- Up Pompeii (1971) - Nero's Girl (uncredited)
- Please Sir! (1971) - Sharon Eversleigh
- Bless This House (1972) - Kate Baines
- Carry On Abroad (1972) - Marge
- Percy's Progress (1974) - Maggie
- Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975) - Jill Brown
- Carry On Behind (1975) - Sandra
- Not Now, Comrade (1976) - Barbara Wilcox
Selected television credits
- Carry on Again Christmas (1970) - Island Girl
- The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973) - Sharon Eversleigh / Sharon Duffy
- The Two Ronnies (1974–1983) - various characters
- Porridge (1975) - Sandra
- Carry On Laughing (1975) - Lily
- Whodunnit? (1976) - Vera Moore
- Robin's Nest (1978) - Policewoman Doris Dobbs
- Whodunnit? (1978) - Penny Cooper
- The Les Dawson Show (1979)
- Blake's 7 (1980) - Kerril
- The Dick Emery Show (1980)
- Together (1980–81)
- C.A.T.S. Eyes (1985) - Sandra Fox
- My Husband and I (1986–1988) - Tracy Cosgrove
- All at No 20 (second series, 1987) - Candy
- The Bill (1997) - Lynn Archer / Mrs. Rose / Mrs. Sterry / Mrs. Giles
- Doctors (2004) - Pam Jordan
Selected theatre credits
- Wait Until Dark (1975)
- Sextet (1977–78, Criterion Theatre)
- Time and Time Again (1978)
- Bedroom Farce (1979)
- The Undertaking (1980, Fortune Theatre)
- Dirty Linen (1980, Arts Theatre, London)
- Run for Your Wife (1983, Shaftesbury Theatre; 1989, Whitehall Theatre)
- See How They Run (1984, Shaftesbury Theatre)
- Wife Begins at Forty (1985, Ambassadors Theatre)
References
- Askwith, Robin (31 August 2012). The Confessions Of Robin Askwith. Random House. ISBN 9781448118687 – via Google Books.
- Padman, Tony (8 August 2018). "My favourite photograph by actor David Barry".
- "The Fenn Street Gang - British Classic Comedy". 2 October 2017.
- "Carol Hawkins - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- "Carol Hawkins".
- "Not Now, Comrade (1976)". Archived from the original on October 2, 2017.
- "Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975)". Archived from the original on December 23, 2017.
- "BBC One - Porridge, Christmas Special: No Way Out". BBC.
- Carol Hawkins, "About Me", Official website Archived June 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine