Carry On Laughing

Carry On Laughing is a British television comedy series produced in 1975 for ATV. Based on the Carry On films, it was an attempt to address the films' declining cinema attendance by transferring the franchise to television. Many of the original cast members were featured in the series.

Carry On Laughing
Series title held by cartoon figures
GenreComedy
Directed byAlan Tarrant
Starring
ComposersJohn Marshall and Ritchie Tattersall
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producerPeter Rogers
ProducerGerald Thomas
Running time24–26 minutes
Production companyAssociated Television
Release
Original networkITV
Original release4 January (1975-01-04) 
7 December 1975 (1975-12-07)

Carry on Laughing ran for two series, the first for six half-hour episodes and the second for seven episodes. The episode Orgy and Bess featured the final Carry On performances of both Sid James and Hattie Jacques.

The TV series is not as widely known as the original films, which - by contrast - are broadcast regularly on British television.

Production

The series was conceived after the departures of two long-serving Carry On contributors: writer Talbot Rothwell and actor Charles Hawtrey. Furthermore, Kenneth Williams declined to appear in the series. Other Carry On regulars only appeared in a minority of episodes: Sid James in only the first four, Hattie Jacques in only one; and Bernard Bresslaw appeared only in the second series.

In the absence of Rothwell, other writers were brought in. Lew Schwarz and experienced Carry On writer Dave Freeman each wrote six, while Barry Cryer and Dick Vosburgh penned Orgy and Bess.

Each episode parodied a famous TV series, film or book. Three episodes feature a character based on Lord Peter Wimsey - Lord Peter Flimsy. Another two episodes are nods to Upstairs, Downstairs, with the character of Hudson the butler parodied as Clodson, and the cook Mrs. Bridges as Mrs. Breeches.

The series provided an opportunity for David Lodge - little more than a bit-part player in some of the later Carry On films - to play leading characters.

Note

ATV had already helped to bring the Carry Ons to the small screen in 1973, when it broadcast What A Carry On, a one-off show hosted by Shaw Taylor featuring clips from the stage play Carry On London and interviews with its stars - Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth and Jack Douglas. It is believed that this footage is missing from the archives.

What A Carry On was also the title of a BBC series of classic clips from the films.

Episodes

Series 1

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"The Prisoner of Spenda"Alan TarrantDave Freeman4 January 1975 (4 January 1975)

Starring Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Peter Butterworth, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, David Lodge and Ronnie Brody

Parody of The Prisoner of Zenda
22"The Baron Outlook"Alan TarrantDave Freeman11 January 1975 (11 January 1975)
Starring Sid James, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth, Diane Langton, and David Lodge
33"The Sobbing Cavalier"Alan TarrantDave Freeman18 January 1975 (18 January 1975)

Starring Sid James, Jack Douglas, Barbara Windsor, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, David Lodge and Bernard Holley

Parody of The English Civil War
44"Orgy and Bess"Alan TarrantBarry Cryer and Dick Vosburgh25 January 1975 (25 January 1975)

Starring Sid James, Kenneth Connor, Barbara Windsor, Hattie Jacques, and Jack Douglas

Parody of Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada
55"One in the Eye for Harold"Alan TarrantLew Schwarz1 February 1975 (1 February 1975)
Starring Jack Douglas, Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims, Diane Langton, David Lodge, Norman Chappell, Patsy Smart, Jerold Wells and Billy Cornelius
66"The Nine Old Cobblers"Alan TarrantDave Freeman8 February 1975 (8 February 1975)
Lord Peter Flimsy (Jack Douglas) and his butler Punter (Kenneth Connor) are summoned by Ameila Forbush (Joan Sims) to the village of Sincreek to solve a murder when a dead body is found on stage during Miss Dawkins's (Patsy Rowlands) solo at an amateur village hall concert. The first of three appearances of Flimsy (a parody of Lord Peter Wimsey), this episode also stars Barbara Windsor and David Lodge.

Series 2

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
71"Under the Round Table"Alan TarrantLew Schwarz26 October 1975 (26 October 1975)

Starring Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, Jack Douglas, Oscar James, Victor Maddern, Norman Chappell, Ronnie Brody, Brian Capron, Desmond McNamara and Billy Cornelius

Parody of King Arthur
82"The Case of the Screaming Winkles"Alan TarrantDave Freeman2 November 1975 (2 November 1975)
Starring Jack Douglas, Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, David Lodge and Melvyn Hayes
93"And in My Lady's Chamber"Alan TarrantLew Schwarz9 November 1975 (9 November 1975)

Starring Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, Jack Douglas, Sherrie Hewson, Andrew Ray and Carol Hawkins

Parody of Upstairs, Downstairs
104"Short Knight, Long Daze"Alan TarrantLew Schwarz16 November 1975 (16 November 1975)
Starring Kenneth Connor, Barbara Windsor, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, Jack Douglas, Norman Chappell, Brian Capron, Susan Skipper and Desmond McNamara.
115"The Case of the Coughing Parrot"Alan TarrantDave Freeman23 November 1975 (23 November 1975)
Starring Jack Douglas, Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims, David Lodge, Sherrie Hewson, Peter Butterworth, Norman Chappell and Johnny Briggs
126"Who Needs Kitchener?"Alan TarrantLew Schwarz30 November 1975 (30 November 1975)

Starring Kenneth Connor, Barbara Windsor, Jack Douglas, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw, Andrew Ray, Sherrie Hewson and Carol Hawkins

Parody of the First World War
137"Lamp Posts of the Empire"Alan TarrantLew Schwarz7 December 1975 (7 December 1975)
Starring Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, Bernard Bresslaw, Peter Butterworth, Oscar James, Norman Chappell, and Michael Nightingale

See also

The title Carry On Laughing was also used for:

DVD releases

The entire series was released as DVD bonus features spread over various UK releases of Carry On films.

A complete 13-episode collection was released in a 2-Disc DVD box set on 25 May 2004 by A&E Home Video, under licence from Carlton International Media Limited (Region 1 format, US and Canada).

Prior to this DVD release, all 13 episodes from both series were released in a set of four VHS video cassettes issued by ITC (Incorporated Television Company Limited) in 1992.

Bibliography

  • Davidson, Andy (2012). Carry On Confidential. London: Miwk. ISBN 978-1-908630-01-8.
  • Sheridan, Simon (2011). Keeping the British End Up - Four Decades of Saucy Cinema. London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-0-85768-279-6.
  • Webber, Richard (2009). 50 Years of Carry On. London: Arrow. ISBN 978-0-09-949007-4.
  • Hudis, Norman (2008). No Laughing Matter. London: Apex. ISBN 978-1-906358-15-0.
  • Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema by Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books)
  • Ross, Robert (2002). The Carry On Companion. London: Batsford. ISBN 978-0-7134-8771-8.
  • Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000). Mr Carry On - The Life & Work of Peter Rogers. London: BBC Books. ISBN 978-0-563-55183-6.
  • Rigelsford, Adrian (1996). Carry On Laughing - a celebration. London: Virgin. ISBN 1-85227-554-5.
  • Hibbin, Sally & Nina (1988). What a Carry On. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-55819-4.
  • Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978). The Carry On Book. London: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-7403-0.

References

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