Carry On, Constable (1960) as Sergeant Frank Wilkins

Plot Outline: Sid James, in his first Carry On film, is Sergeant Wilkins, whose job it is to get the newcomers into shape, assisted by girlfriend Sergeant Moon (Hattie Jacques) and hindered by Inspector Mills (Eric Barker). They are faced with posh tennis-playing Constable Potter (Leslie Phillips), superstitious Constable Constable (Kenneth Connor) who falls for WPC Passworthy (Joan Sims) but won't do anything about it until his horoscope tells him he can. Constable Benson (Kenneth Williams) has advanced theories about forensic physiognomy and Special Constable Gorse (Charles Hawtrey) brings his usual flair to his camp role, and both officers end up in drag to try and foil a gang of shoplifters but inevitably are arrested themselves.

The rookie recruits, who are sleeping in spare cells, each take their turn on the beat and many comic incidents ensue such as dogs running amok, old women being harassed, robbers aided and the general public perplexed, but all ends well when the foursome arrest a notorious wage-snatching gang and all is forgiven.

Very much a piece of the time, or perhaps the sort of thing Will Hay would be in. Sid James makes his debut, replacing Ted Ray due to contractual problems, and does a good job of playing the stern Sgt Wilkins. The least successful of the earlier Carry Ons, perhaps due to the slight change in style of comedy.

Carry On Regardless (1961) as Bert Handy

Plot Outline: Sidney James is Bert Handy, who starts an employment agency by the name of "Helping Hands, Ltd." Bert proceeds to hire a bunch of loonies to do a collection of screwball jobs employers want done. As is usually the case, the employees make hash out of every assignment given to them. In fact, the agency is so unsuccessful that their landlord (Stanley Unwin) tries to have the business removed from his premises by raising their rent. But the landlord makes a deal with Bert that if his company can fix up an old house, they can have a 99-year lease on the property. Chaos ensues.

Carry On Cruising (1962) as Captain Wellington Crowther

Plot Outline: The Sixth Carry On was launched on the back of the early sixties fashion for holiday cruises, and is noticable for being the first Carry On filmed in glorious Eastman Colour.
Captain Crowther (Sid James) is surprised to find that most of his crew aboard this sailing of the SS Happy Wanderer are new - including the doctor, first officer, chef, chief steward, and barman. Aware that he's up for promotion to the trans-atlantic fleet, Captain Crowther is keen to have a trouble-free voyage.

What he didn't count on was chef Wilfred Hains (Lance Percival) suffering so much from sea-sickness that he can't look at the soup without feeling nauseous; Doctor Binn (Kenneth Connor) falling for one of the passengers, and being more interested in operating on Flo (Dilys Laye) than his patients; First Officer Majorbanks (Kenneth Williams) mixing ineptitude with condescention; and worst of all, no respite in alcohol - the previous barman was the only one able to mix his favourite tipple, the Aberdeen Angus!

One by one, they embarrass and disappoint him, and their efforts to get back into his good books only serve to make the situation worse.....

Carry On Cabby (1963) as Charlie Hawkins

Plot Outline: Sidney James as Charlie, owner of the Speedee Cab Company. Business has been good for Charlie, so good that it's been a source of great aggravation for his wife Peggy (Hattie Jacques), who complains that he never spends any time with her anymore. When Charlie misses taking his wife out on their anniversary because he's busy with work, Peggy decides that she's had enough, and she fights fire with fire by starting her own taxi service, Glamcabs. Unlike the other cab companies in town, Glamcabs' fleet of drivers are exclusively beautiful women in skimpy uniforms, which not surprisingly makes them the taxi of choice for men in town. Glamcabs takes a big bite out of Speedee's business, which leads to an all-out war between Charlie and Peggy.

Carry On Cleo (1964) as Mark Antony

Plot Outline: This is the Carry On film in which Sid James first comes to the fore.
Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me!” Kenneth Williams' Julius Caesar is having a bad day in the funniest toga party of all time, a historical and hysterical take on the life and loves of the Queen of the Nile. Follow the amorous adventures of Sidney James' Mark Anthony as he clinches with the gorgeous Amanda Barrie's sultry Cleopatra, in by far the most lavish looking of all the Carry On films. With a brilliant Carry On cast, including Jim Dale, Jon Pertwee, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Kenneth Connor as Hengist Pod, inventor of the square wheel!

Carry On Cowboy (1965) as Johnny Finger, the Rumpo Kid

Plot Outline: The outlaw Johnny Finger, known as The Rumpo Kid, rides into Stodge City and kills three people in a shootout. The Mayor, Judge Burke, tells him that drinking and firearms have been outlawed. The Kid flouts the edict and is given a room in the local saloon by Belle, the Madame. The judge enlists the help of Sheriff Earp, who has very poor eyesight and is hard of hearing. The Sheriff confronts the Kid and is killed. Soon outlaws controlled by the Kid have overrun the town and the judge writes to Washington requesting a Law Marshall to come and restore order.

The accident-prone Marshall P. Knutt, a British plumber looking for work, is mistakenly sent to Stodge City to take care of the problem. On the stagecoach he meets Annie Oakley, who is heading to the city to avenge the death of her father, Sheriff Earp. When the Kid hears that a Marshall is on his way, he convinces the local Indian tribe to attack the stagecoach. Knutt tries to help, but Annie's shooting skills eventually repel the Indians after she kills three of them, although she lets him take the credit.

Annie takes a room at the hotel, while Marshall is housed at the jailhouse. The Mayor soon realises the misunderstanding but decides to keep Marshall on thanks to his newfound reputation as an Indian killer. The Kid goes to welcome the new Marshall, telling him outlaws are planning to steal cattle that night from Sam Houston's ranch. Marshall is unable to collect a posse and so the Kid gives him two of his men. They find the stolen cattle and then leave Marshall there while they seek help. The Kid sets him up, making it look like he is one of the rustlers. Houston is about to hang him for the offence when Annie, disguised as a cowboy, rescues him.

Some days later Marshall is run down in the street by the Kid's men, and is assumed killed. Annie takes a job as a singer at the saloon. Belle becomes jealous of the Kid's interest in her. Annie discovers that the Kid shot her father and arranges to meet him that night. Big Heap arrives at the saloon in search of whisky and is soon so drunk that he admits that the Kid had him attack the stagecoach. The barman hides him in a backroom. Marshall arrives to arrest the Kid, having matched the horse that ran him down and that of the cattle rustlers with one of the Kid's. He claims to have lent it to Big Heap, but after Marshall leaves, the Kid discovers that Big Heap is now in jail. He sends the barman to let Annie know that he won't be able to see her. When the barman knocks on her door, she kills him by mistake, so she gives herself up to Marshall. She finds Belle trying to seduce him and the two women start fighting. They are soon joined by one of the Kid's girls from the saloon, sent to keep Marshall occupied while they spring Big Heap from jail. While they all fight, the jail is blown up with dynamite. Marshall arrests the Kid and his men, but they trick him and lock him in his own cell.

The Kid and his men kidnap the Mayor and discover Marshall's true identity. The Kid ties the Mayor to his horse, sending him back to town to tell Marshall that he will come for a final showdown at high noon. Annie tries to get Marshall to leave town and admits that she was the one who really shot the Indians and who saved him from the lynch mob. Despite this, he decides to stay and in the few hours remaining gets her to train him in using a gun. The Kid and his men arrive in town, but Marshall picks them off one by one, using the sewers as a hiding place. He arrests the Kid, but he escapes when he is whisked away by Belle on horseback, who then rides out of town. Annie tells Marshall how proud she is of him, before he accidentally shoots himself in the foot.

Don't Lose Your Head (1966) as Sir Rodney Ffing a.k.a. The Black Fingernail

Plot Outline: The time of the French revolution, and Citizen Robespierre is beheading the French aristocracy. When word gets to England, two noblemen, Sir Rodney Ffing and Lord Darcy take it upon themselves to aid there French counterparts. Sir Rodney is a master of disguise, and becomes "the black fingernail", scourge of Camembert and Bidet, leaders of the French secret police...

Carry on Doctor (1967) as Charlie Roper

Plot Outline: Francis Bigger, 'preacher and healer', ends up in hospital in this chaotic Carry-on medical movie. With Dr. Kilmore in trouble, Matron refuses to support him after the amorous attentions she has fed Dr. Tinkle have paid off. There's a humorous but slight role for Charles Hawtrey suffering from a sympathetic pregnancy and the film closes with the patients' revenge on Dr. Tinkle and the formidable Matron because of their conspiracy against Dr. Kilmore.
Sid James spent most of his screen time in bed, as he had recently suffered a heart attack.

Carry On... Up the Khyber (1968) as Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond

Plot Outline: Many consider Carry On... Up the Khyber (d. Gerald Thomas, 1968) to be the best in the series. It was the Carry On entry that got the most votes in the 1999 British Film Institute poll of the 100 finest British films ever made (it was placed 99th). A zany look at Britain's colonial past, it spoofs such Empire adventures as Zulu (d. Cy Enfield, 1964) and Khartoum (d. Basil Dearden, 1966), delighting in its emphasis on British peculiarities and eccentricities. Part of the reason for its continuing appeal certainly lies in the way it seeks to deflate the traditional British values of restraint and decorum and the associated obsession with class values.

The splendidly daft plot revolves around the fact that the Highland regiment guarding the Khyber Pass (represented by a small wooden gate), known locally as the 'devils in skirts', actually wears underpants beneath their kilts. Sid James and Joan Sims play Lord and Lady Ruff-Diamond, and live up to their name during a polo sequence inspired by Shaw's Pygmalion (and My Fair Lady). In a neat re-write of Eliza Doolittle's remarks at Ascot, Joan Sims, in a mock posh accent, congratulates a player by exclaiming, "He didn't half crack that one, did he not!" While Sid James plays his typical roguish self, forever retiring for a spot of 'Tiffin', at least this time Joan Sims, in her usual role as the put-upon wife, gets a chance to try and even the score with some reciprocal adultery (albeit unsuccessfully).

Location filming took place in May 1968 in North Wales, with Snowdonia standing in for India, the furthest afield the Carry On team ever travelled. The rest was shot back at Pinewood studios, including the film's memorable finale. Taking the British stiff-upper lip to outrageous lengths, James and his guests insist on having a formal evening meal while their home is under heavy attack from the men of the Khasi of the Kalabar, played with relish by Kenneth Williams.

Carry On Again Doctor (1969) as Gladstone Screwer

Plot Outline: If you are seriously ill and need to go to hospital, just make sure it isn't the Long Hampton Hospital, as this is where the Carry On team have taken up malpractice. If it's laughter you're after, however, join eminent surgeon Frederick Carver, orderly Screwer and Doctor's Stoppidge and Nookey for a prescription of smutty smiles. It's the perfect tonic you should take as regularly as your funny bone allows.

Carry On Camping (1969) as Sid Boggle

Plot Outline: The film begins with a cinema audience of predominantly middle-aged men watching a 'naturist' film, introducing nudity to the series in such a way as to get past the censors and still be certified for viewing by all ages. This is partly achieved by having Sid James guffawing over the risque images, while his girlfriend (played by Joan Sims) averts her eyes in embarrassment. James and Sims are ridiculously old for their roles as a courting couple still trying to get to first base (he was fifty-five, she thirty-eight), as is Barbara Windsor as a naughty schoolgirl (she was thirty-one!).

The dramatic contrast between the enclosed, static and make-believe logic of these films and the radical changes going on in the real world climaxes with the arrival of the young hippies at the end. Only then do the desultory plot strands and disparate characters come together to repel the ravers in the rather rushed finale. When the hippies leave, the schoolgirls join them, as does Charlie Muggins (Charles Hawtrey), who has been literally and figuratively an outsider throughout the narrative.

Betty Marsden, as Terry Scott's hectoring wife, frequently steals the show with her bizarre laugh, although inevitably the film will always be remembered as the one in which Barbara Windsor's bikini top flies off while she is exercising.

Carry On Christmas (1969) (TV) as Ebenezer Scrooge

Plot Outline: Thames was the first TV company to persuade the Carry On camp to bring their art to the small screen, presenting four one-hour romps along festive themes. The first was a loose spin on Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the second a parody of Treasure Island (with Barbara Windsor cast in the unlikely role of cabin boy Jim Hawkins), the third was a collection of Christmas tales, and the last was a final, Carry On-style rewriting of history.

Carry On Loving (1970) (TV) as Sidney Bliss

Plot Outline: Sidney (Sid James) and Sophie Bliss (Hattie Jacques), the proprietors of Wedded Bliss computer dating agency seem like the perfect married couple, but Sid uses the female clients as his personal knocking-shop. When they do match couples together they seem to be as mismatched as you could imagine.

The initial match of Bertie Muffett (Richard O'Callaghan), a tin-foil aeroplane collector, and Sally Martin (Jacki Piper), a model, seems another failure on Sid's part, but they are perhaps the only couple that do seem to hit it off.

Carry On Loving, an enormous box office success due to its sexy subject matter and touching on the free-love ethic of the sixties, was really a reworking of Carry On Regardless. There is no strong plot but just a collection of sketches bound together by the Wedded Bliss agency. Talbot Rothwell, the writer, seems to get lost at the end and to cover this up, pulls an old solution out of the hat, a pie fight. This is certainly towards the bottom of the list and was a taste of worse things to come.

Carry On Henry (1970) as King Henry VIII

Plot Outline: The original alternative title was 'Anne of a Thousand Lays', in reference to the Richard Burton film, 'Anne of a Thousand Days'
Henry VIII has just married Marie of Normandy, and is eager to consummate their marriage. Unfortunately for Henry, she is always eating garlic, and refuses to stop. Deciding to get rid of her in his usual manner, Henry has to find some way of doing it without provoking war with Marie's cousin, the King of France. Perhaps if she had an affair...

Carry On Up the Jungle (1970) as Bill Boosey

Plot Outline: Lady Evelyn Bagley finances an expedition into the African jungles in search of her long lost son. The expedition is led by Bill Boosey, a hunter and guide, and includes among their number Professor Tinkle who is looking for the near-mythical Oozalum bird. Things soon start to go wrong - Lady Evelyn's son, now a Tarzan-like ape-man, abducts a young woman, a gorilla wreaks havoc in the camp and the men get their hopes up when they are captured by a tribe of beautiful women from the lost world of Aphrodisia!

Carry On Again Christmas (1970) (TV) as Long John Silver

Plot Outline: Aka Carry on Long John, sees the Carry On team spinning their own version of well-known tale Treasure Island.

Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) as Sid Plummer

Plot Outline: The film reunites cast stalwarts such as Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey - though with uneven results. This is a disappointment, as the Carry On series tends to shine in hierarchical institutions, where the presence of strict codes of conduct and authority figures encourages anarchic behaviour. In this case the factory setting enables the main storylines to revolve around industrial conflict.

Here the main antagonism is between factory owner W.C. Boggs (Kenneth Williams), shop steward Vic Spanner (Kenneth Cope) and boss's son Lewis Boggs (Richard O'Callaghan). Spanner's unpopularity extends to his fellow workers, who dislike his tendency to call strikes over the most trivial of matters. Even the classic Carry On narrative tool of the "right good booze-up" to remove inhibitions and resolve social divisions cannot redeem Spanner, as the drunken delights of a trip to Brighton serve only to unite the other characters against him.

The introduction of bidets to the production line leads to yet another strike, which, with a classic Carry On comic twist, is ended by the disgruntled female characters, led by Vic's formidable mother, Agatha Spanner (Renée Houston). Vic receives the ultimate comeuppance, not only losing his battle with management, but also being bent over his mother's knee and spanked.

Carry On Matron (1972) as Sid Carter

Plot Outline: Carry On Matron is one of the most loved of all Carry On films, largely because of Hattie Jacques marvellous performance in the title role. Carry On Matron finds the team in top form in Finisham Maternity Hospital. Sid James leads a team of less than professional crooks intent on stealing a huge hoard of birth control pills. If your funny bone is in need of tickling, this is the prescription you need.

Carry On Abroad (1972) as Vic Flange

Plot Outline: Pub landlord Vic Flange (Sid James) hopes to take his girlfriend Sadie Tomkins (Barbara Windsor) away for a dirty weekend in the mediterranean, but his plans change fast when his wife (Joan Sims) comes along too. Together they are just three of the holiday-makers on Stuart Farquhar's (Kenneth Williams) 'Wundatours' package trip to the resort of Elsbels. Things start to go wrong when the group arrives at Pepe's (Peter Butterworth) unfinished hotel, spend a night in prison and find themselves drinking too much of the local "Liquora de l'amo

Carry On Girls (1973) as Sidney Fiddler

Plot Outline: Local councillor Sidney Fiddler persuades the Mayor to help improve the image of their rundown seaside town by holding a beauty contest. But formidable Councillor Prodworthy, head of the local women's liberation movement, has other ideas. It's open warfare as the women's lib attempt to sabotage the contest.

Carry On Christmas (1973) (TV) as Santa (Mr Belcher)/Seed Pod/Sir Henry/Sgt Ball/Robin Hood

Plot Outline: The last Carry On Christmas special.
Sid Belcher is playing an unenthusiastic store Santa over the Christmas holidays. When he meets Virginia, he knows what to give her for Christmas, but doesn't think her mother will allow it! When the customers have gone, Sid wonders how Christmas was celebrated throughout the ages...

2001 BC - The pods, a caveman family, are preparing Christmas dinner. Things aren't going too well until Seedpod brings home a present for his son...Crompet. When the Angles invade, Seed hatches a plan to be alone with his son's new toy...

1759 - A group of aristocrats are relaxing after a wonderful Christmas dinner. Before bed, they decide to indulge in some party games - starting with postman's knock...

1917 - Christmas Eve in the trenches - all is quiet, except for the double entendres and arguments between the troops. Spirits are low, until a couple of French ladies pay a visit...followed closely by 2 German soldiers

1172 - Sherwood Forest...Robin Hood & his merry men are not having a good Christmas, but things look up when the Lady Frances appears...

Ballet dance - the Carry On team perform a ballet from the Nutcracker Suite, dressed in flowing white tutus.

Carry On Dick (1974) as Big Dick Turpin a.k.a. Reverend Flasher

Plot Outline: Sid James Final Carry on
The legendary Dick Turpin (Sid James), or Big Dick as he is known to his friends, due to the enormous size of his weapon, is the anti-hero of the piece. Turpin is being chased by the newly formed Bow Street Runners, led by Captain Fancy (Kenneth Williams) and his Sergeant Jock Strapp (Jack Douglas). They enlist the aid of Reverend Flasher not realising that he is actually Turpin in disguise. Again Sid James tries to get the girl in the form of Harriet (Barbara Windsor) who is also one of his gang, even though censors thought him too old to be playing this kind of role.

Even though the last couple of films have been poor relations to the Carry On series, we have a big hit at the box office and a big hit comedically with such gems as:

Dick robbing Frenchwoman, Madame Desiree's (Joan Sims) necklace to which she protests No, not that, it is my only means of support. When Dick takes it anyway her bloomers fall down around her ankles and she replies in a common Cockney voice I told you it was my only means of support!

Kenneth Williams comes back on top form, camping it up as Captain Fancy and later in disguise as a ruffian Dandy Desmond.

Carry On Laughing! [TV-Series] (1975) as Various Characters

Plot Outline: This is the final time Sid James appears in a Carry on.
Following the four Christmas specials made by Thames, ATV commissioned two series of half-hour comedies, both screened in 1975. Most episodes parodied a famous book, film or historical period. Of the regular Carry On team, Sid James only appeared in the first series, Charles Hawtrey did not appear at all and Kenneth Williams was also absent, indeed, he had not taken part in the Thames programmes either.
There were the 13: Carry On Laughing TV productions.
1. The Prisoner Of Spenda. Foreign historical romp.
2. The Baron Outlook. British historical romp.
3. The Sobbing Cavalier. Oliver Cromwell and the Roundheads romp.
4. Orgy And Bess. The court of Elizabeth I romp.
5. One In The Eye For Harold. Battle Of Hastings romp.
6. The Nine Old Cobblers. A detective romp.
7. The Case Of The Screaming Winkles. Another detective romp.
8. The Case Of The Coughing Parrot. Yet a third detective romp.
9. Under The Round Table. An Arthurian romp.
10. Short Knight, Long Daze. Another Arthurian romp.
11. And In My Lady's Chamber. A romping parody of Upstairs, Downstairs.
12. Who Needs Kitchener? Another romping parody of Upstairs, Downstairs.
13. Lamp-Posts Of The Empire. An exploration romp.

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