Carry On Laughing

"Carry on Laughing" was a television sitcom produced for ATV which featured several stars of the famous Carry On comedy film series. Two series of six and seven episodes respectively were broadcast in 1975. All the episodes had historical settings, and several episodes used the same scenarios. The series marked an important landmark in "Carry On" history as the episode "Orgy and Bess" featured the final "Carry On" performances of both Sid James and Hattie Jacques.

The series is hardly considered vintage "Carry On", coming as it did after the departures from the film series of long-serving "Carry On" writer Talbot Rothwell and popular actor Charles Hawtrey. Furthermore, Kenneth Williams declined to appear, and of the "Carry On" regulars who did appear, Bernard Bresslaw did not feature in the first series, Sid James only appeared in four episodes and Hattie Jacques only appeared in one. The series is thought to be a far less successful attempt at transferring the "Carry On" formula to the small screen than the "Carry On Christmas specials".

In the absence of Rothwell, other writers were brought in to script the episodes. Lew Schwarz and experienced "Carry On" scribe Dave Freeman wrote six apiece, and Barry Cryer and Dick Vosburgh penned "Orgy and Bess".

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.

Confusingly, "Carry On Laughing" was also the name of a "Carry On" stage play performed in Scarborough in 1976 and featuring series regulars Jack Douglas, Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth and Liz Fraser.

"Carry On Laughing" was "also" the title of a series of television programmes shown by Thames Television from 1981 to 1983, featuring classic clips from the "Carry On" film series. In 1983 a Christmas special of this series was made, entitled "Carry On Laughing's Christmas Classics". This episode, as well as featuring classic film clips, also featured newly filmed introductions featuring Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor.

=Note=

ATV had already helped to bring the "Carry On"s to the small screen in 1973, when it broadcast "What A Carry On", a one-off show hosted by Shaw Taylor and 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.

External links

*imdb title|id=0157218
* [http://www.thewhippitinn.com/carry_on_tv/carry_on_laughing/"Carry On Laughing" at The Whippit Inn]