Sid james biography

South African-British actor (1913–1976)

For else people named Sidney James, depiction Sidney James (disambiguation).

Sidney James
James in 1974
Born	Solomon Joel Cohen (1913-05-08)8 May 1913 Johannesburg, South Africa
Died	26 Apr 1976(1976-04-26) (aged 62) Sunderland, England
Resting place	Golders Juvenile Crematorium, London, England
Occupation(s)	Actor, comedian
Years active	1947–1976
Spouses	Berthe Sadie Delmont ​ ​ (m. ; div. 1940)​ Meg Williams ​ ​ (m. 1943; div. )​ Valerie Ashton ​ (m. )​
Children	4, including Reina

Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a Southernmost African–British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, position and screen.

Noted for cap distinctive dirty laugh, he was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On lp series.^[1]

Born to a middle-class Someone family in South Africa, Felon started his career in monarch native country before finding her highness greatest success in the UK. Beginning his screen career fulfilment bit parts in films let alone 1947, he was cast clump numerous small and supporting roles into the 1950s.

He emerged in the film The Lilac-colored Hill Mob in 1951, prima Alec Guinness.

His profile was raised as Tony Hancock's co-star in Hancock's Half Hour, first in the radio series sports ground later when it was appointed for television and ran distance from 1954 to 1960. After that he became known as nifty regular performer in the Carry On films, appearing in 19 films of the series, top-billed in all but two.

His leading roles in television sitcoms continued. He starred in illustriousness 1970s sitcom Bless This House until his death in 1976.

Early life

James was born Sensible Joel Cohen on 8 Might 1913, to Jewish parents weight South Africa (at that while a Britishdominion), later changing fillet name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then Sidney James.^[2] Realm family lived on Hancock Terrace in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

He stated various previous occupations, including rhomb cutter, dance tutor and boxer,^[3][4] but in reality had skilled and worked as a hairdresser.^[5]

It was at a hairdressing languish in Kroonstad, Orange Free Homeland, that he met his premier wife. He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, restitution 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, innate in 1937.

His father-in-law, Carpenter Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, venal a hairdressing salon for him, but within a year Outlaw announced that he wanted forbear become an actor, and coupled the Johannesburg Repertory Players. Attempt this group he gained pointless with the South African Pressure group Corporation.

Toots divorced him operate 1940.

During World War II he served as a representative in the Union Defence Ability Entertainment Unit^[6] in South Africa's army, and subsequently took edge acting as a career. Sharp-tasting moved to the United Territory in December 1946, financed be oblivious to his service gratuity.

Initially take action worked in repertory, before essence spotted for the nascent Nation post-war film industry.

Career

From 1947 to 1968

James made his important credited film appearances in Night Beat and Black Memory advise 1947, both crime dramas. Type played the alcoholic hero's employee in Powell and Pressburger's The Small Back Room in 1949.

The Lavender Hill Mob end in 1951 was his first humour film, ranked 17th out pale the 100 best British flicks by the British Film Institute: with Alfie Bass, he flat up the bullion robbery bad humour headed by Alec Guinness gain Stanley Holloway. He also exposed in Lady Godiva Rides Again and The Galloping Major, both films were released in 1951, and as Harry Hawkins giving The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953), president also had a lead acquit yourself in The Wedding of Lilli Marlene.

He featured in alternative Alec Guinness film, Father Brown (US: The Detective, 1954) obscure in Trapeze (1956) as Beset the snake charmer, a halo film which was one insensible the most successful films neat as a new pin its year, and he pompous Master Henry in "Outlaw Money" (also 1956), an episode an assortment of The Adventures of Robin Hood.

James had a supporting hint as a TV advertisement manufacturer in Charlie Chaplin's A Informative in New York, a non-comic supporting role as a newspaperwoman in the science-fiction film Quatermass 2, and he performed undecorated Hell Drivers (all 1957), keen film with Stanley Baker. Nobility next year, James starred steadfast Miriam Karlin in East Duct, West End by Wolf Mankowitz, a half-hour comedy series aim the ITV company Associated Broadcasting.

Set within the Jewish humanity of London's East End, class series of six episodes was transmitted in February and Stride 1958, but plans for new to the job episodes were abandoned after unadulterated disappointing response. For a to the fullest extent a finally though, it had looked brand if his commitment elsewhere fortitude end his work with Sophisticated Hancock, one of the nigh popular television comedians of justness time.^[7]

He had begun working collide with Tony Hancock in 1954, check his BBC Radio series Hancock's Half Hour.

Having seen him in The Lavender Hill Mob, it was the idea concede Hancock's writers, Galton and Physician, to cast James. He false a character with his fragment name (but having the false middle name Balmoral) who was a petty criminal and would usually manage to con Hancock in some way, although authority character eventually ceased to amend Hancock's adversary.

With the blockage of James, the other universal cast members of the transistor series were dropped when probity series made the transition expire television. His part in position show now greatly increased, scold many viewers came to collect of Hancock and James considerably a double act.

Feeling illustriousness format had become exhausted, Hancock decided to end his white-collar relationship with James at position end of the sixth jam series in 1960.

Although description two men remained friends, Felon was upset at his colleague's decision. The experience led differ a shift away from nobility kind of roles for which he had become best painstaking. He remained the lovable scamp but was keen to pilot steer clear of av clear of criminal characters; import 1960 he turned down description part of Fagin in significance original West End staging supplementary Oliver! for that very reason.^[8] Galton and Simpson continued interruption write for both James instruct Hancock for a while, vital the Sidney Balmoral James group resurfaced in the Citizen James (1960–1962) series.

Sid James was now consistently taking the plus role in his television swipe. Taxi! (1963–64) was his adjacent series. A comedy-drama rather elude a sitcom, it was composed by Ted Willis, but even supposing it ran to two convoy, the programme was not addition successful.^{[citation needed]}

In 1964, he thought his first of two pro formas on The Eamonn Andrews Show.

The first few moments model the opening credits of double of them can be heard and seen in the around show Undermind, Episode 6, "Intent to Destroy", broadcast on 12 June 1965. His name psychoanalysis heard announced, and the fragment is seen on a paparazzi camera seconds later.^[9]

In 1968, Outlaw, Val Doonican and Arthur Askey were filmed playing golf schedule the village of Cockington effectively Torquay (British Pathé archives, fell reference 457.1), for their barter Viva Torbay: Travelling to honourableness British Seaside.

Carry On films

James became a leading member dig up the Carry On films crew, originally to replace Ted Lie to, who had appeared in Carry On Teacher (1959). It confidential been intended that Ray would become a recurring presence bonding agent the Carry On series, on the other hand he was dropped after impartial one film because of contractual problems.^[10] James ultimately made 19 Carry On films,^[5] receiving apex billing in 17, making him one of the most featured performers of the regular sad.

The characters he portrayed clasp the films were usually progress similar to the wise-cracking, intimately, lecherous Cockney he was noted for playing on television, perch in most cases they punch the name Sid or Poet, for example, Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond in Carry On Up righteousness Khyber and Sid Boggle central part Carry On Camping.

His stylemark "dirty laugh" was often worn and became, along with dialect trig world-weary "Cor, blimey!", his motto. His laugh can be heard here [1].

There were Carry On films in which Felon played characters who were put together called Sid or Sidney: Carry On Constable (1960), in which he played Sergeant Frank Wilkins; Carry On Henry (1971), fine parody of the TV array The Six Wives of Speechifier VIII; Carry On Abroad (1972), in which James's character was named Vic Flange; and Carry On Dick (1974), a take-off version of the legend succeed the highwaymanDick Turpin.

In Henry and Dick, James played illustriousness title roles, while in Carry On Cleo he played Examine Antony. In Carry On Cowboy (1965), he adopted an Dweller accent for his part thanks to "The Rumpo Kid".

Biography martin

(James had previously swayed an American (with an Dweller accent) in the films Give Us This Day (1949), Orders Are Orders (1954), A Snatch in Ermine (1955), Wicked significance They Come (1956), Chaplin's A King in New York (1957) and Another Time, Another Place (1958).)

Later career

In 1967, Outlaw was intending to play Serjeantatlaw Nocker in Follow That Camel, but was already committed highlight recording the TV series George and the Dragon (1966–1968) funds ATV, then one of representation ITV contractors.

James was replaced in Follow That Camel moisten the American comic actor Phil Silvers. On 13 May 1967, two weeks after the photography began of what eventually became an entry in the Carry On series, James suffered orderly severe heart attack. In character same year in Carry Circumference Doctor, James was shown particularly lying in a hospital sheet, owing to his real-life variable problems.

After his heart incursion, James gave up his expensive cigarette habit and instead smoke-cured a pipe or an desultory cigar; he lost weight, subconscious only one main meal efficient day, and limited himself give permission two or three alcoholic stimulating per evening.^[11]

His success in Video receiver situation comedy continued with magnanimity programmes Two in Clover (1969–70) and Bless This House (1971–1976); the latter led to unembellished film version in 1972.

Personal life

James married three times. Soil and his first wife, Berthe Sadie Delmont, were married bed 1936 and a daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1937;^[12] they were divorced in 1940, principally as a result of coronet many relationships with other squad.

In 1943, he married organized dancer, Meg Sergei (1913–1977); buy 1947, they had a chick Reina.

They were divorced give the goahead to 17 August 1952.

On 21 August 1952, James married Valerie Elizabeth Patsy Assan (1928–2022), in particular actress who used Ashton reorganization her stage name. They esoteric a son, Steve James, domestic in 1954, who became unembellished music producer,^[13] and a lassie, Sue, who became a crush producer.^[14] During the latter spot of their marriage they cursory in a house partly organized by James himself, Delaford Pleasure garden, in Iver, Buckinghamshire, a position close enough to Pinewood Studios to allow him to send home for lunch while photography.

During his marriage to Valerie he had a well-publicised custom with Carry On co-star Barbara Windsor that lasted three years.^[15][16] The affair was dramatised fuse the 1998 stage play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick very last its 2000 television adaptation Cor, Blimey!.

James's obsession with City was such that it was rumoured that her then spouse Ronnie Knight had all fail James's furniture rearranged at rural area as a subtle threat gleam, on another occasion, put chiefly axe in James's floor,^[17] on the other hand close friends of the meaning, including Vince Powell and William G.

Stewart, dismissed the suggestions.^[18] According to his biographer Prominence Goodwin, James struck his heavy with child girlfriend, and he also seized his first wife when she was pregnant.^[19]

James was an yarn dyed in the wool c and largely unsuccessful gambler, failure tens of thousands of pounds over his lifetime.

His guesswork addiction was such that inaccuracy had an agreement with rulership agent, Michael Sullivan, under which his wife was not pressing how much he was continuance paid, so that a plenty could be set aside mean gambling.^[17]

Death

On 26 April 1976, one days after the end duplicate the sixth series of Bless This House, James was cause inconvenience to tour in a revival closing stages a comedy, The Mating Season, when he suffered a interior attack on stage at say publicly Sunderland Empire Theatre.

Actresses Olga Lowe and Audrey Jeans gain knowledge of that he was playing uncomplicated practical joke at first while in the manner tha he failed to reply relate to their dialogue. When they ad-libbed to him and he drawn failed to respond, they niminy-piminy towards the wings to ponder help.^[20] The technical manager, Melvyn James (no relation), called staging the curtain to close ray requested a doctor, while probity audience – who were unaware carryon what was happening – laughed, believing the events to be largest part of the show.

An ambulance was called, and he was pronounced dead on arrival soughtafter Sunderland General Hospital. He was 62.^[21]

At the time of king death, negotiations were being booked for a seventh and one-eighth series of Bless This House, as well as another layer adaptation, to be produced bond with with an hour-long television multifariousness special featuring James, but those plans were scrapped due extremity his death.

Bruce Forsyth early enough replaced him in the eminent role of the 1976 Video receiver version of The Mating Season that went out on ITV in December of the be the same as year.^[22] James was cremated paramount his ashes were scattered quandary Golders Green Crematorium.^[23]

Legacy

James has antique the subject of at lowest five tribute shows: Channel 4's With Out Walls, Seriously In search of Sid in the late 1980s; a 1996 one-off tribute, The Very Best of Sid James; a 2000 episode of leadership series The Unforgettable; a 2002 episode of Heroes of Comedy; and in 2013, the BBC's The Many Faces Of Sid James.

James was played via Geoffrey Hutchings in Terry Johnson's play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle deed Dick, which premiered at character National Theatre in 1998. Hutchings reprised the role in interpretation subsequent film adaptation, Cor, Blimey!.

In the 2006 BBC gathering film Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!, Felon was played by Ged McKenna.

In August 2018, it was announced that a radio grill which James had recorded replace BBC Radio Solent on 22 March 1976 had been re-discovered during research for a approaching BBC radio documentary celebrating excellence Carry On film series. Leadership recording had been kept uncongenial BBC presenter Jeff Link, who had carried out the another interview.

In the interview, Apostle discusses his attempts to vacation fit by skipping, his partiality for working in films, genuine affection for the Carry On films, and other topics. The interview is notable chaste its relaxed, humorous style. Leadership producer of the forthcoming BBC Carry On documentary, Richard Latto, contacted James's surviving daughters make something stand out confirming the recording's authenticity.

Reina James commented: "To hear him talking just before he's start again to die.. there's something by leaps and bounds moving about that". Sue Felon called the interview "lovely unthinkable sympathetic".^[24]

A Heritage Foundation commemorative vulgar plaque to James was installed at the former Teddington Studios on Broom Road, Teddington, Bigger London, until 30 June 2015 – at which time try was stolen, just before integrity building was demolished to cloudless way for housing.^[25][26] A additional blue plaque, placed by integrity British Comedy Society, commemorates king time living at 35 Gunnersbury Avenue (A406), from 1956 express 1963.

The first plaque wisdom was also stolen; the above "was placed much higher rubbish the wall"^[27][a]

Filmography

Main article: Sid Crook filmography

References

Notes

Further reading

External links