Joan Sims (i)'s Main TV Roles Show Character(s) Worzel Gummidge (UK) Mrs. Blooms… Till Death Us Do Part (UK) Gran In Loving Memory (UK) Annie Potter Hilda Pardo… According To Dora (UK) Various (6) Carry on Christmas 1973 Virginia's … Senna Pod Bishop's Wife Adelle Ballerina 6 Salvation A… Maid Marion Traffic War… Carry on Laughing 1975 (UK) Joan Sims On The Up (UK) Mrs. Fiona … Spark (UK) Aunt Hattie Sykes (UK) Madge Kettl… Carry on Christmas: Carry on Stuffing 1972 Laundrey Maid Lady Rhoda … Clodhopper'… Madrigal Si… Miss Esmere… Princess Yo… Cockles (UK) Gloria du B… Colonel March of Scotland Yard (UK) Marjorie Da… Educating Marmalade (UK) Signora Ban… Lord Tramp (UK) Miss Pratt Men Of Affairs (UK) Lady Mainwa… My Good Friend (UK) Miss Byron Our House (UK) Daisy Burke Poor Little Rich Girls (UK) (1984) Madge Hensh… The Howerd Confessions (UK) Nellie The Stanley Baxter Show (UK) Various Roles

Main Movie Roles 1978 - Carry On Emmannuelle 1976 - Carry On England 1975 - One of our Dinosaurs is Missing 1975 - Carry On Behind 1974 - Carry On Dick 1973 - Carry On Girls 1972 - Carry On Matron 1972 - Carry On Abroad 1971 - Carry On At Your Convenience 1971 - Carry On Henry 1970 - Carry On Up The Jungle 1970 - Carry On Loving 1969 - Carry On Camping 1969 - Carry On Again Doctor 1967 - Follow That Camel 1967 - Carry On Doctor 1966 - Carry On Screaming! 1966 - Carry On Cowboy 1966 - Carry On Don't Lose Your Head 1964 - Carry On Cleo 1959 - Carry On Teacher 1959 - Carry On Nurse 1954 - The Belles of St. Trinian's

BIOGRAPHY:

The First Lady of Carry On, was born Irene Joan Marion Sims on 9 May 1930. The daughter of an Essex railway station master, Joan was interested in pursuing show-business, and soon became a familiar face in a growing number of amateur productions. In 1946, Joan first applied to RADA, her audition was unsuccessful. She did succeed in being admitted to PARADA, the academy's preparatory school, and finally, on her fourth attempt, Joan graduated and trained at RADA. Joan graduated from RADA in 1950 at the age of nineteen.

A cameo appearance in Doctor in the House (1954) as the sexually repressed Nurse Rigor Mortis led to Joan being first spotted by Peter Rogers (I); Rogers' wife Betty E. Box was the producer of the Doctor series, in which Joan herself became a regular.

A few years later, in 1958, Joan received another script from Peter Rogers (I), it was Carry on Nurse (1959). The film had been a huge success at the box office and in the autumn of that year Rogers and Gerald Thomas began planning a follow up. She went on to appear in 24 of the films, making her the longest serving female member of the team.

She first starred in the following three Carry On films: Carry on Teacher (1959), 'Carry on Constable' (1960) and Carry on Regardless (1961), before taking a break from the next four films to concentrate on stage work. She rejoined the team with Carry on Cleo (1964) and remained all the way through to Carry on Emmannuelle (1978) in 1978.

Ironically, she was never proclaimed Queen of Carry On. This title went to saucy Barbara Windsor, even though she had only appeared in nine Carry On films.

One could argue that her final performances in the Carry On films were rather sentimental, as though she knew that the series was coming to an end and two scenes come to mind. The scene in which she plays cards with Peter Butterworth in Carry on Behind (1975) in his caravan late at night, and also in the laundrette where she dances with an early Carry Oner Victor Maddern in Carry on Emmannuelle (1978). Both of these are memorable sentimental film scene stealers.

With the end of the Carry On series in 1978, Joan went on to become a familiar face on TV screens, with ongoing roles in a number of highly successful sitcoms "On the Up" (1990) and "As Time Goes By" (1992) and the BBC's prestigious classic drama adaptations such as "Martin Chuzzlewit" (1994).

Joan's autobiography, High Spirits, was released in 2000. She complains in the last few pages of her book at the lack of information on her on the IMDB trivia page, something that was only significantly expanded after her death.

In her later years she became a cult figure and something of a British National Institution as the only surviving major Carry On star from early days. However, years of heavy drinking took their toll and she suffered in her later years with ill health. She was admitted to Hospital in Chelsea in London in mid 2001 and slipped into a coma. She died on 28 June 2001, with her lifelong friend and Carry On Norah Holland holding her hand.

Following her death, surviving Carry On stars celebrated her achievement in the Carry On films. Barbara Windsor, said at the time of her death, "To me she was the last of the great Carry Ons, she was there at the beginning. Her talent was wonderful, she could do any accent, dialect, she could dance, sing, play dowdy and glam. We laughed all the time and giggled a lot. I will sorely miss her." That quote is so true, throughout her whole Carry On career she alone stands apart as the most versatile actress in the whole series. She was never typecast in the films like the other actors and actresses.

Others also paid tribute, even ex-Government Cabinet Ministers. Her agent Richard Hatton said, "It's wonderful to be able to say that she really did have all the qualities that her many fans would have wished. A great sense of humour, a sympathetic and endearing personality, terrific talent and consideration for others.

"Over and above this, she discovered a new side of herself when she wrote her autobiography last year, which was untypical for the genre - honest, frank and intelligent. Everyone who knew her is going to remember her forever."


TRIVIA:

• Suffered with Bell's palsy in 1999, which caused depression and alcoholism.
• Life-long friend of fellow "Carry On..." star 'Dilys Laye' (qv). Dilys and Joan first knew one another during childhood. They both remained close until Joan's death in 2001.
• Her favourite character that she played in the Carry On films was 'Belle Armitage' in _Carry on Cowboy (1966)_ (qv).
• She entered hospital in November 2000 however complications of a routine operation caused Joan to slip into a coma. 'Norah Holland' (qv) has spoken of the Doctors amazement at her strength and courage throughout her final illness. Ten minutes before she died her lifelong friend 'Norah Holland' (qv) spoke to her gently about Kenny ('Kenneth Williams (I)' (qv), Hattie ('Hattie Jacques' (qv)), and their time on the 'Carry On...' films. She died with Norah holding her hand.
• She and 'Frankie Howerd' (qv) had difficulty working together, because they could not stop laughing. During scenes, they would have to look at one another's forehead in order to avoid eye contact and avoid more laughter.
• The only actress to appear in the only emotive scenes to be found in the "Carry On..." films. These scenes are unique as they did not rely on the usual innuendo or comedy. These scenes featuring her are found in _Carry on at Your Convenience (1971)_ (qv) in which she discusses the morals of relationships and love with 'Sid James (I)' (qv) [Filmed on 29 April 1971 as a night shoot, on location scene]; _Carry on Behind (1975)_ (qv) with 'Peter Butterworth' (qv) in which she discusses marriage and _Carry on Emmannuelle (1978)_ (qv) with 'Victor Maddern' (qv), where she dances romantically in a laundrette.
• Had a relationship with 'Anthony Baird' (qv) but her parents intervened to end the relationship after they found that she was living with the actor in 'sin'. They sent her a frankly worded letter even though she was in her late 20s and she obeyed her parents command. She blamed her loneliness later in life on this experience, where she was unable to commit to a relationship without her parents approval.
• A plaque dedicated to her memory was unveiled where she lived at Thackeray Street, Kensington, London in September 2002 by 'Barbara Windsor' (qv). She was joined by other stars of the classic Carry On film series including 'Liz Fraser (I)' (qv). A celebratory lunch followed the unveiling which included other old friends, including 'John Inman' (qv).