''Carry On Laughing'' is a

British television Television broadcasts in the United Kingdom began in 1932, however, regular broadcasts would only begin four years later. Television began as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transm ...

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'' 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 Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African–British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. Noted for his distinctive laugh, he was best known for numerou ...

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

Cast

Production

The series was conceived after the departures of two long-serving ''Carry On'' contributors: writer

Talbot Rothwell Talbot Nelson Conn "Tolly" Rothwell, Order of the British Empire, OBE (12 November 1916 – 28 February 1981) was an English screenwriter. Life and career Rothwell was born in Bromley, Kent, England. He had a variety of jobs during his earl ...

and actor Charles Hawtrey. Furthermore,

Kenneth Williams Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was a British actor and comedian. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 ''Carry ...

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 and Patsy Rowlands in only one each, 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 Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory B ...

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 Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A amateur, dilettante who solves myst ...

– 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 On''s 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 The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

series of classic clips from the films.

Episodes

Series 1

Series 2

Related use of the title

The title ''Carry On Laughing'' was also used for: *a ''Carry On'' stage play performed in Scarborough in 1976 and featuring series regulars Jack Douglas,

Kenneth Connor Kenneth Connor (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films. Early life Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London, t ...

Peter Butterworth Peter William Shorrocks Butterworth (4 February 1915Liz Fraser Elizabeth Joan Winch (14 August 1930 – 6 September 2018), known professionally as Liz Fraser, was a British film actress, best known for being cast in provocative comedy roles. Early life Fraser was born in Southwark, London. Her year of b ...

. *a series of television programmes shown by

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

from 1981 to 1984, featuring classic clips from the ''Carry On'' film series, although footage was also drawn from other British comedy films of the era, such as the movie spin-offs of '' On the Buses'' and '' Steptoe and Son''. In 1983, a Christmas special of this series was made, entitled ''Carry On Laughing's Christmas Classics'', featuring classic film clips, linked by newly filmed material with

and

Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders''.

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

* * * * *''Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema'' by Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books) * * * * *

References

External links

* *
on Laughing''
at The British Comedy Guide {{Carry On Films 1975 British television series debuts 1975 British television series endings 1970s British comedy television series Laughing, Carry On ITV sitcoms Television series by ITV Studios British English-language television shows Television shows produced by Associated Television (ATV) Television shows shot at ATV Elstree Studios