''Keep It Clean'' is a 1956 British

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

David Paltenghi David Paltenghi (1919 – 4 February 1961) was a British ballet dancer, choreographer, director and film director. Early life David Paltenghi was born in 1919 in Christchurch, Hampshire (now Dorset), the son of a Swiss-Italian father and Eng ...

and starring

Ronald Shiner Ronald Alfred Shiner (8 June 1903 – 29 June 1966) was a British stand-up comedian and comedy actor whose career encompassed film, West End theatre and music hall. Career Early life and career When he was seventeen, Shiner joined the Royal Nor ...

as Bert Lane and

Joan Sims Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress). On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...

as Violet Tarbottom.

Plot

Advertising agent Bert Lane (Ronald Shiner) plans to market his brother-in-law Peter's (Colin Gordon) new miracle cleaning machine. However, Bert's boss Mr. Bouncenboy (James Hayter) wants him to advertise Mrs Anstey's famous crumpets, but Bert's cheesecake advertising slogans incur the wrath of Mrs Anstey (Jean Cadell) and her Purity League, as well as that of his boss.

Cast

as Bert Lane * James Hayter as Mr. Bouncenboy *

Diane Hart Diane Lavinia Hart (20 July 1926 – 7 February 2002) was an English actress in both films and the theatre in the West End Theatre of London, political campaigner, and inventor. Born in 1926, Hart was educated at various convents and then at ...

as Kitty *

Ursula Howells Ursula Howells (17 September 1922 – 16 October 2005) was an English actress whose elegant presence kept her much in demand for roles in film and television. Life and career Howells was born in London, the daughter of composer Herbert Howells, ...

as Pat Anstey *

Jean Cadell Jean Dunlop Cadell (13 September 1884 – 29 September 1967) was a Scottish character actress. Although her married name was Jean Dunlop Perceval-Clark she retained her maiden name in the context of acting. Life and career She was born at 4 ...

as Mrs. Anstey *

Colin Gordon Colin Gordon (27 April 1911 – 4 October 1972) was a British actor born in Ceylon. Biography He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of a horse in a ...

as Peter *

Benny Lee Benny Lee (11 August 1916 – 9 December 1995) was a Scottish comedy actor and singer. He started his career in stage roles, and developed a television and film career. Early life Lee was born on 11 August 1916 to a Jewish family in The ...

as Tarbottom *

as Violet Tarbottom *

Denis Shaw Denis Shaw (7 February 1921 – 28 February 1971) was a British character actor specialising in slimy villains. Born in Dulwich as Douglas Findlay Shaw, he was a rotund man, with dark, wavy hair and slanty eyes. This appearance meant he would ...

as Slogger O'Reilly * Tonia Bern as Colette Dare *

Gerald Campion Gerald Theron Campion (23 April 1921 – 9 July 2002) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his role as Billy Bunter in a 1950s television adaptation ('' Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School'') of books by Frank Richards (Charles Hami ...

as Rasher * Mark Daly as Stage Door Keeper *

Albert Whelan Albert Whelan (born Albert Waxman; 5 May 1875 – 19 February 1961) was an Australian popular singer and entertainer, who was prominent in English music halls during the first half of the 20th century. Biography The son of an immigrant Polish Je ...

as Gregson *Violet Gould as Lady Pecksniff *Bert Brownbill as George Buxton *

Tony Sympson Tony Sympson (10 July 1906 – 30 March 1983) was a British actor. Selected filmography * '' The Indiscretions of Eve'' (1932) - Pip * '' Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle'' (1935) - Tinker * ''Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor'' (1935) - ...

as Little Tailor *Pauline Winter as Bridget *Lillemor Knudsen as Audrey *

Henry Longhurst Henry Carpenter Longhurst (18 March 1909 – 21 July 1978) was a British golf writer and commentator. For 45 years, he was golfing correspondent of the ''Sunday Times''. During World War II, Longhurst was also a member of parliament (MP) for Act ...

as Magistrate *

Roger Maxwell Roger Francis Hamilton Maxwell (born 21 March 1941) is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1999, representing the National Party. Early life Maxwell was born in South Canterbury. He obtained his tertiary education at Li ...

as General Ponsenby-Goreham *

Arthur Goullet Arthur Goullet (1894–1978) was a British stage, film and television actor. He played the role of Sebastian Moran in the 1937 Sherlock Holmes film '' Silver Blaze''.Nollen p.298 Selected filmography * '' Down River'' (1931) * '' A Gentleman ...

as Loan Service Official *

Norman Rossington Norman Rossington (24 December 1928 – 21 May 1999) was an English actor best remembered for his roles in '' The Army Game'', the ''Carry On'' films and the Beatles' film '' A Hard Day's Night''. Early life Born in Liverpool, Lancashire ...

as Arthur, the Bearded Ad Artist *Humphrey Kent as Pat's Escort *John Wadham as Loan Service Driver *Harry Purvis as Charlie *Richard George as Police Constable *

Frank Forsyth Frank Forsyth (19 December 1905 – 2 May 1984), sometimes credited as Frank Forsythe, was an English actor, active from the 1930s. He was born on 19 December 1905 in London, England. He appeared in several TV programmes, including '' Department ...

as Inspector at Court *

Howard Lang Howard Lang (born Donald Yarranton; 20 March 1911 – 11 December 1989) was an English actor known for playing Captain William Baines in the BBC nautical drama '' The Onedin Line''. Early life Lang was born in Marylebone, London, the son of E ...

as Police Sergeant *Robert Moore as Theatre Attendant *The Kelroys as Acrobats *Maya Koumani *Yvonne Burke *Lynn Shaw as Showgirls *Christina Lubicz * Anne Lynn *Yvonne Olena *Pat Spencer *Thais Jobbling *Glynne Raymond *Eve Kenney *Diana Satow as Chorus Girls

Reception

The film was a commercial disappointment.

References

1956 comedy films 1950s British films 1950s English-language films British black-and-white films British comedy films Eros Films films Films directed by David Paltenghi English-language comedy films {{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub