Carry
On Behind Trivia
- Carry On Behind originally started life in September
1972 when scriptwriter Dave Freeman was commissioned to write a film script
for Peter Rogers. It immediately followed the production of his film version
of Bless This House. Not intended as part of the Carry On series, Peter
Rogers bought Dave Freeman’s screenplay, Love On Wheels, in April 1973 and
stored it away for his future production schedule. In December 1974 Dave
Freeman was employed to re-write the script as a Carry On film. Variously
titled Carry On Carrying On, Carry On In A Caravan and Carry On Caravanning
it finally went into production as Carry On Behind in March 1975.
- Contrary to popular mythology, both Sid James and
Barbara Windsor were not dropped from the Carry On series because of
pressure from the Rank Organisation concerning the fact that they were too
old to play lusty bloke and busty dolly bird. In fact, both actors were out
of the country at the time of production on Carry On Behind. Sid was in
Australia in The Mating Season and Barbara was in New Zealand touring with
her variety showcase Carry On Barbara.
- Director Gerald Thomas delighted in the non-stop flow
of Carry On, revealing that: “Now Peter Rogers has set his own limit on the
series by saying that the last ‘Carry On’ will be the first to lose money we
continue to carry on merrily.” Gerald relished a minor role in the film. He
provided the off-camera vocal obscenities for the foul-mouthed mynah bird.
- It was Gerald’s second ‘appearance’ in the series,
having voiced the babyish gurglings of Oddbob Junior in Carry On Screaming
some ten years earlier.
- Television situation comedies provided many of the
new faces in the cast. Windsor Davies was, of course, starring in It Ain’t
Half Hot Mum on BBC television while George Layton donned the familiar white
coat for his medic role. Since 1969 he had been seen in the Thames success,
Doctor In The House, Doctor At Large and Doctor In Charge. At the time of
filming Carry On Behind he had been writing the new series, Doctor On The Go
and, with his partner Jonathon Lynn, would be commissioned by Peter Rogers
to write the aborted Carry On Again Nurse in 1977.
- Composer Eric Rogers injected his usual tough of
in-joke fun in the score for Carry On Behind. As a salute to producer Peter
Roger’s wife, pioneering producer Betty Evelyn Box, Eric scored the title
theme as a Scott Joplin-styled rag based around the notes of her initials:
B, E and B. Eric also came up with the perfect introductory theme for Carry
On new boy Windsor Davies; a jazz arrangement of Karl Nicholai’s ‘The Merry
Wives Of Windsor.’
- Windsor Davies character was originally to be played
with Sid James, but due to an Australian tour of the successful stage play
The
Mating Game it wasn't possible.
- Elke Sommer was paid £30,000 for her role in Carry On
Behind, 6 times more that Sid James or Kenneth Williams ever got paid.
It was only equaled by Phil Silvers years before.
- Jack Douglas was covered in frost effect plastic for
the freezer scene near the start, but the rest of the cast/crew thought he
got away lightly, and so threw him in the river.
- Joan Sims' dirty mouthed mynah birds voice is provided by
Gerald Thomas.
- When Behind was released, Peter Rogers said in an
interview that he wanted to have 30 carry Ons under his belt, Behind being
number 27. Perhaps he new things were coming to an end.
