Carry
On Dick Trivia
- South Africa, Sid James' place of birth, banned Carry
On Dick due to the depiction of a robber in Vicars clothes.
- Whilst working on the script Talbot Rothwell was unable
to focus on the typewriter and became confused by the whole idea of
writing. His Doctor told him he was overworked and had nervous
exhaustion and was ordered to rest. His daughter typed out the rest of
the script with him dictating to her, and sadly this was the last script
Talbot Rothwell produced, as he retired.
- Kenneth Williams vocal character is almost the same as
his Rambling Syd Rumpo character from Round The Horne, when playing
Dandy Desmond.
- Although only one Carry On film, Carry On Girls, was
put into production in 1973, producer Peter Rogers had commissioned a title
from writers George Evans and Laurie Wyman in the May of that year. Best
known for scripting the long-running BBC radio comedy The Navy Lark, the
film was, rather predictably, Carry On Sailor. This idea was scrapped but
not before the writers had been paid £1000 for their trouble. As a result
they wrote a script based on the Dick Turpin legend that involved an
ill-conceived robbery of the Bank of England. Talbot Rothwell kept the
flavour of this script but, for all intents and purposed, re-wrote his own
Don’t Lose Your Head for the finished article.
- Commissioned to write the script for Carry On Dick in
November 1973, Talbot Rothwell delivered the completed manuscript the
following February. It was conceived as the first in a new three year film
exclusivity deal with Peter Rogers. Talbot Rothwell was set to write a
further five Carry Ons under the agreement. However, while typing up the
final draft of Carry On Dick the writer suffered an attack of nervous
exhaustion and was urged to rest by his doctor. His daughter Jane typed the
final draft of the script from his notes and dictation. Talbot Rothwell
would never write another Carry On.
- Talbot Rothwell’s work was still packing them in at
the Victoria Palace in London’s West End. Carry On London! Had ironically,
enjoyed a trial period in Birmingham in September 1973 before transferring
to London the following month. As the pre-production meeting revealed,
during the production of Carry On dick: “the majority of the artistes are
appearing [in Carry On London!].. it will, therefore, be necessary for them
to be completed.. by 4.15 pm.” Two performances a night, one at 6.15 pm and
another at 8.45 pm, proved an exhausting commitment for those involved, Sid
James, Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw, Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas and
Peter Butterworth.
- Despite the limited shooting time per day due to the
stars stage commitment, the schedule was typically tight with just twenty
nine days in studio and ten on local location. The exteriors and interiors
for Sid’s rectory were filmed at Stoke Manor, Stoke Poges. The exterior for
the church scenes was filmed at nearby Hitcham Lane although Pinewood’s ‘C’
Stage was used for the interior scenes. However, the most inviting location
was the pub used for Jack Douglas’s unceremonious dumping in a horse trough.
The Jolly Woodman, at Littleworth Common, Buckinghamshire, still retains
historical charm and serves an excellent pint!
- Although only one Carry On film a year was being put
into production, the series had happily taken the West End by storm an in
the Autumn of 1974 the first batch of Carry On Laughing television shows
were recorded. Clearly Talbot Rothwell’s unscheduled departure from the
scene wasn’t going to halt the flow quite yet. On 11th December 1974 Peter
Rogers threw a Carry On party that reunited the recently disbanded cast of
Carry On London! as well as Hattie Jacques, Joan Sims and Kenneth Williams.
Gerald Thomas announced plans for the next film but almost half of those
present would not appear. Indeed, this proved to be the final gathering of
the core Carry On gang.
Continuity
- Madame Desiree mentions finger prints. Were they already used at a time
when the Bow Street runners have just been established as a police force?
