Cor blimey!
15 FACTS ABOUT CARRY ON STAR SID JAMES
★ SHE stuck by him despite a three-year affair with his Carry On co-star Barbara Windsor.
Now, as we reported yesterday, Sid James’ wife Valerie has died aged 93. The former children’s
TV producer was once an actress in her own right and the couple were wed for 23 years and had children Steve and Sue.
★ But how much do you know about comedy legend Sid? KIM CARR has 15 facts.
1 The actor was married three times. His first missus was hairdresser Berthe Sadie Delmont, who he had daughter Elizabeth with. His second wife, dancer Meg Sergei, gave him another girl called Reina.
2 Sid was 30 years older than Babs and she was wed to criminal Ronnie Knight during the affair. He threw an axe into the floor of Sid’s home as a warning.
3 The actor’s former agent Michael Sullivan called him “one of the randiest human beings I have ever met”.
4 There was a feud between him and Carry On co-star Kenneth Williams, who disliked his style – branding Sid “too coarse”.
5 Once he discovered whisky brands would give him free booze in return for product placement, Sid would sneak bottles into filming and on stage.
6 Saving cash and getting paid by brands helped to fund the actor’s betting addiction. Val once said: “Gambling was like breathing to Sid.”
7 During a performance of comedy The Mating Season at Sunderland’s Empire Theatre in 1976, the star died on stage from a heart attack. His ghost is said to haunt the venue today. Les Dawson claimed to have seen it, heard his dirty laugh and smelt whisky.
8 His birth name was Solomon Joel Cohen, later changed to Sidney Joel Cohen and eventually Sid James.
9 Born in South Africa, Sid served as a lieutenant in an anti-tank regiment in World War Two and the Defence Force Entertainment Unit. He then moved to the UK to launch his acting career with his army demob cash on a one-way ticket.
10 A career on stage seemed inevitable after his parents were vaudeville comedians, and
as an infant, Sid would sometimes be part of their stage act.
11 As well as dabbling in hairdressing, he also had jobs as a docker and a diamond sorter before acting success finally came.
12 Taking over from Ted Ray in the Carry On flicks, he made 19 in total and received top billing in 17 – featuring his popular catchphrase: “Cor, blimey.”
13 Horsing around on the set of his favourite of the series, Carry On Cowboy, Sid claimed to be “in love” with his mare.
14 Nicknamed “One Take James”, film bosses were impressed that he usually got it right the first time during filming.
15 He played a patient in Carry On Doctor in 1967 while bedridden after a heart attack.