Interview with Laraine Humphrys (2018)
Laraine starred in both Carry On Girls (1973) and Carry On Dick (1974). The daughter of a solicitor she told me how her parents didn't want her career to be all 'tits & bums'. Her son's have followed in her showbusiness footsteps, one as an actor and the other on the other side of the camera.
Her most notable role in the 'Carry On's' was as a 'Bird of Paradise' in 'Carry On Dick' (1974). The role saw her teamed up with Joan Sims, Linda Hooks, Penny Irving & Eva Rueber-Staier.
Below is a transcript of a conversation we had in January 2018, the year of the 60th anniversary of 'Carry On'.
Her most notable role in the 'Carry On's' was as a 'Bird of Paradise' in 'Carry On Dick' (1974). The role saw her teamed up with Joan Sims, Linda Hooks, Penny Irving & Eva Rueber-Staier.
Below is a transcript of a conversation we had in January 2018, the year of the 60th anniversary of 'Carry On'.
CP: Do you have any special memories of working on ‘Girls’ or ‘Dick’?
LH: Well, on 'Girls' we were all pushed down a ramp if you remember during the ‘beauty contest’. They actually put fairy liquid on the ramp so when you see us falling about that was real! It was crazy! They wouldn’t get away with it these days! Can you imagine with health and safety? I may be wrong, but I think that they also used real itching powder in the bikini’s for that scene so we were all scratching away like mad!
CP: How was it being a ‘Birds of Paradise’ in ‘Dick’?
LH: Well we all got to know each other really well (the girls) and so it was nice working with them. I loved the outfits, especially where we were cherubs. However, I do remember that I fronted a protest with the director, Gerry Thomas, about the costume that they originally proposed that we wear. It was transparent! Far too see through! The objection obviously worked as they changed it!
CP: Do you still see any of the other ‘Birds of Paradise’?
LH: I used to see Penny (Irving) a lot as we were good friends. I did bump into her a while back very briefly. I don’t know what happened to Linda Hooks. I imagine she married and moved on from the world of showbusiness maybe? We went for an audition together you know after the Carry On’s. It was for a game show and she ended up getting it! (I since ascertained that this was in fact ‘Sale of the Century’ with Nicholas Parsons).
LH: Well, on 'Girls' we were all pushed down a ramp if you remember during the ‘beauty contest’. They actually put fairy liquid on the ramp so when you see us falling about that was real! It was crazy! They wouldn’t get away with it these days! Can you imagine with health and safety? I may be wrong, but I think that they also used real itching powder in the bikini’s for that scene so we were all scratching away like mad!
CP: How was it being a ‘Birds of Paradise’ in ‘Dick’?
LH: Well we all got to know each other really well (the girls) and so it was nice working with them. I loved the outfits, especially where we were cherubs. However, I do remember that I fronted a protest with the director, Gerry Thomas, about the costume that they originally proposed that we wear. It was transparent! Far too see through! The objection obviously worked as they changed it!
CP: Do you still see any of the other ‘Birds of Paradise’?
LH: I used to see Penny (Irving) a lot as we were good friends. I did bump into her a while back very briefly. I don’t know what happened to Linda Hooks. I imagine she married and moved on from the world of showbusiness maybe? We went for an audition together you know after the Carry On’s. It was for a game show and she ended up getting it! (I since ascertained that this was in fact ‘Sale of the Century’ with Nicholas Parsons).
CP: What were your experiences with the core team on the ones you did?
LH: Kenny Connor was lovely, really lovely. Joan Sims was too, although she kept herself to herself. Bernie Bresslaw was great too. He was a huge man you know? Lovely though. Kenny Williams would come on and do his bit then go back to his dressing room. He seemed very distant and on reflection sad and a loner. Barbara was lovely, she really was. I saw her years later on another show and she treated me like a long-lost friend.
CP: Did you know that ‘Dick’ was quite a significant ‘Carry On’ in that it was the last one to feature Sid, Hattie and Barbara? (excluding ‘That’s Carry On!)?
LH: No I didn’t! Really? That is quite something.
CP: What was it like working at Pinewood Studios?
LH: Oh, it was great! I loved that place. You would see and bump into so many famous faces. I was once propositioned by James Caan when I was there you know.
CP: Oh wow!
LH: Yeah, although maybe he did that to a lot of people? (laughs).
CP: Why weren’t you in anymore ‘Carry On’s’? Had you had enough, or did you have other things on?
LH: I wasn’t asked I don’t think? I did commercials after that. I did one commercial for a perfume that was big in the USA, called ‘Fantastik’, with a ‘K’ in the USA. I also worked with Benny Hill, did ‘Up Pompeii’ and did a Carry On special for a Christmas show. I don’t know what happened to that?
LH: Kenny Connor was lovely, really lovely. Joan Sims was too, although she kept herself to herself. Bernie Bresslaw was great too. He was a huge man you know? Lovely though. Kenny Williams would come on and do his bit then go back to his dressing room. He seemed very distant and on reflection sad and a loner. Barbara was lovely, she really was. I saw her years later on another show and she treated me like a long-lost friend.
CP: Did you know that ‘Dick’ was quite a significant ‘Carry On’ in that it was the last one to feature Sid, Hattie and Barbara? (excluding ‘That’s Carry On!)?
LH: No I didn’t! Really? That is quite something.
CP: What was it like working at Pinewood Studios?
LH: Oh, it was great! I loved that place. You would see and bump into so many famous faces. I was once propositioned by James Caan when I was there you know.
CP: Oh wow!
LH: Yeah, although maybe he did that to a lot of people? (laughs).
CP: Why weren’t you in anymore ‘Carry On’s’? Had you had enough, or did you have other things on?
LH: I wasn’t asked I don’t think? I did commercials after that. I did one commercial for a perfume that was big in the USA, called ‘Fantastik’, with a ‘K’ in the USA. I also worked with Benny Hill, did ‘Up Pompeii’ and did a Carry On special for a Christmas show. I don’t know what happened to that?
Above: Laraine (second from left) as a 'Bird of Paradise' in 'Carry On Dick' (1974).
CP: It is available to buy now on DVD actually. They have released all the Christmas specials now on one DVD.
LH: Oh right! I’ll have to check it out.
LH: Oh right! I’ll have to check it out.
Above: Laraine (centre) as Eileen Denby in 'Carry On Girls' (1973). Below: The poster for 'Carry On Girls'.
CP: It is so sad that many of the core team died very young?
LH: I hadn’t realised that it was 30 years this year since Kenneth Williams died. How about Charlie Hawtrey?
CP: Charlie died the same year in the October.
LH: My, how old was he?
CP: 72 I believe, still no age really by today’s standards.
LH: No. I did see Sid once at something I was doing, I can’t remember what. It was after ‘Dick’ and I know he had health worries. He was with his..., well, minder I suppose you would call it, and he was eating a huge slice of cake. His minder said ‘Sid, is that wise?’ and he just brushed it off and said, ‘It’ll be ok’. It was his heart wasn’t it?
CP: Yes. Sadly, he passed away on stage at the Sunderland Empire in 1976 during the tour of ‘The Mating Season’.
LH: Yes, I remember that. Was he still seeing Barbara at the time? He adored her didn’t he?
CP: Yes, he did, although I think it was cooling off by then.
CP: So, it’s the 60th year of ‘Carry On’ this year.
LH: Yes! Are they doing anything for it at Pinewood?
CP: I don’t believe so sadly. Although there are some special events being planned. We will have to get you along?
LH: I hadn’t realised that it was 30 years this year since Kenneth Williams died. How about Charlie Hawtrey?
CP: Charlie died the same year in the October.
LH: My, how old was he?
CP: 72 I believe, still no age really by today’s standards.
LH: No. I did see Sid once at something I was doing, I can’t remember what. It was after ‘Dick’ and I know he had health worries. He was with his..., well, minder I suppose you would call it, and he was eating a huge slice of cake. His minder said ‘Sid, is that wise?’ and he just brushed it off and said, ‘It’ll be ok’. It was his heart wasn’t it?
CP: Yes. Sadly, he passed away on stage at the Sunderland Empire in 1976 during the tour of ‘The Mating Season’.
LH: Yes, I remember that. Was he still seeing Barbara at the time? He adored her didn’t he?
CP: Yes, he did, although I think it was cooling off by then.
CP: So, it’s the 60th year of ‘Carry On’ this year.
LH: Yes! Are they doing anything for it at Pinewood?
CP: I don’t believe so sadly. Although there are some special events being planned. We will have to get you along?
LH: Yes, I have done a few events but not for a while. I would like to come along!
My thanks & gratitude to Laraine Humphrys for taking the time to share her memories & talking to me for this feature for the website.
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