In 1958, the first of the British film series “Carry On Sergeant” was released, 29 subsequent films were released with a cast that changed very little. During the 1990s, an attempt was made to revive the series with “Carry on Columbus,” which was not as successful. The “Carry On” films are the most successful series in British film history, although filled with stereotyped characters the films actors remain institutions in the culture of Britain and Commonwealth countries, such as Australia.
The majority of actors who appeared regularly in the Carry On series of films had come from theater and radio in the U.K., the later careers of actors such as Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey were molded by their onscreen Carry On persona’s. Kenneth Williams had become a famous radio personality in the U.K., featuring in shows including “Hancock’s Half Hour” and “Round the Horne” for the BBC in the 1950s. Despite homosexuality being against the law in the U.K. at the time of the early films, Williams and Hawtrey played repressed gay men in most of the films.
Charles Hawtrey’s career is particularly interesting as he was one of the most sought after character actors of the 1930s and 40s, appearing with actors, such as Vivien Leigh and director’s such as Michael Powell and Alfred Hitchcock. Hawtrey had become typecast by the time of the Carry On films in the 1950s and 60s as an overgrown schoolboy, treating everything that happens to him as a joke. Hawtrey’s camp, exaggerated gay character becomes more obvious as the series progresses, reflecting society’s changing attitude to sexuality during the 60s and 70s.
In his private life Hawtrey began to rely more heavily on alcohol as his career began to be defined by his Carry On persona. Never able to leave the role of supporting actor, Hawtrey resented the Carry On films for their poor scripts and low pay for the actors. Following the death of his mother after a long battle with dementia, Hawtrey found it difficult to cope with the death, which aggravated his alcoholism. Despite being forever linked with the Carry On films, Charles Hawtrey was dropped from the series after he cancelled an appearance in a 1972 television special. Hawtrey was apparently unhappy with his billing in the special, his behavior on recent Carry On projects had angered producers because of his alcoholism.
Even after his death in 1988, Charles Hawtrey remains the poor relation of the Carry On family, remembered behind more famous actors Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor. With his final years spent in regional theater around the U.K., Hawtrey is less than fondly remembered in his final home of Deal, Kent in the U.K., according to The Guardian. His personal unhappiness reflected in his insistence that he would not sign autographs, including a story of his throwing a vase at a nurse who asked for a final autograph as he died in 1988.
Hawtrey’s legacy is not helped by the fact that his Carry On colleague, Kenneth Williams is fondly remembered in the U.K. and countries around the world. Williams post Carry On career included stints on British television telling children’s stories, and as a raconteur on various chat shows. Williams point of view, and his intolerance for Hawtrey’s personal problems are also detailed in a diary kept in secret by Williams that covers over 40 volumes.
Despite being fondly remembered by the British public, both Williams and Hawtrey battled personal problems that were very similar. Williams shared his life with his mother, living in an apartment beside that of his mother. While Hawtrey was devoted to his mother, whose death accelerated the unraveling of Charles Hawtrey’s personal and professional lives.
