Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Hawtrey
Hawtrey in Carry On at Your Convenience (1971)
Born	George Frederick Joffre Hartree (1914-11-30)30 November 1914 Hounslow, Middlesex, England
Died	27 October 1988(1988-10-27) (aged 73) Deal, Kent, England
Alma mater	Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupation	Actor comedian singer pianist theatre director
Years active	1922–1988

George Frederick Joffre Hartree (born 30 November 1914 – died 27 October 1988), known as Charles Hawtrey, was a famous English actor and comedian. He was also a singer, pianist, and theatre director.

He started acting at a young age as a boy soprano, making several music recordings. Later, he worked in radio, theatre, films, and television. He is especially remembered for his roles in the popular Carry On films.

Charles Hawtrey: A Life in Acting

Early Life and Stage Beginnings

Charles Hawtrey was born in Hounslow, England, in 1914. His birth name was George Frederick Joffre Hartree. He chose his stage name from a famous actor, Sir Charles Hawtrey. He even let people think he was Sir Charles's son, though his father was actually a car mechanic.

He studied at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London. After his studies, he began his career in theatre, both acting and directing plays.

First Steps in the 1920s and 1930s

Hawtrey first appeared on stage in 1925, when he was just 11 years old. He played a "street Arab" in a play called The Windmill Man. A few years later, at 18, he made his London stage debut. He sang the role of the White Cat in the opera Bluebell in Fairyland.

In 1931, he played the First Twin in Peter Pan at the London Palladium. He returned to Peter Pan in 1936, playing a larger role as Slightly. A newspaper praised his "comedy sense."

Hawtrey also acted in a play called Bats in the Belfry in 1937. It ran for many performances in London.

He started acting in films when he was young. As an adult, his youthful looks and quick wit made him a great partner for comedian Will Hay. They appeared together in films like Good Morning, Boys (1937) and Where's That Fire? (1939). He also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's film Sabotage (1936).

In 1939, Hawtrey played Gremio in a play called The Taming of the Shrew. He was also a talented musician. He recorded songs as a boy soprano and was known as "The Angel-Voiced Choirboy." During World War II, he played the piano semi-professionally for the armed forces.

Career in the 1940s

Hawtrey continued to perform in musical shows. In 1940, he starred in New Faces in London. This show introduced the famous wartime song "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square."

During and after World War II, Hawtrey appeared in many London shows. He also directed 19 plays.

In the 1940s, Hawtrey became a radio star. He was in the series Norman and Henry Bones, the Boy Detectives. Later, he voiced Hubert Lane in the Just William series.

His film career continued with The Ghost of St. Michael's (1941) and The Goose Steps Out (1942). These were his last films with Will Hay. Hawtrey also directed two films himself: What Do We Do Now? (1945) and Dumb Dora Discovers Tobacco (1946).

In 1949, he appeared in the famous Ealing comedy film Passport to Pimlico.

Television Roles in the 1950s

In 1956, Hawtrey appeared with Hattie Jacques in a TV sketch show called Wolfe at the Door. He also made a brief appearance in Tess and Tim and Laughter in Store.

Hawtrey's television career really took off with The Army Game. He played Private 'Professor' Hatchett in this series. It was about a group of army recruits. A film spin-off, I Only Arsked!, was made in 1958. Hawtrey left the series that same year.

The Carry On Years (1960s)

In the early 1960s, Hawtrey played a council official in the TV series Our House. He also starred in Best of Friends (1963).

By this time, Charles Hawtrey had become a regular in the famous Carry On films. He was in the very first one, Carry On Sergeant (1958), and more than twenty others. He often played shy, sometimes awkward characters. He was known for always wearing his round glasses, no matter the historical setting of the film.

The director of the Carry On films, Gerald Thomas, said that Hawtrey's first appearance in a film was often a surprise for the audience, making them laugh instantly. In 1965, Hawtrey's mother, Alice, passed away, which made him very sad.

Later Career and Final Years

Even though the Carry On films were very successful, the actors did not get paid a lot. Hawtrey often used public transport to get to work.

In 1968, Hawtrey moved to Deal, Kent, a town in Kent. He became a well-known and unique person in the town. He would walk along the seafront in fancy clothes and wave to the fishermen. A small blue plaque on his house marks where he lived.

In 1970, he appeared in a South African film called Stop Exchange. He also appeared in Grasshopper Island (1971), a children's adventure TV show.

Hawtrey's last Carry On film was Carry On Abroad (1972). After this, he was no longer part of the series. Without regular film work, Hawtrey performed in pantomime shows and summer plays. He often played characters similar to his Carry On roles. His last pantomime was in 1979.

He also acted in a series of radio plays for the BBC about a criminal gang. These included Burglar's Bargains (1979) and A Right Royal Rip-off (1982).

His Final Days

On 24 October 1988, Charles Hawtrey fell and broke his leg. Doctors found he had a serious artery condition caused by smoking. He passed away on 27 October 1988. His cremation took place on 2 November 1988, and his ashes were scattered in Mortlake Crematorium in London.

Legacy

Charles Hawtrey has been remembered in several ways. He was played by Hugh Walters in the TV film Cor, Blimey! (2000). He was also played by David Charles in the BBC Four TV play Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! (2006).

A one-man stage play about his life, called Oh, Hello!, first appeared in 2001. It was brought back in 2014 for his 100th birthday.

Two books have been written about him: Charles Hawtrey 1914–1988: The Man Who Was Private Widdle (2002) by Roger Lewis and Whatshisname: The Life and Death of Charles Hawtrey (2010) by Wes Butters. A BBC Radio 4 documentary about him was also broadcast in 2010.

Interestingly, John Lennon of The Beatles mentioned Charles Hawtrey on their Let It Be album. Also, the cover of the Smiths' album The Very Best of The Smiths features a picture of Hawtrey.

Filmography

Television appearances

• Tess and Tim, BBC (1956)
• Wolfe at the Door, ATV (1956)
• Laughter in Store, BBC (1957)
• The Army Game, Granada (1957–1958) as Private 'Professor' Hatchett
• Our House, ABC (1960) as Simon Willow
• Best of Friends, ABC (1963) as Charles
• Ghosts of Christmas, a.k.a. Carry On Christmas, Thames (1969) as Spirit of Christmas Past / Angel / Convent Girl
• Carry On Long John, a.k.a. Carry On Again Christmas, a.k.a. I'm Worried About Jim Hawkins, Thames (1970) as Bell Ringer
• Grasshopper Island, ITV (1970) as The Elderly Boy
• The Princess and the Pea (short) (1979) as Court Jester
• The Plank, Thames (1979) as Co-Driver
• Movie Memories, Series 1 Episode 2, Anglia (1981) as self, interviewed by Roy Hudd
• Runaround, Halloween Special, Southern Television (1981) as Count Dracula
• Super Gran, "Super Gran and the State Visit", Tyne Tees (1987) as Clarence, Duke of Claridge (final television appearance)

Theatrical appearances

• The Windmill Man, Boscombe Hippodrome (and tour) (1925) as Street Arab
• Bluebell in Fairyland, Scala Theatre, London (1927) as White Cat and Bootblack
• Peter Pan, The London Palladium (1931) as First Twin
• Peter Pan, The London Palladium (1936) as Slightly
• Members Only, Gate Studio Theatre, London (1936)
• Bats in the Belfry, Ambassadors Theatre, London (11 March – 14 August 1937) as Jerry Morton
• Shakespeare Birthday Festival, Old Vic, London (1938–1939)
• The Taming of the Shrew, Old Vic, London (1938–1939)
• New Faces (revue), Apollo Theatre (Shaftesbury Avenue), London (1940)
• The New Ambassadors Revue, Ambassadors Theatre, London (18 July – 14 September 1941)
• Scoop!, The Vaudeville Theatre, London (1942)
• Old Chelsea, Palace Theatre, Manchester (1943)
• Merrie England, Winter Garden Theatre, London (1944)
• Variety with Will Hay, Victoria Palace Theatre, London (1945)
• Revudeville, Windmill Theatre, London (1948)
• Frou-Frou, The New Lindsay Theatre, London (1951)
• Husbands Don't Count, Winter Garden Theatre, London (1 October – 29 November 1952) as Mouton
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Bristol Hippodrome, Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth, and other locations (4 October – 4 December 1965) as Hysterium
• The Mating Game, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (24 June – 5 July 1969) as Arthur
• Stop It Nurse, Pavilion Theatre, Torquay (2 June – 30 September 1972) as Dr B C Dimple
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bristol Hippodrome (1976–1977)

Radio appearances

• Vaudeville, BBC Regional Programme London (1930)
• Will Shakespeare, BBC Regional Programme London (1931) as A Boy
• Vaudeville, "The Writ", BBC Regional Programme London (1932) as Hotchkiss
• An Ideal Husband, BBC National Programme Daventry (1932)
• I Sketch Your World, BBC Regional Programme London (1933)
• The Watched Pot, BBC Regional Programme London (1933) as William, a page-boy at Briony
• Charing Cross Road, BBC Regional Programme Northern (1934)
• Frederica, BBC Regional Programme Daventry (1934) as Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling
• Postman's Knock, BBC Regional Programme London (1934)
• Big Business, BBC Regional Programme (1934)
• Pursuit of Adonis, BBC Regional Programme London (1934)
• The Breadwinner, BBC National Programme Daventry (1935)
• Old Words to New Music, BBC Regional Programme London (1936)
• The Calendar, BBC Regional Programme London (1936) as Andy Lynn
• The Secret Garden, BBC Regional Programme London (1937)
• The Trial of Peter Potter, BBC Regional Programme Northern Ireland (1937)
• David Copperfield, BBC Regional Programme London (1937)
• On and Off, BBC Regional Programme London (1938)
• The Squirrel's Cage, BBC Regional Programme Northern (1938)
• A Radio Version of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film Top Hat, Regional Programme Northern Ireland (1938)
• Royal Matinee, Regional Programme London (1939)
• An excerpt from the Eric Maschwitz revue New Faces, BBC General Forces Programme (1940)
• The Dragon's Dinner, BBC Home Service (1940)
• Review After Review, BBC Home Service (1940)
• The New Ambassadors Review, BBC General Forces Programme (1941)
• £250 Red Cross Radio Contest, BBC Home Service (1941)
• Sammelkin, BBC Home Service (1941) as Timothy Trant
• Birds of a Feather, BBC Home Service (1941)
• Darling I Loathe You, BBC Home Service (1941)
• Behind The Laughter, BBC Home Service (1941) as Syd Fletcher (as a boy)
• Just Kidd-ing, BBC General Forces Programme (1941)
• Intimate Review 1914-1942, BBC Home Service (1942)
• At This Time of Night, BBC Home Service (1942)
• Norman and Henry Bones, the Boy Detectives, BBC Home Service (1943–1960) as Norman Bones (108 episodes)
• Old Chelsea, BBC Home Service (1943)
• They Went Singing, BBC Home Service (1943) as Alfred Mortimer
• The Box of Delights, BBC Home Service (1943) as Mouse
• David, BBC Home Service (1943) as David (as a boy)
• Mystery at Witchend, BBC Home Service (1943) as David Morton
• Paul of Tarsus, BBC Home Service (1944)
• Dr Johnson, BBC Home Service (1944) as Samuel Johnson (as a boy)
• Treasure Island, BBC Home Service (1944) as Jim Hawkins (as a boy)
• John Bunyan, BBC Home Service (1944) Dickon (as a man)
• The Will Hay Programme, BBC General Forces Programme (1944–1945)
• Music Hall, BBC Home Service (1944–1945)
• The Swish of the Curtain, BBC Home Service (1944)
• William Booth, BBC Home Service (1944) as Jim
• The Secret Six, BBC Home Service (1944) as Charles Bouvery
• The Secret Six Again, BBC Home Service (1944) as Charles
• Mr Perrin and Mr Traill, BBC Home Service (1944) as Larkin
• The Tinderbox, BBC Home Service (1944) as Shoemaker's boy
• A Voyage to Lilliput, BBC Home Service (1945)
• The Story of Joseph, BBC Light Programme (1944) as Benjamin
• Just William, BBC Light Programme (1945) as Hubert
• Harriot Mellon, BBC Home Service (1946) as Freddy
• The Pied Piper of Hamlyn, BBC Home Service (1946) as Second burgher
• Musical Theatre of the Air, "Dear Appointment", BBC Home Service (1946) as Gus Green, the boy
• The Wishing Apple, BBC Home Service (1946) as The Serpent
• Full Cycle, BBC Home Service (1946) as David Hardcastle
• The Edistone Light, BBC Home Service (1947)
• The Story of David, BBC Home Service (1947)
• No Sentiment in Business, BBC Home Service (1947) as Ernie
• Three Men in the Snow, BBC Home Service (1947) as Fritz Hagedorn
• A New Heaven and a New Earth, BBC Regional Programme London (1948)
• Tom Lord's Cricket Ground, BBC Home Service (1948)
• Fallada! Fallada!, BBC Home Service (1948) as Curdkin
• Show Parade, "Dempson's Dummies", BBC Light Programme (1948)
• The Old Wives Tale, BBC Home Service (1948) as Cyril Povey
• The October Review, BBC Home Service (1949)
• The Case of the Lump of Metals, BBC Home Service (1949) as Corporal Mackworth of the RAF
• A Christmas Carol, BBC Home Service (1949) as Peter Cratchit
• Snakes and Snake Charmers, BBC Home Service (1949) as Jeremy
• Golden Pavements, BBC Home Service (1949) as Jeremy
• The Adventures of PC49, BBC Home Service (1950) as Parvo
• Pincer's Progress, BBC Home Service (1950) as Moss
• A House to Let, BBC Home Service (1951) as Flip
• Henry of Navarre, BBC Home Service (1952) as Charles IX
• Oliver Twist, BBC Home Service (1952) as Tom Chitling
• Horace Clabtrout and the Beanstalk, BBC Home Service (1954) as Horace Clabtrout
• Ray's a Laugh, BBC Light Programme (1953–1957)
• The High and Mighty, BBC Home Service (1954) as Edward VI
• The Feast of Lanterns, BBC Home Service (1955) as Mouse
• The Magic Pond, BBC Home Service (1956) as Han Chung
• Tomorrow Mr Tompion!, BBC Home Service (1956) as Master Banger
• Writing for Sound: 2: Dreaming Bandsmen, BBC Home Service (1956) as Junker Jim
• The Siege of Mocking Hill, BBC Home Service (1956) as Mr. Trimble
• Life with the Lyons, "Dial Special Branch", BBC Light Programme (1958)
• I Only Arsked, BBC Light Programme (1958)
• The Memoirs of Betsy Mae Meadows, "Somewhere a Voice is Calling", BBC Home Service (1965) as Cyrus
• The 78 Show, BBC Radio 2 (1975) as self
• Burglar's Bargains, BBC Radio 4 (1979) as Fingers
• Funny You Should Ask, BBC Radio 2 (1981) as self
• A Right Royal Rip-off, BBC Radio 4 (1982) as Fingers
• The Bigger They Are, BBC Radio 4 (1985) as Fingers
• A Harvest of Hayes, BBC Radio 4 (1988) as self