Sid James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sid James
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James in 1974
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| Born |
Solomon Joel Cohen
8 May 1913 |
| Died | 26 April 1976 (aged 62) Sunderland, England
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| Resting place | Golders Green Crematorium, London, England |
| Occupation | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1947-1976 |
| Spouse(s) |
Berthe Sadie Delmont
(m. 1936; div. 1940)Meg Williams
(m. 1943; div. 1952)Valerie Ashton
(m. 1952) |
| Children | 4; including Reina |
Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a famous actor and comedian. He was from South Africa and later became British. Sid James worked in radio, television, stage plays, and movies. He was well-known for his unique laugh and his many roles in the Carry On film series.
Sid James was born into a Jewish family in South Africa. He started his acting career there before moving to the UK. In the UK, he became very successful. He began acting in small movie roles in 1947. By the 1950s, he was getting more important supporting parts. One of his early films was The Lavender Hill Mob in 1951, where he starred with Alec Guinness.
His fame grew when he co-starred with Tony Hancock in Hancock's Half Hour. This show started on radio and then moved to television, running from 1954 to 1960. After this, he became a regular in the Carry On films. He appeared in 19 of these popular movies. In 17 of them, he was the main star, meaning his name was listed first.
Sid James also continued to star in television sitcoms. He was the main actor in the 1970s show Bless This House. He continued in this role until he passed away in 1976.
Contents
Early Life and Career Start
Sid James was born Solomon Joel Cohen on 8 May 1913, in South Africa. At that time, South Africa was part of the British Empire. He later changed his name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then to Sidney James. His family lived in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.
Before becoming an actor, Sid James said he had many different jobs. He claimed to be a diamond cutter, a dance teacher, and even a boxer. However, he actually trained and worked as a hairdresser. He met his first wife, Berthe Sadie Delmont, at a hairdressing salon. They married on 12 August 1936, and had a daughter named Elizabeth in 1937.
Sid James's father-in-law bought him a hairdressing salon. But within a year, Sid decided he wanted to be an actor. He joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players, an acting group. Through this group, he started working for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. His first wife divorced him in 1940.
During World War II, Sid James served in South Africa's army. He was a lieutenant in the entertainment unit, performing for soldiers. After the war, he decided to become a full-time actor. In December 1946, he moved to the United Kingdom. He used money from his army service to pay for the move. He first worked in local theater groups called repertory companies. Soon, he was noticed by the growing British film industry.
Acting Career Highlights
Sid James started his movie career with credited roles in crime dramas like Night Beat and Black Memory in 1947. In 1949, he played a barman in The Small Back Room. His first comedy film was The Lavender Hill Mob in 1951. This movie is considered one of the best British films ever. In it, he was part of a gold robbery gang. He also appeared in other films like The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) and Father Brown (1954).
He had a supporting role in the successful circus film Trapeze (1956). In this movie, he played Harry the snake charmer. He also appeared in an episode of The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1956.
Working with Tony Hancock
Sid James began working with comedian Tony Hancock in 1954. This was for Hancock's BBC Radio series Hancock's Half Hour. The writers thought Sid James would be perfect after seeing him in The Lavender Hill Mob. He played a character also named Sid James, who was a bit of a trickster. This character often tried to con Hancock.
When the show moved to television, Sid James's role became much bigger. Many viewers saw Hancock and James as a comedy duo. However, Tony Hancock decided to end their professional partnership in 1960. He felt the show's style was getting old. Even though they remained friends, Sid James was sad about this decision.
Leading Roles in TV and Film
After Hancock's Half Hour, Sid James started taking more lead roles. He starred in the TV series Citizen James (1960–1962). His next series was Taxi! (1963–64), which was a comedy-drama.
In 1968, Sid James, Val Doonican, and Arthur Askey were filmed playing golf. This was for a production called Viva Torbay: Travelling to the British Seaside.
The Carry On Films
Sid James became a very important part of the Carry On films team. He made 19 Carry On movies in total. In 17 of these films, he was the top-billed actor, meaning his name was listed first. This made him one of the most famous actors in the Carry On cast.
The characters he played in these films were usually similar. They were often clever, cheeky Cockney types, much like his TV roles. Most of his characters in the Carry On films were named Sid or Sidney. For example, he played Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond in Carry On Up the Khyber and Sid Boggle in Carry On Camping. His famous "dirty laugh" was often used and became his signature sound. He would also often say "Cor, blimey!".
Sid James played different characters too. In Carry On Constable (1960), he was Sergeant Frank Wilkins. He played King Henry VIII in Carry On Henry (1971) and the highwayman Dick Turpin in Carry On Dick (1974). In Carry On Cleo, he played Mark Antony. He even used an American accent for his role as "The Rumpo Kid" in Carry On Cowboy (1965).
Later Career and Health
In 1967, Sid James was supposed to be in the film Follow That Camel. However, he was already busy filming the TV series George and the Dragon. So, American actor Phil Silvers took his place in Follow That Camel.
On 13 May 1967, Sid James had a serious heart attack. This happened two weeks after filming began for what became a Carry On movie. Because of his health, in the film Carry On Doctor (also 1967), Sid James was mostly shown lying in a hospital bed.
His success in TV comedy continued with Two in Clover (1969–70). Then came Bless This House (1971–1976). This popular show even led to a movie version in 1972.
Personal Life
Sid James was married three times. His first marriage was to Berthe Sadie Delmont in 1936. They had a daughter named Elizabeth in 1937. They divorced in 1940.
In 1943, he married a dancer named Meg Sergei. They had a daughter, Reina, in 1947. They divorced in 1952.
On 21 August 1952, Sid James married Valerie Elizabeth Patsy Assan. She was an actress known as Valerie Ashton. They had a son, Steve James, born in 1954, who became a music producer. They also had a daughter, Sue, who became a television producer. During their marriage, they lived in a house in Iver, Buckinghamshire. Sid James helped design parts of this house. It was close to Pinewood Studios, which meant he could go home for lunch while filming.
Sid James enjoyed gambling, but he often lost a lot of money. He had an agreement with his agent to keep some of his earnings aside for gambling, without his wife knowing the full amount.
Death and Legacy
Sid James was on tour with a play called The Mating Season. On 26 April 1976, just four days after his TV show Bless This House finished, he had a heart attack on stage. This happened at the Sunderland Empire Theatre. The other actresses on stage, Olga Lowe and Audrey Jeans, first thought he was playing a joke. When he didn't respond to their lines, they realized something was wrong.
The curtain was closed, and a doctor was called. The audience, not knowing what was happening, laughed, thinking it was part of the show. An ambulance took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Sid James was 62 years old.
At the time of his death, there were plans for more series of Bless This House and another movie. There was also a TV special planned for him. All these plans were cancelled after he passed away. Sid James was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at Golders Green Crematorium.
Sid James has been honored with several tribute shows. These include The Very Best of Sid James in 1996 and episodes of The Unforgettable and Heroes of Comedy. In 2013, the BBC aired The Many Faces Of Sid James.
His life and work have also been shown in plays and TV films. He was played by Geoffrey Hutchings in the play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick (1998) and its TV version Cor, Blimey! (2000). In the 2006 BBC film Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!, Ged McKenna played Sid James.
In 2018, a radio interview with Sid James from 1976 was found. In this interview, he talked about keeping fit, his love for films, and the Carry On movies. His daughters found the recording very touching.
Two special blue plaques have been placed to remember Sid James. One was at the former Teddington Studios in London, but it was stolen. Another plaque, placed by the British Comedy Society, marks a house where he lived from 1956 to 1963. The first one there was also stolen, so the second one was placed higher up on the wall.
Images for kids
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Tony Hancock (right) with James in Hancock's Half Hour
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Comic Heritage plaque, Teddington, England
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British Comedy Society plaque at 35, Gunnersbury Avenue
