When Carry On Sergeant became a big hit in British cinemas in 1958, not even the most optimistic of its cast or crew believed that it would become the first of a 31-film franchise. But the series went on to become one of the most successful and well-loved in British cinema. Beginning as relatively gentle comedies, the humour broadened in the late 60s, taking on an end-of-the-pier quality that, at its best, was as hilarious as it was risqué. Sid James, Barbara Winsor, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Jim Dale and Charles Hawtrey: these were just some of a superb repertory company of performers whose careers have often been defined by their appearances in the Carry On Series.
Lifelong fan Stephen Lambe discusses each film in depth, celebrating the team's greatest moments, while also examining in equal detail some of the series' lesser-known or less successful editions. He also celebrates many of the unsung performers who made the Carry Ons such a success and, with a critical eye, re-examines the series in light of shifting social trends. With plenty to excite both casual and diehard fans, Carry On Watching is the perfect reference guide to this remarkable series of films.
Stephen Lambe is an author, publisher and journalist with a dozen books to his credit, including books on local history and rock music. His first Carry On was Camping – which he saw in the cinema with his parents aged 7. He lives in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, UK.
