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For the first time, the Carry On team – then at the peak of their popularity – made the move from films to television for ITV at 9.15 pm on Christmas Eve 1969.
Starring in this one-hour special were Sid James, Terry Scott, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw, Peter Butterworth and guest star Frankie Howerd.
Having a studio audience clearly agreed with the Carry On team. Free to time their gags to match audience reaction and inspired to ad libs and asides, the cast kept the foolery going at a pace that left no pause for critical detachment.
If a particular joke didn’t tickle the fancy, another followed so hard on its heels that viewers had forgotten their momentary lack of interest before it made a mark on their memory.
Sid James was a hit as Scrooge, sardonically unruffled by the larger-than-life capers going on around him, and Barbara Windsor appeared in a potted panto about Cinderella complaining about her grotty sisters (Terry Scott and Peter Butterworth) comforted by the Buttons of Charles Hawtrey and with her wishes fulfilled by the Fairy Queen of Frankie Howerd.
Carry On Christmas was produced by Thames Television by arrangement with Peter Rogers, the creator of the Carry On film series. The script was by Talbot Rothwell with direction from Ronnie Baxter.
Costing £25,000, it was the most expensive television special made for TV in Britain at the time.
The special drew 8.1 million viewers, making it ITV’s most-watched show of the 1969 Christmas period.
Subsequent Carry On Christmas specials appeared on ITV in 1970, 1972 and 1973.
The 1970 special – Carry on Again Christmas – was loosely based on Treasure Island (with the regular team supplemented by Bob Todd and Wendy Richard), while the 1972 special (subtitled Carry on Stuffing) was set at an 18th-century banquet and included a pantomime performance of Aladdin, an Elizabethan sing-song and biblical goings-on in the Garden of Eden.
The fourth and final Christmas special in 1973 found Sid James working as a saucy Santa in a department store grotto and reflecting on how Christmas has been celebrated through the ages, providing for sketches of the team set in the prehistoric era, Georgian England and World War I (with a quick detour to the time of Robin Hood).
Ebeneezer Scrooge/Long John Silver/Santa (Mr Belcher)/Seed Pod/Sir Henry/Sgt Ball/Robin Hood
Sid James Dr Frank N Stein/Mr Barrett/Baggie the Ugly Sister/Squire Treyhornay
Terry Scott Spirit of Christmas Past/Angel/Buttons/Old Blind Pew/Nipper the Flipper
Charles Hawtrey Elizabeth Barrett/Nun/Fiona Clodhopper/Miss Harriet/Miss Molly Coddles/Fairy Godmother
Hattie Jacques Cinderella/Fanny/Spirit of Christmas Present/Eve/Miss Clodhopper/Aladdin/Jim Hawkins/Virginia/Crompet/Fanny/Fifi/ Lady Frances
Barbara Windsor Bob Cratchit/Frank N Stein’s Monster/Spirit of Christmas Future/Rollicky Bill/Bodkin Pod/Boll/Capt Ffing-Burke/Little John
Bernard Bresslaw Dracula/Haggie the Other Ugly Sister/Captain Alistair Dripping/Sir Francis Fiddler/Admiral Rene/Widow Holeinone/Friar Tuck
Peter Butterworth Robert Browning/Fairy Godmother
Frankie Howerd Dr Livershake/Lt. Bangham/Inspector Knocker/General Clodhopper/Hanky Poo/Mr Sibley/Anthro Pod/Pvt Parkin/Will Scarlet
Kenneth Connor Ben Gunn
Bob Todd Kate
Wendy Richard Lady Rhoda Cockhorse/Miss Esmerelda/Princess Yo-Yo/Clodhopper’s Mother-in-Law/Virginia’s Mother/Senna Pod/Bishop’s Wife/Adelle/Maid Marion
Joan Sims Genie of the Lamp
Norman Rossington Mr Firkin/Adam/Ringworm the Butler/Charles Burke/Demon King/Crapper/Alan A’Dale
Jack Douglas Serving Wench
Valerie Leon Captain Rhodes
Julian Holloway
Having a studio audience clearly agreed with the Carry On team. Free to time their gags to match audience reaction and inspired to ad libs and asides, the cast kept the foolery going at a pace that left no pause for critical detachment.
Costing £25,000, it was the most expensive television special made for TV in Britain at the time.
