Wissenswertes

Nicknamed "One Take James" because he nearly always did it right the first time. He was also earning the highest daily rate of any character actor in the UK.

He suffered a second heart attack while appearing in "The Mating Game" at the Empire Theatre, Sunderland. He died in the ambulance before reaching the hospital.

Was famous for using branded products in the "Carry On" films and advertising them. In Carry On Again Doctor, he opened a cupboard to reveal it was full of Johnnie Walker Red Label Scotch Whisky.

Career prior to acting was as a top ladies' hairdresser in South Africa.

In the late 1960s he attended a show business house party near the Thames and, according to a TV news bulletin, was the hero of the hour because a fire broke out and James kept dashing back indoors to help others to safety. Apparently, the emergency services had to restrain him from re-entering the fire.

He had a notoriously antagonistic relationship with 'Carry On' co-star Kenneth Williams. Williams was particularly scathing and personal about James' acting ability (as revealed in his posthumously published diaries), while James found Williams' loud and attention-seeking behaviour annoying.

Arrived in the UK on 12/25/46, spending his army demob money on a one-way ticket.

He has two roles in common with Richard Burton: (1) Burton played Mark Antony in Cleopatra (1963) while James played him in Ist ja irre - Cäsar liebt Kleopatra (1964) and (2) Burton played King Henry VIII of England in Königin für tausend Tage (1969) while James played him in Heinrichs Bettgeschichten oder Wie der Knoblauch nach England kam (1971). In both cases, James wore the costume which had originally been worn by Burton.

He emigrated to Britain from South Africa in 1946. He only returned to his homeland twice, for work commitments. He toured Australia three times and New Zealand once, but had no interest in going to the US because he regarded Britain as his home.

His daughter, Sue James, is a children's TV producer. Her mother is Sid's third wife, Valerie.

Was unable to appear in Ist ja irre - Der total verrückte Mumienschreck (1975), as he was touring Australia for a theatrical production of "The Mating Season".

His pastimes were going to boxing matches and fishing.

His favorite "Carry On" film was Ist ja irre - Der dreiste Cowboy (1965).

Was to play Sgt. Ernie Knocker in Ist ja irre - In der Wüste fließt kein Wasser (1967), but was busy with George and the Dragon (1966). Less than two weeks into the shooting, he suffered a heart attack. The role went to Phil Silvers.

Harold Pinter wanted him to play Max in "The Homecoming" and he was Lionel Bart's first choice to portray Fagin in "Oliver!". James also turned down the role of Archie Rice in a South African stage version of "The Entertainer", saying, "I couldn't hope to come anywhere near Laurence Olivier's performance.".

Was lucky to survive a serious heart attack in 1967. His illness was deliberately downplayed to the public.

His daughter with his first wife was called Elizabeth and was born in December 1937.

Was to play Detective Sgt. Sidney Bung in Ist ja irre - Alarm im Gruselschloß (1966), but was unavailable, being committed to the 'Babes in the Wood' pantomime at the London Palladium. The role went to Harry H. Corbett.

He received top billing in 17 of the 19 "Carry On" films in which he appeared. Frankie Howerd had that honor in Das total verrückte Krankenhaus (1967) and Ist ja irre - Die total verrückte Königin der Amazonen (1970).

Upon moving to the UK he claimed various previous occupations, including a diamond cutter, a dance tutor and a boxer. In reality, he had trained and worked as a hairdresser.

Had appeared in 79 films before making his debut in the "Carry On" series in 1960.

Had an affair with "Carry On..." series star Barbara Windsor from 1973 until his death in 1976. Their life together is chronicled in the movie Cor, Blimey! (2000). Windsor was an advisor to the cast.

He was an inveterate and largely unsuccessful gambler, losing tens of thousands of pounds over his lifetime. His gambling addiction was such that he had an agreement with his agent, Michael Sullivan, under which his wife was not told how much he was being paid, so that a portion could be set aside for gambling.

For much of his later career he was in severe back pain after a piece of scenery fell on him.

He was considered for Willy Wonka in Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik (1971).

Was friends with Laurence Harvey until they worked on Froschmann Crabb (1958) together. According to the book "A Biography Of Sid James", James was offered the role of Chief Petty Officer Thorpe on the recommendation of Harvey, but their friendship ended during the filming. He found Harvey to be "pompous and full of his own importance".

Although he was 61 years old when he played Dick Turpin in Der total verrückte Straßenräuber (1974), Turpin was only 33 when he was hanged on 4/17/1739.

He and wife Meg had a daughter Reina James (named after his mother).

His son, Steve James, is a musician and sound technician who appeared on Fortran 5's debut album "Blues", in October 1991. The song "Bike" heavily sampled Sid's voice and distinctive laugh. Also, Sid's ' portrait appears on the album cover. Stephen's mother is Sid's third wife, Valerie.

Frequently remembered as a former boxer, but he never actually was. People got the impression that he had been a boxer from his craggy features and bulbous nose.

Was the regular sidekick-cum-bête noir of Tony Hancock throughout the six seasons of the radio series "Hancock's Half Hour". Likewise, became Hancock's regular pal in the TV series Hancock's Half Hour (1956), until the final season, when Hancock decided it was getting too much like a double act.

His character in Das total verrückte Krankenhaus (1967) was written into the script as being lazy, and irresponsible and is in a hospital bed for most of the film. In real life, James had recently suffered a heart attack and could only appear in the film while in bed.

Throughout his career he avoided playing Jewish characters.

He died only one day after Carol Reed, who directed him in both Voller Wunder ist das Leben (1955) and Trapez (1956).

The first time he headed a cast list as star of a film was Ist ja irre: Diese strammen Polizisten (1960).

His role as Sgt. Wilkins in Ist ja irre: Diese strammen Polizisten (1960) was intended for Ted Ray following his work on Ist ja irre - Lauter liebenswerte Lehrer (1959). However, Ray was unable to commit owing to contractual problems.

He fathered several children outside his three marriages but took no responsibility for them. When one of his mistresses told him she was pregnant he "struck her quite brutally", according to James' biographer Cliff Goodwin, who recorded that James also hit his first wife after she became pregnant.

His grandson James Wichall is a Sound Engineer.

He officially cut back on drinking after his heart attack in 1967. However, at the end of his life he was consuming huge quantities of Cutty Sark whiskey.

After giving up cigarettes in 1967 he usually smoked three bowlfuls of pipe tobacco a day.

James' biographer Cliff Goodwin, described how secretive the actor was about the first 30 years of his life. Goodwin claimed that James would reinvent details of his early life.

In contrast to his relaxed screen image, he was a driven, insecure personality in real life.

Often suffered from bouts of severe depression.

Many fans never knew he was Jewish. Sidney Balmoral James was widely believed to be his real name.

Harry H. Corbett got the part of Detective Sgt. Sidney Bung in Ist ja irre - Alarm im Gruselschloß (1966) after James became unavailable due to a theatre commitment. His fee of £12,000 was the highest paid to a "Carry On" actor at that time.

James, Leonard Rossiter, Arthur Lowe, Eric Morecambe and Tommy Cooper all became fatally ill in the theatre. However, only Cooper literally died on stage.

After Citizen James (1960) he deliberately avoided playing criminal characters, preferring to play lovable rogues.

Diana Coupland recalled Sid's attitude to acting being "why stand when you can sit, and why sit when you can lie down?" and attributes the amount of bedroom scenes they shared together on Bless This House (1971) to this.

In a curious foreshadowing, his childhood home was on Hancock Street in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.

In 1939 he joined the Witwatersrand Rifles in South Africa. When Gen. Jan Smuts formed an entertainment unit for the South African forces Sid became the producer for the shows. Afterward, he joined Gwen Ffrangcon Davies' company playing leading roles in such productions as "The Wind of Heaven" and "A Month in the Country".