Sidney James
Acting Born May 8, 1913 Died Apr 26, 1976 Hillbrow, Johannesburg, Union of South Africa 156 credits
Biography
Sidney James was a South African-born English-based actor and comedian. He was born on May 8, 1913, in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, Union of South Africa. James made his name as a co-star in the British television series Hancock's Half Hour. He also appeared in the popular British comedy film series Carry On. James was known for his distinctive "dirty laugh" and a lascivious persona. He was a natural comedian, according to Bruce Forsyth. Sidney James passed away on April 26, 1976, at the age of 62. He had a long career in acting, with a total of 153 known credits.
Sources & verification
Sidney James — The Movie Database (TMDB)
Sidney James | ČSFD.cz
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Career overview
Sidney James was a South African-born English-based actor and comedian. He made his name as a co-star in a popular television series, Hancock's Half Hour, alongside Tony Hancock. James was also known for his work in a series of popular comedy films.
Sidney James was a natural comedian, often incorporating his trademark "dirty laugh" and lascivious persona into his performances. His talent was recognized by others in the industry, with Bruce Forsyth describing him as "a natural at being natural." James's comedic style and charisma made him a well-known figure in British entertainment.
Throughout his career, Sidney James accumulated a significant number of credits, with over 150 acting roles to his name. His work in both television and film helped establish him as a prominent figure in British comedy.
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Frequent co-stars
Joan Sims
21 shared titles
Charles Hawtrey
19 shared titles
Bernard Bresslaw
16 shared titles
Kenneth Williams
15 shared titles
Kenneth Connor
15 shared titles
Peter Butterworth
12 shared titles
Barbara Windsor
12 shared titles
Hattie Jacques
12 shared titles
Terry Scott
9 shared titles
Sydney Tafler
8 shared titles
Career timeline
Sid James: Comedy Icon
Carry On Forever
On Location: The Carry Ons
The Unforgettable Sid James
What's a Carry On?
Stop Messin' About!: The Very Best of Kenneth Williams
The World of Hammer
Seriously Seeking Sid
ITV Christmas Comedy
That's Carry On!To See Such Fun
The World of Budgerigars
Carry On LaughingCarry On LaughingCarry On LaughingCarry On Laughing
Carry On Dick
Carry On GirlsCarry on ChristmasWhat a Carry On!
Carry On MatronCarry On AbroadBless This House
Bless This HouseAll This, and Christmas Too!Carry On HenryCarry On at Your Convenience
Carry On LovingCarry On Up the JungleCarry On Again Christmas
Two in CloverCarry On CampingCarry On Again DoctorCarry On Christmas SpecialsCarry On Christmas
Carry On Up the KhyberVive Torbay
Don't Lose Your HeadCarry On Doctor
George and the DragonWhere the Bullets FlyDon't Utter a Note
TokolosheCarry On CowboyThe Big JobThree Hats for Lisa
Carry On CleoThe Beauty Jungle
Taxi!Taxi!We Joined the NavyCarry On Cabby
Carry On CruisingLook at Life: Getting a Move On
Carry On RegardlessWhat a Carve Up!A Weekend with LuluRaising the WindDouble Bunk
Citizen JamesCitizen James · CreatorCarry On ConstableAnd the Same to YouWatch Your Stern
Look at LifeIdol on ParadeUpstairs and DownstairsThe 39 StepsToo Many Crooks
I Was Monty's DoubleThe Adventures of William TellThe Sheriff of Fractured JawThe Silent EnemyAnother Time, Another Place
A King in New YorkHell DriversQuatermass 2Campbell's KingdomThe Shiralee
Full Filmography
156 titles- Sid James: Comedy Icon (2022) as Self (Archive Footage)
- Carry On Forever (2015)
- On Location: The Carry Ons (2001) as Various Characters (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Unforgettable Sid James (2000) as Self
- What's a Carry On? (1998) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Stop Messin' About!: The Very Best of Kenneth Williams (1996) as (Archive footage)
- The World of Hammer (1994) as Self (archive footage)
- Seriously Seeking Sid (1993) as Self (archive footage)
- ITV Christmas Comedy (1983)
- That's Carry On! (1977) as Various Characters (archive footage)
- To See Such Fun (1977)
- The World of Budgerigars (1976) as Self
- Carry On Laughing (1975) as Prince Rupert / Arnold Basket
- Carry On Laughing (1975) as Baron Hubert
- Carry On Laughing (1975) as Lovelace
- Carry On Laughing (1975) as Sir Francis Drake
- Carry On Dick (1974) as Big Dick Turpin
- Carry On Girls (1973) as Councillor Sid Fiddler
- Carry on Christmas (1973) as Mr. Belcher / Seed Pod / Sir Henry / Sergeant Will Ball / Robin Hood
- What a Carry On! (1973)
- Carry On Matron (1972) as Sid Carter
- Carry On Abroad (1972) as Vic Flange
- Bless This House (1972) as Sid Abbot
- Bless This House (1971) as Sid Abbott
- All This, and Christmas Too! (1971) as Sid Jones
- Carry On Henry (1971) as King Henry VIII
- Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) as Sid Plummer
- Carry On Loving (1970) as Sidney Bliss
- Carry On Up the Jungle (1970) as Mr. Bill Boosey
- Carry On Again Christmas (1970) as Long John Silver
- Two in Clover (1969) as Sid Turner
- Carry On Camping (1969) as Sid Boggle
- Carry On Again Doctor (1969) as Gladstone Screwer
- Carry On Christmas Specials (1969)
- Carry On Christmas (1969) as Ebenezer Scrooge
- Carry On Up the Khyber (1968) as Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond
- Vive Torbay (1968) as Self
- Don't Lose Your Head (1967) as Sir Rodney Ffing, the Black Fingernail
- Carry On Doctor (1967) as Mr. Charlie Roper
- George and the Dragon (1966)
- Where the Bullets Fly (1966) as Mortuary Attendant
- Don't Utter a Note (1966) as Basher Bates
- Tokoloshe (1965) as Harry Parsons
- Carry On Cowboy (1965) as Johnny Finger, the Rumpo Kid
- The Big Job (1965) as George Brain
- Three Hats for Lisa (1965) as Sid Marks
- Carry On Cleo (1964) as Mark Antony
- The Beauty Jungle (1964) as 'Butlins' Judge
- Taxi! (1963) as Sid Stone
- Taxi! (1963) as Sid Stone
- We Joined the Navy (1963) as Dance Instructor
- Carry On Cabby (1963) as Charlie Hawkins
- Carry On Cruising (1962) as Captain Wellington Crowther
- Look at Life: Getting a Move On (1962) as Self - Commentator
- Carry On Regardless (1961) as Mr. Bert Handy
- What a Carve Up! (1961) as Sid Butler
- A Weekend with Lulu (1961) as Café Patron
- Raising the Wind (1961) as Sid
- Double Bunk (1961) as Sid Randall
- What a Whopper (1961) as Harry Sutton
- The Green Helmet (1961) as Richie Launder
- Citizen James (1960) as Sidney 'Sid' Balmoral James
- Citizen James (1960) Creator
- Carry On Constable (1960) as Sergeant Frank Wilkins
- And the Same to You (1960) as Sammy Gatt
- Watch Your Stern (1960) as Chief Petty Officer Mundy
- The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) as Alphonse O'Reilly
- Look at Life (1959) as Narrator
- Idol on Parade (1959) as Herbie
- Upstairs and Downstairs (1959) as P.C. Edwards
- The 39 Steps (1959) as Perce Baker
- Too Many Crooks (1959) as Sid
- Look at Life: Dustmen's Day (1959) as Self - Commentator
- Tommy the Toreador (1959) as Cadena
- Make Mine a Million (1959) as Sid Gibson
- Desert Mice (1959) as Bert Bennett
- Look at Life: Market Place (1959) as Self - Commentator
- I Was Monty's Double (1958) as Porter YMCA
- The Adventures of William Tell (1958) as Schaffner
- The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958) as The Drunk
- The Silent Enemy (1958) as Chief Petty Officer Thorpe
- Another Time, Another Place (1958) as Jake Klein
- The Man Inside (1958) as Franklin
- Next to No Time (1958) as Albert, Cabin Steward
- A King in New York (1957) as Johnson - TV Advertiser
- Hell Drivers (1957) as Dusty, Truck Driver
- Quatermass 2 (1957) as Jimmy Hall
- Campbell's Kingdom (1957) as Tim, MacDonald's driver-rigger
- The Shiralee (1957) as Luke
- Hancock's Half Hour: Volume 1 (1957) as Sidney Balmoral James
- The Smallest Show on Earth (1957) as Mr. Hogg
- Interpol (1957) as Joe - First Bartender
- The Story of Esther Costello (1957) as Joe Ryan
- The Buccaneers (1956) as Chantey Jack
- Hancock's Half Hour (1956)
- Armchair Theatre (1956) as Basher Bates
- Trapeze (1956) as Snake Charmer
- The Extra Day (1956) as Barney West
- The Iron Petticoat (1956) as Paul
- Dry Rot (1956) as Flash Harry
- Ramsbottom Rides Again (1956) as Black Jake
- Wicked as They Come (1956) as Frank Allenborg
- The Glass Cage (1955) as Tony Lewis
- Out of the Clouds (1955) as Henry, the Gambler
- The Deep Blue Sea (1955) as Man outside bar
- A Yank in Ermine (1955) as Nightclub manager
- John and Julie (1955) as Mr. Pritchett
- A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) as Ice Berg
- Joe Macbeth (1955) as Banky
- It's a Great Day (1955) as Harry Mason
- Aunt Clara (1954) as Honest Sid
- For Better, for Worse (1954) as Foreman
- The Crowded Day (1954) as Joe, the Night Watchman
- The Weak and the Wicked (1954) as Syd Baden
- The Rainbow Jacket (1954) as Harry
- Orders Are Orders (1954) as Ed Waggermeyer
- Father Brown (1954) as Bert Parkinson
- The House Across the Lake (1954) as Beverly Forrest (as Sidney James)
- The Belles of St Trinian's (1954) as Benny
- Seagulls Over Sorrento (1954) as Charlie Badger
- Cosh Boy (1953) as Desk Sergeant
- The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) as Harry Hawkins
- Park Plaza 605 (1953) as Supt. Williams (as Sidney James)
- The Square Ring (1953) as Adams
- Will Any Gentleman...? (1953) as Mr. Hobson
- The Wedding of Lilli Marlene (1953) as Fennimore Hunt
- Escape by Night (1953) as Gino Rossini
- Box for One (1953)
- The Flanagan Boy (1953) as Sharkey (as Sidney James)
- Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? (1953) as Hank Hanlon
- The Yellow Balloon (1953) as Charlie
- Venetian Bird (1952) as Bernardo
- Miss Robin Hood (1952) as Sidney (as Sidney James)
- Time, Gentlemen, Please! (1952) as Eric Hace
- The Magic Box (1952) as Army Sergeant
- Gift Horse (1952) as Ned Hardy, Landlord Golden Bull
- Emergency Call (1952) as Danny Marks
- Father's Doing Fine (1952) as Taxi Driver
- Tall Headlines (1952) as Mr. Spencer, neighbor
- I Believe in You (1952) as Sergeant Body
- The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) as Lackery
- Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951) as Lew Beeson
- The Galloping Major (1951) as Bookmaker
- Talk of a Million (1951) as John C. Moody
- Last Holiday (1950) as Joe Clarence
- The Lady Craved Excitement (1950) as Carlo
- The Man in Black (1950) as Henry Clavering / Hodson
- Paper Orchid (1949) as Freddy Evans (as Sidney James)
- The Small Back Room (1949) as 'Knucksie' Moran
- Once a Jolly Swagman (1949) as Rowton
- Give Us This Day (1949) as Murdin
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) as Self
- The Front Page (1948) as Hildy Johnson
- No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1948) as uncredited
- Nightbeat (1947) as Nixon (as Sidney James)
- Black Memory (1947) as Eddie Clinton
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Sidney James best known for?
Sidney James is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Due West: Our Sex Journey (2012), Carry On Laughing (1975), Carry On Laughing (1975), Carry On Laughing (1975).
When and where was Sidney James born?
Sidney James was born on May 8, 1913 in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, Union of South Africa. They passed away on April 26, 1976.
How many credits does Sidney James have?
Sidney James has accumulated over 156 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1947 to 2022.
What is Sidney James's background in cinema and television?
Sidney James was a South African-born English-based actor and comedian. He was born on May 8, 1913, in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, Union of South Africa. James made his name as a co-star in the British television series Hancock's Half Hour. He also appeared in the popular British comedy film series Carry On. James was know...
Sidney James by the numbers
156credits
135films
21TV series
1947–2022active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- Miss Robin Hood (1952) as Sidney (as Sidney James) — aged about 39
- Time, Gentlemen, Please! (1952) as Eric Hace — aged about 39
- Citizen James (1960) as Sidney 'Sid' Balmoral James — aged about 47
- Dry Rot (1956) as Flash Harry — aged about 43
- Carry On Again Christmas (1970) as Long John Silver — aged about 57
- Bless This House (1971) as Sid Abbott — aged about 58
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