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Sid James (May 8, 1913 - April 26, 1976) was a
film and television actor.

James was born Sidney Joel Cohen in Johannesburg,
South Africa. During World War II, he was enlisted
in an entertainment unit, and subsequently took up
acting as a career.  He came to United
Kingdom|Britain in 1946 on the back of his service
gratuity. Initially he worked in repertory  before
being spotted by the nascent British post-war film
industry, making his first appearance in 1947 in
the film Night Beat.

His first major comedy was The Lavender Hill Mob:
with Alfie Bass he made up the bullion robbery
gang headed by Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway.
In the same year he also appeared in Lady Godiva
Rides Again and The Galloping Major. In 1956, he
co-starred in the science-fiction film Quatermass
2.

In 1954 he began working with Tony Hancock in BBC
radio's Hancock's Half Hour playing a character
with his own name, who was a criminal who would
usually manage to con Tony. When this was turned
into a television series his part was greatly
increased to the extent that some viewers
considered it to be a double act. James was soon
getting as many laughs as his partner. In the
final series, the show was renamed simply Hancock
and Sid was not included in the cast. The show was
one of the most popular comedy series in Britain
on both television and radio.

When Hancock had Sid dropped from the show, Sid
returned to films to become a leading member of
the Carry On films|Carry On team, originally to
replace Ted Ray who had appeared in Carry On
Teacher in 1959. It was intended that Ray would
become a recurring Carry On films|Carry On star,
but he had been dropped after just one film due to
a complex contractual embarrassment (he was
contracted to the American Broadcasting
Company|ABC film studio who had never used him).
James ultimately made 19 Carry On... films all
together. 

He later enjoyed success at the head of casts of
TV situation comedies, notably George and the
Dragon, Taxi and Bless This House. He suffered a
myocardial infarction|heart attack on the opening
night of The Mating Season at the Sunderland
Empire and died on the way to hospital at the age
of 62.

Later it was rumoured that the ghost of Sid James
haunted the dressing room he occupied on the night
of his death. After one experience during a gig
there, the comedian Les Dawson refused to play the
venue again.

	Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

Sid James (May 8, 1913 - April 26, 1976) was a
film and television actor.

James was born Sidney Joel Cohen in Johannesburg,
South Africa. During World War II, he was enlisted
in an entertainment unit, and subsequently took up
acting as a career.  He came to United
Kingdom|Britain in 1946 on the back of his service
gratuity. Initially he worked in repertory  before
being spotted by the nascent British post-war film
industry, making his first appearance in 1947 in
the film Night Beat.

His first major comedy was The Lavender Hill Mob:
with Alfie Bass he made up the bullion robbery
gang headed by Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway.
In the same year he also appeared in Lady Godiva
Rides Again and The Galloping Major. In 1956, he
co-starred in the science-fiction film Quatermass
2.

In 1954 he began working with Tony Hancock in BBC
radio's Hancock's Half Hour playing a character
with his own name, who was a criminal who would
usually manage to con Tony. When this was turned
into a television series his part was greatly
increased to the extent that some viewers
considered it to be a double act. James was soon
getting as many laughs as his partner. In the
final series, the show was renamed simply Hancock
and Sid was not included in the cast. The show was
one of the most popular comedy series in Britain
on both television and radio.

When Hancock had Sid dropped from the show, Sid
returned to films to become a leading member of
the Carry On films|Carry On team, originally to
replace Ted Ray who had appeared in Carry On
Teacher in 1959. It was intended that Ray would
become a recurring Carry On films|Carry On star,
but he had been dropped after just one film due to
a complex contractual embarrassment (he was
contracted to the American Broadcasting
Company|ABC film studio who had never used him).
James ultimately made 19 Carry On... films all
together. 

He later enjoyed success at the head of casts of
TV situation comedies, notably George and the
Dragon, Taxi and Bless This House. He suffered a
myocardial infarction|heart attack on the opening
night of The Mating Season at the Sunderland
Empire and died on the way to hospital at the age
of 62.

Later it was rumoured that the ghost of Sid James
haunted the dressing room he occupied on the night
of his death. After one experience during a gig
there, the comedian Les Dawson refused to play the
venue again.