Hattie Jacques (/dʒeɪks/; born Josephine Edwina Jaques; 1922–1980) was an English actress who appeared in many genres of light entertainment including radio, film, television and stage.[1][2] Jacques's career spanned from 1939 until her death in 1980. She is best remembered for her appearances in fourteen Carry On films and for her professional partnership with Eric Sykes.[1]
In 1939 Jacques became involved in amateur dramatics, appearing as Doris Gow in Noël Coward's short play Fumed Oak.[3] Five years later, after wartime service as a nurse and a welder,[1] she made her professional theatrical debut at the Players' Theatre in the revue Late Joys,[4] a performance that she repeated on television in 1946.[5] From there she became a regular stage performer, appearing in variety shows and Victorian-style pantomimes.[4][6]
After her appearances on radio as Sophie Tuckshop alongside Tommy Handley in the final two series of his signature show It's That Man Again, Jacques came to national prominence.[1] She later appeared on Educating Archie as Agatha Dinglebody, where she worked with Tony Hancock;[7] in 1956 she joined Hancock in the cast of the BBC radio show Hancock's Half Hour, playing Griselda Pugh, Hancock's secretary.[8] She made her film debut in an uncredited role in Green for Danger in 1946,[9] before working in a number of minor roles in a series of Dickens adaptations.[1] From 1958 to 1974 she appeared in fourteen Carry On films,[10] where she was "usually cast as formidable hospital matrons (at least four) or man-devouring predators".[11]
Jacques had a long professional partnership with Eric Sykes, with whom she co-starred in two long-running television series, Sykes and a... and Sykes. The couple also produced an album and a single in 1962; a stage show followed between 1976 and 1979, A Hatful of Sykes.[1] Jacques was married to the actor John Le Mesurier in November 1949, but their marriage was dissolved in 1965.[12] Jacques died suddenly in October 1980 from heart failure.[1]
Production[13][14] | Date | Theatre (London, unless stated) |
Role | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fumed Oak | 4 May 1939 | The Kitson Hall, Barnes | Doris Gow | Amateur production with The Curtain Club | [3] |
Borgia | 4 May 1939 | The Kitson Hall, Barnes | Beatrice of Orsini | Amateur production with The Curtain Club | [3] |
Late Joys revue | July 1944 | Players' Theatre | – | Professional debut with the Players' Theatre | [15] |
The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood | 20 December 1944 | Players' Theatre | – | Players' Theatre pantomime | [16] |
Pantomime | December 1945 | Players' Theatre | – | [4] | |
The Cave and the Garden | 24 April 1946 | Players' Theatre | – | [16] | |
The Amiable Mrs Luke | 25 September 1946 | Players' Theatre | – | [16] | |
The King Stag | 26 December 1946 – January 1947 | Lyric Theatre | Smeraldina | With the Young Vic Theatre Company | [17] |
The King Stag | January – June 1947 | National tour | Smeraldina | Five-month tour with the Young Vic Theatre Company | [17] |
Players, Please | 9 December 1947 | Players' Theatre | – | [16] | |
Bates Wharf | Spring 1948 | Whitehall Theatre | – | With the Under Thirty Theatre Group | [9] |
The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood | 21 December 1948 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Queen | Players' Theatre pantomime | [16] |
The Beauty and the Beast | 20 December 1949 | Players' Theatre | Marygolda | Players' Theatre pantomime | [18] |
Please Teacher | April 1950 | People's Palace | – | Also on national tour | [19][20] |
Ali Baba and the Thirty-Nine Thieves | 19 December 1950 | Players' Theatre | Cogia Baba | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett | [19][21] |
Apartments | 1 May 1951 | Players' Theatre | Mrs Tippity | [19][22] | |
The Crystal Palace—1851 | 3 May 1951 | Players' Theatre | – | [19][22] | |
Going Up | June 1951 | Players' Theatre | Duchess of Kent | [23] | |
Riquet with the Tuft | 18 December 1951 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Queen | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett | [22][24] |
The Archie Andrews Christmas Show | December 1951 – January 1952 | Prince of Wales Theatre | – | [14] | |
The Bells of St Martins | 29 August – 29 November 1952 | St Martin's Theatre | – | Also directed | [25] |
Babes in the Wood | December 1952 | Players' Theatre | – | Directed | [26] |
Cinderella | 22 December 1953 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Fragrant | Five-week run | [13][27][28] |
The Players' Theatre Minstrel Show | April 1954 | Players' Theatre | – | Also directed | [13] |
The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood | December 1954 | Players' Theatre | Fairy Antidota | [13] | |
Twenty Minutes South | May – July 1955 | Players' Theatre | – | Produced and directed | [13] |
Twenty Minutes South | July – October 1955 | St Martin's Theatre | – | Produced and directed; 105 performances | [29] |
Chain of Guilt | 1956 | Players' Theatre | – | [13] | |
The Two Mrs Carolls | 1956 | Players' Theatre | – | [13] | |
Albertine by Moonlight | May 1956 | Westminster Theatre | Madame Leonie Urwig | [13][30] | |
Ali Baba and the Thirty-Nine Thieves | December 1956 | Players' Theatre | Cogia Baba | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett | [21] |
Large as Life | 23 May – 13 December 1958 | London Palladium | – | 380 performances | [31][32][33] |
Royal Variety Performance | 3 November 1958 | London Coliseum | – | [34] | |
Royal Variety Performance | May 1960 | Victoria Palace Theatre | – | [35] | |
Riquet with the Tuft | December 1960 | Players' Theatre | – | Adapted by Jacques and Joan Sterndale-Bennett | [13] |
A Hatful of Sykes | May – September 1976 | Pavilion Theatre, Torquay | – | [36] | |
A Hatful of Sykes | 25 February – 5 March 1977 | Hong Kong Sheraton | – | [37] | |
The Royal Silver Jubilee Gala Performance | 17 May 1977 | King's Theatre, Glasgow | – | [38] | |
A Hatful of Sykes | 29 June 1977 | Winter Gardens, Blackpool | – | Summer season | [39] |
A Hatful of Sykes | March 1978 | Theatre Royal, Lincoln | – | [40] | |
A Hatful of Sykes | April – 6 May 1978 | Seven Arts Theatre, Rhodesia | – | Including a tour of Rhodesia | [41] |
A Hatful of Sykes | 27 December – 27 January 1979 | National Arts Centre, Ottawa and tour of Canada | – | [42] | |
A Hatful of Sykes | February – March 1979 | Tour of South Africa | – | [43] | |
A Hatful of Sykes | March – July 1979 | National tour | – | Consisting Lincoln, Guilford, Cardiff, Wilmslow, Norwich and Brighton | [44] |
A Hatful of Sykes | 16 July – September 1979 | Bournemouth | – | [45] |
Broadcast | Date | Role | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Variety Bandbox | 6 May 1945 | – | [46] | |
It's That Man Again | 25 September 1947 – 10 June 1948 | Sophie Tuckshop | Series eleven: 38 episodes | [47] |
It's That Man Again | 23 September 1948 – 6 January 1949 | Sophie Tuckshop | Series twelve: 16 episodes | [47] |
April Revue | 1949 | – | [48] | |
The Bowrey Bar | 1949 | – | [48] | |
Heloise | 1949 | – | [48] | |
Clay's College | 27 June 1949 | – | [49] | |
Educating Archie | 6 June – 19 December 1950 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series one: 29 episodes | [50] |
Further Goings On | 1951 | – | [5] | |
Fine Goings On | 4 January – 5 July 1951 | – | Series one: 14 episodes | [51][52] |
Calling All Forces | 28 April 1951 | – | [53] | |
Educating Archie | 3 August 1951 – 25 January 1952 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series two: 26 episodes | [54] |
Arthur's Inn | July 1952 | – | [55] | |
Educating Archie | 18 September 1952 – 26 June 1953[a] | Agatha Dinglebody | Series three: 27 episodes | [56] |
Educating Archie | 15 October 1953 – 1 April 1954 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series four: 25 episodes | [57] |
"The Santa Claus Show" | 25 December 1953 | – | [58] | |
Paradise Street | 20 April – 13 July 1954 | Agatha Dinglebody | Spin-off series from Educating Archie | [59] |
"Archie in Goonland" | 11 June 1954 | – | The Goon Show and Educating Archie special | [60][61] |
Educating Archie | 1955 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series five[b] | [57] |
Mrs Dale's Diary | February – April 1955 | Mrs Leathers | 18 episodes | [62] |
These Radio Times | March 1955 | – | [5] | |
You're Only Young Once | April 1955 | – | [63] | |
Hancock's Half Hour | 11 November 1956 – 24 February 1957 | Griselda Pugh | Series four: 16 episodes[c] | [65] |
Hancock's Half Hour | 21 January – 3 June 1958 | Griselda Pugh | Series five: 20 weeks | [66] |
Hancock's Half Hour | 25 December 1958 | Griselda Pugh | Christmas special | [67] |
Educating Archie | 7 October 1959 – 17 February 1960 | Agatha Dinglebody | Series ten: 20 episodes | [59] |
It's a Fair Cop | 22 May – 10 July 1961 | – | 8 episodes | [68] |
Desert Island Discs | 16 October 1961 | – | Interviewed by Roy Plomley[d] | [69] |
"Hazy Days of Summer" | December 1963 | – | [5] | |
Housewife's Choice | May – August 1964 | – | 4 episodes | [70] |
Souvenir | 1965 | – | 13 episodes | [71] |
Twenty Questions | 1965 | – | [71] | |
Sounds Familiar | August 1968 | – | [72] | |
Pete's People | October 1969 | – | Interviewed by Pete Murray | [73] |
My Kind of Music | June 1971 | – | [73] | |
Today Programme | June 1971 | – | Live interview on BBC Radio 4 | [73] |
Morning Story | June 1971 | – | [73] |
Programme[74] | Date | Channel | Role | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Late Joys Revue | 11 June 1946 | BBC Television | – | Live broadcast from the BBC Alexandra Palace Studios | [75] |
No, No, Nanette | 1948 | BBC Television | – | Live broadcast from the BBC Alexandra Palace Studios | [5] |
Out of This World | 15 November 1950 | BBC Television | – | [76] | |
Panorama | 6 January 1954 | BBC Television | – | Featured a film sequence of the pantomime "Cinderella" from the Players' Theatre | [77] |
Happy Holidays | 10 July – 18 September 1954 | BBC Television | Mrs Mulberry | 6 episodes | [78] |
Plunder | 1955 | BBC Television | Mrs Howlett | [79] | |
The Granville Melodramas | 10 October – 27 December 1955 | ITV | Various | 7 episodes | [79] |
Tribute to Henry Hall | 1956 | BBC Television | – | [5] | |
The Tony Hancock Show | 1 June 1956 | ITV | – | Series one, episode 6 | [80] |
The Tony Hancock Show, "Honneur et Fidelite" | 30 November 1956 | ITV | – | Series two, episode 2 | [80] |
Pantomania | 25 December 1956 | BBC Television | Good Fairy | [81] | |
Hancock's Half Hour | 15 April – 10 June 1957 | BBC Television | – | Series two: 5 episodes | [82] |
A Cup of Kindness | 1959 | BBC Television | Mrs Tutt | [83] | |
Gala Opening | 7 March 1959 | BBC Television | – | [84][85] | |
Hancock's Half Hour, "The Cruise" | 30 October 1959 | ITV | Amorous Lady | Series five, episode 6 | [86] |
Sykes and a... | 29 January – 26 February 1960 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series one: 5 episodes | [85] |
Royal Variety Performance | 22 May 1960 | ITV | – | Broadcast from the Victoria Palace Theatre | [87] |
Twentieth Century Theatre, "The Insect Play" | 19 July 1960 | BBC Television | – | [88][89] | |
Sykes and a... | 11 August – 15 September 1960 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series two: 6 episodes | [85] |
Our House | 11 September – 4 December 1960 | ITV | Georgina Ruddy | Series one: 13 episodes | [90] |
Sally Ann Howes Variety Show | 1961 | – | [88] | ||
Juke Box Jury | 1960 | BBC Television | – | Jacques made four scheduled appearances on the show on 9 April 1960, 6 October 1962, 30 March 1963 and 13 December 1967[91][92][93][94] Additionally, Eric Merriman recollected in his biography that she made "several" appearances on other, non scheduled occasions, none of which are verified. | [95] |
Sykes and a... | 4 January – 8 February 1961 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series three: 6 episodes | [85] |
Sykes and a... | 14 April – 19 May 1961 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series four: 6 episodes | [85] |
Our House | 16 September 1961 – 21 April 1962 | ITV | Georgina Ruddy | Series two: 26 episodes | [90] |
Billy Cotton Band Show | 24 December 1961 | BBC Television | – | [96] | |
Sykes and a... | 30 January – 20 March 1962 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series five: 8 episodes | [85] |
Compact | February 1962 | BBC Television | – | [88] | |
That Was the Week That Was | 1 December 1962 | BBC Television | – | [97] | |
Christmas Night with the Stars | 25 December 1962 | BBC Television | – | Short special from Sykes and a... | [85] |
This Is Your Life | 12 February 1963 | BBC Television | – | Jacques was the show's main guest | [98] |
Sykes and a... | 21 February – 11 April 1963 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series six: 8 episodes | [85] |
Sykes and a... | 25 February – 7 April 1964 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series seven: 7 episodes | [85] |
Miss Adventure | 5 July – 10 October 1964 | ITV | Stacey Smith | 13 episodes | [88][99] |
A Choice of Coward: Blithe Spirit | 17 August 1964 | ITV | Madame Arcati | [100] | |
Sykes and a... | 30 October – 4 December 1964 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series eight: 6 episodes | [85] |
Cribbins | February 1965 | BBC Television | – | Bernard Cribbins's sketch show | [71] |
Sykes and a... | 5 October – 16 November 1965 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series nine: 7 episodes | [85] |
Jackanory | 17 January 1966 – 17 February 1967 | BBC Television | Narrator | 10 episodes – Narrating the stories of Mary Poppins | [71] |
Titi-Pu | 1967 | BBC Television | – | A re-working of The Mikado | [101] |
Theatre 625, "The Memorandum" | 24 September 1967 | BBC Television | Helen | [102] | |
Sykes Versus ITV | 26 November 1967 | ITV | – | [85] | |
Knock Three Times | 1968 | BBC Television | Miss Popinjay | [103] | |
Inside George Webley | 1968 | ITV | – | [104] | |
The World of Beachcomber | 22 January – 22 April 1968 | BBC Television | – | Series one: 13 episodes | [105] |
Howerd's Hour | 12 May 1968 | ITV | – | Frankie Howerd's sketch show | [106] |
Join Jim Dale | 1969 | – | [88] | ||
Pickwick | 11 June 1969 | BBC Television | Mrs Bardell | Based on the musical Pickwick | [107] |
Carry On Christmas | 24 December 1969 | ITV | Elizabeth Barrett / nun / bemused passer-by | [108] | |
Catweazle | 1970 | ITV | – | [72] | |
Charley's Grants | 22 March – 26 April 1970 | BBC Television | Mrs Manger | [109] | |
Dangerpoint | 1971 | Miss Keen | [72] | ||
Ask Aspel | 1971 | BBC Television | – | [72] | |
Sykes and a Big, Big Show | 26 February – 2 April 1971 | BBC Television | – | 6 episodes | [110] |
Frankie Howerd: The Laughing Stock of Television | 14 April 1971 | ITV | – | [111] | |
Doctor at Large: "Cynthia Darling" | 20 June 1971 | ITV | Mrs Askey | [112] | |
Sykes – With the Lid Off | 7 July 1971 | ITV | – | [113] | |
Christmas Night with the Stars | 25 December 1971 | BBC Television | – | Performed short sketch, A Policeman's Lot | [85] |
Max Bygraves at the Royalty | 3 August 1972 | ITV | – | [114] | |
Max Bygraves at the Royalty | 7 September 1972 | ITV | – | [114] | |
Sykes | 14 September – 28 December 1972 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series one: 16 episodes | [110] |
Carry On Christmas | 20 December 1972 | ITV | – | [115] | |
Pebble Mill at One | 1973 | BBC Television | – | [116] | |
Call My Bluff | 1973 | BBC Television | – | [116] | |
Sykes | 10 September – 17 December 1973 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series two: 15 episodes | [110] |
Sykes | 17 October – 5 December 1974 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series three: 8 episodes | [110] |
Celebrity Squares | 1975 | ITV | – | [117] | |
Wogan's World | 1975 | BBC Television | – | [116] | |
Looks Familiar | 14 January 1975 | ITV | – | [118] | |
Carry On Laughing: "Orgy and Bess" | 25 January 1975 | ITV | Queen Elizabeth | [119] | |
2nd House: The Sound of Laughter | 3 May 1975 | BBC Television | – | [120] | |
Sykes | 24 October – 12 December 1975 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series four: 7 episodes | [110] |
Sykes: "Christmas Party" | 12 December 1975 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Christmas special | [121] |
Sykes | 11 November – 30 December 1976 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series five: 8 episodes | [110] |
Eric Sykes: A Few of our Favourite Things | 1977 | ITV | – | [116] | |
The Eric Sykes Show | 8 June 1977 | ITV | – | [110] | |
Sykes: "Christmas Special" | 22 December 1977 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Christmas special | [110] |
Sykes | 4 January – 8 February 1978 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series six: 6 episodes | [110] |
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop | 21 January 1978 | BBC Television | – | [40] | |
Sykes | 5 October – 16 November 1979 | BBC Television | Hattie Sykes | Series seven: 7 episodes | [110] |
Play It Again, Hattie Jacques | 16 June 1980 | ITV | – | [122] | |
Rhubarb Rhubarb | 15 December 1980 | ITV | Nanny | Shown posthumously[e] | [123] |
Film[74][124] | Year | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Green for Danger | 1946 | – | Uncredited[125] |
Nicholas Nickleby | 1947 | Mrs Kenwick | |
Oliver Twist | 1948 | Singer at 'Three Cripples' | |
Trottie True | 1949 | Daisy Delaware | |
The Spider and the Fly | 1949 | Barmaid | Uncredited[126] |
Waterfront | 1950 | Singer | Uncredited[127] |
Chance of a Lifetime | 1950 | Alice | |
Scrooge | 1951 | Mrs Fezziwig | |
No Haunt for a Gentleman | 1952 | Mrs Fitz-Cholmondley | |
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire | 1952 | Mrs Jenks | |
The Pickwick Papers | 1952 | Mrs Nupkins | |
All Hallowe'en | 1952 | Miss Quibble | |
The Pleasure Garden | 1953 | Mrs Albion | |
Our Girl Friday | 1953 | Mrs Patch | |
Up to His Neck | 1954 | Rakiki | |
The Love Lottery | 1954 | Chambermaid | |
As Long as They're Happy | 1955 | Party girl | |
Now and Forever | 1956 | Woman in sportscar with dog | Uncredited[128] |
The Square Peg | 1958 | Gretchen | |
Carry On Sergeant | 1958 | Captain Clark | |
Left Right and Centre | 1959 | Woman in car | |
The Night We Dropped a Clanger | 1959 | Ada | |
Follow a Star | 1959 | Dymphna Dobson | |
The Navy Lark | 1959 | Fortune teller | |
Carry On Nurse | 1959 | Matron | |
Carry On Teacher | 1959 | Grace Short | |
Carry On Constable | 1960 | Sergeant Laura Moon | |
Make Mine Mink | 1960 | Nanette Parry | |
School for Scoundrels | 1960 | First Instructress | |
Watch Your Stern | 1960 | Agatha Potter | |
In the Doghouse | 1961 | Gudgeon | |
Carry On Regardless | 1961 | Sister | |
She'll Have to Go | 1962 | Miss Richards | |
The Punch and Judy Man | 1963 | Dolly Zarathusa | |
Carry On Cabby | 1963 | Peggy | |
The Plank | 1967 | Woman with rose in her mouth | |
The Bobo | 1967 | Trinity Martinez | |
Carry On Doctor | 1967 | Matron | |
Rhubarb | 1969 | Nurse Rhubarb | |
Monte Carlo or Bust! | 1969 | Lady journalist | |
Carry On Camping | 1969 | Miss Haggerd | |
Carry On Again Doctor | 1969 | Matron | |
Crooks and Coronets | 1969 | Mabel | |
The Magic Christian | 1969 | Ginger Horton | |
Carry On Loving | 1970 | Sophie Bliss | |
Carry On at Your Convenience | 1971 | Beatrice Plummer | |
Danger Point | 1971 | Miss Keen | |
Carry On Matron | 1971 | Matron | |
Carry On Abroad | 1972 | Floella | |
You'd Better Go in Disguise | 1973 | Hattie | |
Carry On Dick | 1974 | Martha Hoggett | |
Three for All | 1975 | Security official |
Title | Year | Format | Label | Notes | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Doctor Kildare" / "Bedtime Story" | 1962 | Single | Decca Records (Y7092) | With Eric Sykes | [129] |
Eric and Hattie and Things''!!! | 1962 | Album | Decca Records (LK 4507) | With Eric Sykes | [130] |