No one could say that the Carry On movies stretched their female stars, or paid them generously. But, decades later, Amanda Barrie, Valerie Leon, Sheila Hancock and co have fond memories
I’m watching a clip from the 1969 film Carry on Camping with Valerie Leon. As in, I’m with Leon, in her house in west London, with a plate of Hobnobs, and we’re watching on my phone. But also as in: she’s in the film and she’s watching herself play a sales assistant in a camping shop.
There’s a display tent in the shop, with all sorts of shenanigans going on inside – poking of canvas and cries of: “No, sir, you mustn’t!” before the tent collapses completely. Charles Hawtrey and Leon crawl out, looking guilty and dishevelled. Smoothing down her minidress, Leon explains to the manager: “I’m sorry, Mr Short, but the gentleman kept touching things.”
