Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914)

2022-06-18T15:09:49Z

86.147.59.227: /* Personal life */

{{Short description|English comedy actor and musician}}
{{for|the earlier actor|Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1858)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Charles Hawtrey
| image = Charles Hawtrey 1971.jpg
| caption = Hawtrey in ''[[Carry On at Your Convenience]]'' (1971)
| birthname = George Frederick Joffre Hartree
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1914|11|30}}
| birth_place = [[Hounslow]], [[Middlesex]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1988|10|27|1914|11|30}}
| death_place = [[Deal, Kent]], England
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1922–1988
}}
'''George Frederick Joffre Hartree''' (30 November 1914 – 27 October 1988), known as '''Charles Hawtrey''', was an English comedy actor and musician.

Beginning at an early age as a boy soprano, he made several [[record (music)|record]]s before moving on to radio. His later career encompassed the theatre (as both actor and director), the cinema (where he regularly appeared supporting [[Will Hay]] in the 1930s and 1940s in films such as ''[[The Ghost of St. Michael's]]''), through the [[Carry On (franchise)|''Carry On'' films]], and television.

==Life and career==

===Early life===
Born in [[Hounslow]], [[Middlesex]], England in 1914, to William John Hartree (1885–1952) and his wife Alice (née Crow) (1880–1965), of 217 Cromwell Road, as George Frederick Joffre Hartree, he took his [[stage name]] from the theatrical knight, [[Sir Charles Hawtrey]], whose surname was a different spelling of his own, and encouraged the suggestion that he was his son. However, his father was actually a London car mechanic.<ref name=Lewis>{{cite book |first=Roger |last=Lewis |author-link=Roger Lewis |title=The Man Who Was Private Widdle |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=55SJQgAACAAJ |location=London |year=2002|isbn=9780571210640 }}</ref>

Following study at the [[Italia Conti Academy|Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts]] in London, he embarked on a career in the theatre as both actor and director.

===1920s and 1930s===
Hawtrey made his first appearance on the stage in [[Boscombe]], a suburb of [[Bournemouth]], as early as 1925. At the age of 11 he played a "street Arab" in Frederick Bowyer's fairy play ''The Windmill Man''.

His London stage debut followed a few years later when, at the age of 18, he appeared in another "fairy extravaganza", this time at the [[Scala Theatre]] singing the role of the White Cat and Bootblack in the juvenile opera ''[[Bluebell in Fairyland]]''. The music for this popular show had been written by [[Walter Slaughter]] in 1901, with a book by [[Seymour Hicks]] (providing part of the inspiration for [[J. M. Barrie]]'s ''[[Peter Pan]]'').

In ''Peter Pan'' at the [[London Palladium]] in 1931, Hawtrey played the First Twin, with leading parts taken by [[Jean Forbes-Robertson]] and [[George Curzon (actor)|George Curzon]]. This played in several regional theatres, including [[His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen|His Majesty's Theatre]] in Aberdeen. In 1936 Hawtrey played in a revival of the play, this time taking the larger role of Slightly, alongside the husband-and-wife partnership of [[Elsa Lanchester]] and [[Charles Laughton]] playing Peter and Hook. A review in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' commended Hawtrey for having "a comedy sense not unworthy of his famous name".

Hawtrey played in ''Bats in the Belfry'', a farce written by Diana Morgan and Robert MacDermott, which opened at the [[Ambassadors Theatre (London)|Ambassadors Theatre]], [[Shaftesbury Avenue]], on 11 March 1937. The cast included Ivor Barnard and Dame Lilian Braithwaite, as well as [[Vivien Leigh]] in the small part of Jessica Morton. The play ran for 178 performances at the Ambassadors Theatre before moving to the [[Golders Green Hippodrome|Hippodrome]], [[Golders Green]], [[Chipping Barnet|Barnet]] on 16 August 1937.

Hawtrey acted in films from an early age, first appearing while still a child, and as an adult his youthful appearance and wit made him a foil to [[Will Hay]]'s blundering old fool in the comedy films ''[[Good Morning, Boys]]'' (1937) and ''[[Where's That Fire?]]'' (1939). In all he appeared in more than 70 films, including from this period [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[Sabotage (1936 film)|Sabotage]]'' (1936).

Hawtrey had another success on stage when he was cast in the role of Gremio in [[Tyrone Guthrie]]'s production of ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' in 1939 at the [[Old Vic]]. ([[Roger Livesey]] starred as Petruchio and his wife, [[Ursula Jeans]], as Katherine.)

Hawtrey was an accomplished musician. He recorded as a [[boy soprano]] and was billed as "The Angel-Voiced Choirboy" even at the age of fifteen. In 1930 he recorded several duets with the girl soprano Evelyn Griffiths (aged 11) for the Regal label. He was a semi-professional pianist for the Armed Forces during the Second World War.<ref name=Ross/>

===1940s===
Hawtrey continued in music revue, starring in [[Eric Maschwitz]]'s ''New Faces'' (1940) at the [[Comedy Theatre]] in London, and was praised for his "chic and finished study of an alluring woman spy". ''New Faces'' included the premiere of the song "[[A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (song)|A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square]]", which quickly became a wartime favourite.

During and after the Second World War Hawtrey also appeared in the West End in such shows as ''Scoop'', ''Old Chelsea'', ''Merry England'', ''Frou-Frou'' and ''Husbands Don't Count''. Hawtrey also directed 19 plays, including ''Dumb Dora Discovers Tobacco'' at the [[Q Theatre]] in [[Richmond, London|Richmond]] and, in 1945, ''Oflag 3'', a war drama co-written with [[Douglas Bader]].

By the 1940s, Hawtrey was appearing on radio during Children's Hour in the series ''Norman and Henry Bones, the Boy Detectives'' (first broadcast in 1943) alongside the actress [[Patricia Hayes]]. Later, he provided the voice of snooty Hubert Lane, the nemesis of William in the series ''[[Just William]]''. His catchphrase was "How's yer mother off for dripping?"

Hawtrey's film career continued, but ''[[The Ghost of St. Michael's]]'' (1941) and ''[[The Goose Steps Out]]'' (1942) were his last films with Will Hay. After the latter film he asked Hay to give him bigger roles, but Hay refused.

Hawtrey also took a hand at directing films himself, including ''What Do We Do Now?'' (1945)<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.jots.200021879/default.html "''What Do We Do Now?''/ Charles Hawtrey [motion picture]"], Library of Congress citing David Meeker ''Jazz on the Screen''</ref> a musical mystery written by the English author George Cooper and starring [[George Moon]]. Around the same time, Hawtrey directed [[Flora Robson]] in ''Dumb Dora Discovers Tobacco'' (1946).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120713130102/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b70f66bce ''Dumb Dora Discovers Tobacco''], BFI Film Forever</ref> Both films are believed lost.<ref name="Bradshaw">Peter Bradshaw [http://www.newstatesman.com/node/141308 "The Possibility of Happiness: The Carry On Films Represented the Best of England. Or Was It the Worst?"], ''New Statesman'', 1 October 2001</ref>

In 1948, Hawtrey appeared at the [[Windmill Theatre]], [[Soho]] in comedy sketches presented as part of ''Revudeville''.
In the same year, he was incorrectly credited as 'Major Markham', in [[The Story of Shirley Yorke]], but, (see 'Filmography', and Edit Note), used two pseudonyms.

===1950s===
In 1956 Hawtrey appeared alongside his future "Carry On" co-star [[Hattie Jacques]] in the comedian [[Digby Wolfe]]'s ATV series ''Wolfe at the Door'', a 12-week sketch show. Not screened in London, it ran in the Midlands<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/9352801/Digby-Wolfe.html Obituary: Digby Wolfe], telegraph.co.uk, 24 June 2012</ref> from 18 June to 10 September.<ref>The series is entirely lost, see [http://lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=5d7fe6e5-f4eb-40b4-8451-9a77344ce23b "Missing or Incomplete Episodes for Programme ''Wolfe at the Door''"], lostshows.com. Retrieved 19 May 2015</ref> In this series Wolfe explored the comic situations that could be found by passing through doorways, into a theatrical dressing room, for example. The programmes were written by Tony Hawes and [[Richard Waring (writer)|Richard Waring]].

That same year, Hawtrey made a brief appearance in ''Tess and Tim'' (BBC) under the Saturday Comedy Hour banner. This short-run series starred the [[music hall]] comedians [[Tessie O'Shea]] and [[Jimmy Wheeler]]. In 1957, Hawtrey appeared in a one-off episode of ''Laughter in Store'' (BBC), this time working with [[Charlie Drake]] and [[Irene Handl]].

Hawtrey's television career gained a major boost with ''[[The Army Game]]'', in which he played the part of Private 'Professor' Hatchett. Loosely based on the film ''[[Private's Progress]]'' (1956), the series followed the fortunes of a mixed bag of [[British Army|army]] [[National Service]] conscripts in residence at Hut 29 of the Surplus Ordnance Depot at Nether Hopping in remote [[Staffordshire]].
''[[I Only Arsked!]]'' (1958) was a feature film spin-off. Hawtrey left the series in 1958.

===1960s===
In ''[[Our House (1960 TV series)|Our House]]'' (1960–62) Hawtrey played a council official, Simon Willow. The series was created by [[Norman Hudis]], the screenwriter for the first six ''[[Carry On (franchise)|Carry On]]'' films. [[Hattie Jacques]] and [[Joan Sims]] also starred. The series initially ran for 13 episodes from September to December 1960, returning the following year with Bernard Bresslaw and [[Hylda Baker]] added to the cast. Of the 39 episodes transmitted, only three survive.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=55519364-2948-464a-819c-df9421be48d4|title=Missing or Incomplete Episodes for Programme ''Our House''|access-date=1 February 2014|year=2014|publisher=LostShows.com|archive-date=2 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202222257/http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=55519364-2948-464a-819c-df9421be48d4|url-status=dead}}</ref>

''Best of Friends'' (ITV, 1963) had essentially the same writers and production team as ''Our House''. Hawtrey again acted alongside Hylda Baker but this time playing the role of Charles, a clerk in an insurance office, next door to a café run by Baker.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131204002413/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/41261 ''Best of Friends''], BFI Film & TV database</ref> She accompanied him on insurance assignments and protected him when he was feeling put upon by his Uncle Sidney, who wished to but could not, dismiss his nephew. The series ran to thirteen episodes (all lost) and was the last television series in which Hawtrey had a regular role.<ref>[http://lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=3012bdd2-0169-49b0-8dc1-92d344966e6e "Missing or Incomplete Episodes for Programme ''Besrt of Friends''"], lostshows.com. Retrieved 19 May 2015</ref>

By this time, Hawtrey had become a regular in the [[Carry On (franchise)|"Carry On" films]] series. He was in the first, ''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'' (1958), and more than twenty others. His characters ranged from the wimpish through the effete to the effeminate and would always, regardless of the historical setting, be seen wearing Hawtrey's signature round glasses. In her autobiography, [[Barbara Windsor]] wrote about Hawtrey's alcoholism and his outrageous flirting with the footballer [[George Best]].<ref>Barbara Windsor, ''All of Me: My Extraordinary Life'', 2000</ref> While filming ''[[Carry On Spying]]'' (1964), in which they played secret agents, Windsor thought that Hawtrey had fainted with fright over a dramatic scene on a conveyor belt. In fact, he had passed out because he was drunk. When he came on set with a crate of [[R. White's Lemonade]] everyone knew that he had been on another binge. He smoked [[Woodbine (cigarette)|Woodbines]] and played cards between takes with [[Sid James]] and other members of the cast.<ref name=Ross>Robert Ross, ''The Carry On Story'', 2005</ref> In 1965, Hawtrey's mother Alice died and Hawtrey was grief-stricken and started drinking more. Apparently, Hawtrey could often be heard talking to his mother in his dressing room, even though she had died.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/169058/Charles-Hawtrey-The-Carry-On-clown-who-hated-everyone |title=Charles Hawtrey: The Carry On clown who hated everyone|work=Daily Express |date=14 April 2010 |access-date=26 August 2018}}</ref>

[[Gerald Thomas]], the director of the "Carry On" films explained in 1966 that "In the beginning Charles's shock entrance was an accident, but realising the potential I set out deliberately to shock and now his first appearance is carefully planned.... Apart from the comedy value of the unlikely role he plays, I'm careful to arrange the right timing for his actual appearance, so that the two factors combined surprise the audience into instant risibility."<ref name="Webber34">Richard Webber [https://books.google.com/books?id=QEXpFWr_zgEC&pg=PA34 ''Fifty Years Of Carry On''], London: Arrow Books, 2009, p.34</ref> In the mid-1960s, Hawtrey performed in the British regional tour of the stage musical ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'', which also included his "Carry On" co-star [[Kenneth Connor]].

===Later life and career===
Although the "Carry On" films made a handsome return for their producer, Peter Rogers, the cast were not well remunerated, commonly receiving a standard fee of £5,000 per film. Hawtrey used public transport to get to and from work and was once given a lift to Pinewood Studios by [[Laurence Olivier]]. Requested to embrace Barbara Windsor at a meeting with the press, Hawtrey hurriedly left the room requesting a man in her place.<ref name="Matthews">Tom Dewe Matthews [https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/life-as-a-bit-of-a-carry-on-6308529.html "Life as a Bit of a Carry On"], ''Evening Standard'', 4 December 2001</ref>

Hawtrey moved in 1968 to [[Deal, Kent|Deal]], in Kent, reputedly because of the sailors at the local naval base.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/stars-carry-happened-next/charles-hawtrey/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/stars-carry-happened-next/charles-hawtrey/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Williams, and the cast of Carry On: what happened next?|work=The Daily Telegraph |date=10 May 2018 |access-date=26 August 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He lived at 117 Middle Street, Deal, where he remained until his death. There is a small commemorative blue plaque on the front exterior wall of this property to identify his former residence. Hawtrey cut an eccentric figure in the small town, becoming well known for promenading along the seafront in extravagant attire, waving cheerfully to the fishermen and for frequenting establishments patronised by students of the [[Royal Marines Band Service|Royal Marines School of Music]].<ref name=Lewis/>

In 1970, he appeared with [[Sid James]] in the South African film ''Stop Exchange''. He made an appearance in ''Grasshopper Island'' (ITV 1971), a children's programme, alongside [[Patricia Hayes]], [[Julian Orchard]], [[Tim Brooke-Taylor]] and [[Frank Muir]]. Filmed in [[Wales]] and [[Corsica]], this adventure series featured three small brothers nicknamed Toughy, Smarty and Mouse who run away to find an uninhabited island.

Hawtrey's last film was ''[[Carry On Abroad]]'' (1972), after which he was dropped from the series. Hoping to gain higher billing, Hawtrey withdrew from a television programme, ''[[Carry On Christmas]]'', in which he was scheduled to appear, giving just a few days' notice. [[Peter Rogers]], the producer of the "Carry On" films and shows, said "He became rather difficult and impossible to deal with because he was drinking a lot. We used to feed him black coffee before he would go on. It really became clear that we were wasting time".<ref>Webber ''Fifty Years of Carry On'', p.129</ref> Hawtrey's alcohol consumption had noticeably increased since ''[[Carry On Cowboy]]'' (1965), which was released the year his mother died.

Without steady film work, Hawtrey performed in [[pantomime]] and summer seasons in the regions, playing heavily on his "Carry On" persona in such shows as ''Carry On Holiday Show-time'' and ''Snow White'' at the Gaiety Theatre, [[Rhyl]] in Wales (summer 1970), ''Stop it Nurse'' at the [[Pavilion Theatre (Torquay)|Pavilion Theatre]], [[Torquay]] (1972) and ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' again at the [[Theatre Royal, Nottingham|Theatre Royal]], Nottingham (April 1974). His last pantomime season was Christmas 1979.<ref name="Webber34"/>

Hawtrey also played parts in a series of radio plays about a criminal gang written by [[Wally K. Daly]] for the BBC, alongside [[Peter Jones (actor)|Peter Jones]], [[Lockwood West]] and Bernard Bresslaw.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonelms.org.uk/wkd.html|title=Wally K Daly radio drama & plays|first1=Alison |last1=Deacon |first2=Nigel|last2=Deacon|publisher=suttonelms.org.uk|access-date=16 September 2016}}</ref> These were ''Burglar's Bargains'' (1979), ''A Right Royal Rip-off'' (1982) and ''The Bigger They Are'' (1985).

===Personal life===
Little is known about Hawtrey's early years or later private life. He guarded his relationships very carefully in an era (lasting until [[Sexual Offences Act 1967|1967 in England]]) when male homosexual behaviour was illegal and punishable by a prison sentence.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Irish Times |location=Dublin |date=6 April 2002 |title=Charles Hawtrey |author=Stephen Dixon |quote=Hawtrey was a feisty and courageous little actor who was always defiantly his own man and couldn't care less what people thought of him. As a flamboyantly gay man, he attracted the kind of attention that was fraught with danger in the 1950s. But unlike many homosexual public figures, he never pretended to be anything other than his true self. "No, bring me a nice gentleman," he insisted when photographers wanted him to pose with starlets.}}</ref> His outrageous drunken promiscuity did not attract sympathy, nor did his general peevish demeanour and increasing eccentricity earn him many close friends.<ref name=Lewis/>

If fans asked him for an autograph, Hawtrey would often swear at them and rip their paper in half.<ref name=Lewis/>

[[Kenneth Williams]] recounted a visit to [[Deal, Kent|Deal]] in Kent where Hawtrey owned a house full of old brass bedsteads that the eccentric actor had hoarded, believing that "one day he would make a great deal of money from them".<ref name=Diaries>''The Kenneth Williams Diaries'', London, 1994</ref>

Hawtrey spent most of his life living with his mother, who suffered [[Alzheimer's disease]] in later years. Another anecdote recounted by Williams<ref name=Diaries/> describes how during the filming of ''[[Carry On Teacher]]'', [[Joan Sims]] cried out to Hawtrey that his mother's handbag had caught fire after her cigarette ash fell into it. Without batting an eyelid, Hawtrey poured a cup of tea into the bag to put out the flames, snapped the handbag shut and continued with his conversation. He would often bring his mother onto the set and then lock her in his dressing room when he was required to film a scene.<ref name="auto"/> Williams also recounted his gathering up of the sandwiches left over from a buffet for the "Carry On" cast.<ref name=Diaries/> Williams was envious of Hawtrey's acceptance of his sexuality: "He can sit in a bar and pick up sailors and have a wonderful time. I couldn't do it."<ref name="Donnelley">Paul Donnelley [https://books.google.com/books?id=qAhtNiAl3YsC&pg=PA322 ''Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries''], London: Omnibus Press, 2003, p.322</ref> Hawtrey was a heavy smoker and drinker throughout his life and was "habitually drunk" when performing in pantomime in his later career.<ref name="auto"/>

Hawtrey hit the headlines after his house caught fire on 5 August 1984.<ref name="Donnelley"/> He had gone to bed with a 15-year-old rent boy and had left a cigarette burning on his sofa. Newspaper photographs from the time show a fireman leading an ill-looking, emotional, partially clothed and toupee-less Hawtrey to safety.<ref name="Upton71">Julian Upton ''Fallen Stars: Tragic Lives and Lost Careers'', Manchester: Headpress, 2004, p.71</ref>

===Death===
On 24 October 1988, Hawtrey collapsed in the doorway of the Royal Hotel in [[Deal, Kent|Deal]], shattering his [[femur]] and was rushed by ambulance to the [[Buckland Hospital]] in [[Dover]].<ref>Roger Lewis: Charles Hawtrey 1914-1988: The Man who Was Private Widdle, 2002</ref> He was discovered to be suffering from [[peripheral vascular disease]], a condition of the arteries brought on by a lifetime of heavy smoking. Hawtrey was told that to save his life, his legs would have to be [[amputation|amputated]]. He refused the operation, allegedly saying that he preferred [[Die with your boots on|'to die with his boots on']],<ref name="Upton71"/> and died three days later, aged 73, in a nursing home in [[Walmer]], near Deal.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/29/obituaries/charles-hawtrey-73-of-carry-on-movies.html "Charles Hawtrey, 73, Of 'Carry On' Movies"], ''New York Times'', 29 October 1988</ref> It was claimed that on his deathbed he threw a vase at his nurse who asked for an autograph.<ref name="Matthews"/><ref>Tanya Gold [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/17/gender.filmnews "Infamy? They've Got It"], ''The Guardian'', 17 April 2008</ref> He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in [[Mortlake Crematorium]], close to [[Chiswick]] in London. Just nine mourners attended, no friends or family were there.<ref name=Lewis/>

==Legacy==

Hawtrey was portrayed by [[Hugh Walters (actor)|Hugh Walters]] in the television film ''[[Cor, Blimey!]]'' (2000). This was adapted by [[Terry Johnson (dramatist)|Terry Johnson]] from his stage play ''[[Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick]]'' (1998); the original play did not feature Hawtrey as a character. In the [[BBC Four]] television play ''[[Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!]]'' (2006), Hawtrey was played by David Charles.

He is also the subject of one-man biographical stage play, ''Oh, Hello!'', premiered in 2001 at The Torch Theatre and was revived in 2014/2015 for the actor's centenary, with Jamie Rees in the role. The play was written by Dave Ainsworth <ref>[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/carry-touring-charles-hawtrey-tribute-8081644 Carry On touring: Charles Hawtrey tribute show Oh Hello! must be seen by a wider audience], ''Wales Online'', 10 November 2014</ref>

He has been the subject of two biographies: ''Charles Hawtrey 1914–1988: The Man Who Was Private Widdle'' (2002) by [[Roger Lewis]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/nov/18/biography.tvandradio|title=From the Khyber Pass to the bottom of a glass|first=Ben|last=Summerskill|date=18 November 2001|access-date=16 September 2016|work=The Guardian}}</ref> and ''Whatshisname: The Life and Death of Charles Hawtrey'' (2010) by the broadcaster [[Wes Butters]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tomahawkpress.com/whatshisname-the-life-and-death-of-charles-hawtrey/|title=Whatshisname – The Life and Death of Charles Hawtrey|publisher=Tomahawk Press|access-date=16 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224195427/http://tomahawkpress.com/whatshisname-the-life-and-death-of-charles-hawtrey/|archive-date=24 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[BBC Radio 4]] broadcast Butters's documentary, ''Charles Hawtrey: That Funny Fella with the Glasses'', in April 2010.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00s2xhf BBC.co.uk ''Charles Hawtrey: That Funny Fella with the Glasses''], BBC Radio 4, 27 April 2010</ref>

Reference was made to Hawtrey by John Lennon (seemingly nonsensically) just before the song "[[Two of Us (Beatles song)|Two of Us]]" on the Beatles' ''[[Let It Be (Beatles album)|Let It Be]]'' album. John says: "I Dig a Pygmy, by Charles Hawtrey and The Deaf-Aids. Phase one, in which Doris gets her oats.”

==Filmography==
{{Div col}}
*''[[Tell Your Children]]'' (1922) as minor role (uncredited)
*''[[This Freedom]]'' (1923) (uncredited)
*''[[Marry Me (1932 film)|Marry Me]]'' (1932) as Billy Hart
*''[[The Melody-Maker]]'' (1933) as Torn
*''[[Mayfair Girl]]'' (1933)
*''[[Smithy (1933 film)|Smithy]]'' (1933)
*''[[High Finance (film)|High Finance]]'' (1933)
*''As Good As New'' (1934)
*''[[Trouble in Store (1934 film)|Trouble in Store]]'' (1934)
*''[[Hyde Park (1934 film)|Hyde Park]]'' (1934) as Secondary Supporting Role (uncredited)
*''[[Little Stranger (film)|Little Stranger]]'' (1934)
*''[[Murder at Monte Carlo]]'' (1935)
*''[[Boys Will Be Boys (1935 film)|Boys Will Be Boys]]'' (1935)
*''Kiddies on Parade'' (1935)
*''[[Windfall (1935 film)|Windfall]]'' (1935) (minor role, uncredited)
*''[[Man of the Moment (1935 film)|Man of the Moment]]'' (1935) as Tom (uncredited)
*''[[Get Off My Foot]]'' (1935)
*''[[Well Done, Henry]]'' (1936) as Rupert McNab
*''[[Cheer Up (film)|Cheer Up]]'' (1936) as dancing Boy Scout (uncredited)
*''[[The Brown Wallet]]'' (1936) (bit part, uncredited)
*''[[Sabotage (1936 film)|Sabotage]]'' (1936) as studious youth at the aquarium (uncredited)
*''[[Good Morning, Boys]]'' (1937) as Septimus
*''[[Melody and Romance]]'' (1937) reciting Shakespeare at audition (uncredited)
*''[[Where's That Fire?]]'' (1940) as Woodley
*''[[Jailbirds (1940 film)|Jailbirds]]'' (1940) as Nick
*''[[The Ghost of St. Michael's]]'' (1941) as Percy Thorne
*''[[The Goose Steps Out]]'' (1942) as Max
*''[[Let the People Sing (film)|Let the People Sing]]'' (1942) as Young Orton
*''[[Much Too Shy]]'' (1942) as student of Modern Art (uncredited)
*''[[Bell-Bottom George]]'' (1943) as BBC man (uncredited)
*''[[A Canterbury Tale]]'' (1944) as Thomas Duckett
*''Ten Year Plan'' (1945)
*''[[Meet Me at Dawn]]'' (1947) as reporter at the fair (uncredited)
*''[[The End of the River]]'' (1947) as Raphael
*''[[The Story of Shirley Yorke]]'' (1948) (Major Markham) ('Sibelius' and 'Mendelssohn', ((as the Piano Player)): pseudonyms)
*''[[Passport to Pimlico]]'' (1949) as Bert Fitch
*''[[The Lost People]]'' (1949) as prisoner (uncredited)
*''[[Dark Secret (film)|Dark Secret]]'' (1949) as Arthur Figson
*''[[Room to Let (1950 film)|Room to Let]]'' (1950) as Mike Atkinson
*''[[Smart Alec (1951 UK film)|Smart Alec]]'' (1951) as Farr
*''[[The Galloping Major (film)|The Galloping Major]]'' (1951) as Lew Rimmel
*''[[Hammer the Toff]]'' (1952) as cashier (uncredited)
*''[[Brandy for the Parson]]'' (1952) as George Crumb
*''[[You're Only Young Twice (film)|You're Only Young Twice]]'' (1952) as Adolphus Hayman
*''[[Five Days (1954 film)|Five Days]]'' (1954) as Bill (uncredited)
*''[[To Dorothy a Son]]'' (1954) as waiter at pub (uncredited)
*''[[As Long as They're Happy]]'' (1955) as Teddyboy
*''[[Timeslip (1955 film)|Timeslip]]'' / ''[[The Atomic Man]]'' (1955) as office-boy (uncredited)
*''[[Simon and Laura]]'' (1955) as railway porter
*''[[Man of the Moment (1955 film)|Man of the Moment]]'' (1955) as play director (uncredited)
*''[[Jumping for Joy]]'' (1956) as punter at bar (uncredited)
*''[[Who Done It? (1956 film)|Who Done It?]]'' (1956) as disc jockey
*''[[The March Hare (1956 film)|The March Hare]]'' (1956) as Fisher
*''[[Carry On Sergeant]]'' (1958) as Peter Golightly
*''[[I Only Arsked!]]'' (1958) as Pvt. 'Professor' Hatchett
*''[[Carry On Nurse]]'' (1959) as Humphrey Hinton
*''[[Carry On Teacher]]'' (1959) as Michael Bean
*''[[Please Turn Over]]'' (1959) as Jeweler
*''[[Inn for Trouble]]'' (1960) as Silas Withering
*''[[Carry On Constable]]'' (1960) as PC Timothy Gorse
*''[[Carry On Regardless]]'' (1961) as Gabriel Dimple
*''[[Dentist on the Job]]'' (1961) as Mr. Roper
*''[[What a Whopper]]'' (1961) as Arnold
*''[[Carry On Cabby]]'' (1963) as Terry 'Pintpot' Tankard
*''[[Carry On Jack]]'' (1963) as Walter Sweetly
*''[[Carry On Spying]]'' (1964) as Charlie Bind
*''[[Carry On Cleo]]'' (1964) as Seneca
*''[[Carry On Cowboy]]'' (1965) as Chief Big Heap
*''[[Carry On Screaming!]]'' (1966) as Dan Dann
*''[[Don't Lose Your Head|Carry On Don't Lose Your Head]]'' (1966) as Duc de Pommfrit
*''[[The Terrornauts]]'' (1967) as Joshua Yellowlees
*''[[Follow That Camel|Carry On Follow That Camel]]'' (1967) as Captain Le Pice
*''[[Carry On Doctor]]'' (1967) as Mr. Barron
*''[[Carry On Up the Khyber]]'' (1968) as Pte. James Widdle
*''[[Carry On Camping]]'' (1969) as Charlie Muggins
*''[[Carry On Again Doctor]]'' (1969) as Doctor Ernest Stoppidge
*''[[Zeta One]]'' (1969) as Swyne
*''[[Carry On Up the Jungle]]'' (1970) as Tonka the Great / Walter Bagley
*''Stop Exchange'' (1970) as The Butler
*''[[Carry On Loving]]'' (1970) as James Bedsop
*''[[Carry On Henry]]'' (1971) as Sir Roger de Lodgerley
*''[[Carry On at Your Convenience]]'' (1971) as Charles Coote
*''[[Carry On Matron]]'' (1972) as Dr. Francis A. Goode
*''[[Carry On Abroad]]'' (1972) as Eustace Tuttle
{{div col end}}

===Television credits===
*''Tess and Time'' (1956)
*''Wolfe at the Door'' (1956)
*''Laughter in Store'' (1957)
*''[[The Army Game]]'' (1957–1958) as Pvt. 'Professor' Hatchett
*''[[Our House (1960 TV series)|Our House]]'' (1960) as Simon Willow
*''Best of Friends'' (1963) as Charles
*''Ghosts of Christmas or [[Carry On Christmas]]'' (1969) as Spirit of Christmas Past / Angel / Convent Girl
*''Carry On Long John'' (1970)
*''Grasshopper Island'' (1970)
*''The Princess and the Pea'' (1979)
*''[[The Plank (1979 film)|The Plank]]'' (1979) as Co-Driver
*''Runaround'' (1981)
*''[[Super Gran]]'': "Supergran and the State Visit" (1987) as Clarence, Duke of Claridge (final television appearance)

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|0001889|Charles Hawtrey}}
* {{screenonline name|id=485978|name=Charles Hawtrey}}
* {{British Comedy Guide|people|charles_hawtrey}}
* {{Discogs artist|Charles Hawtrey (2)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090709092240/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/armygame.htm ''The Army Game''] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20090709131529/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/ourhouse.htm ''Our House''] at Television Heaven.
* [http://www.boysoloist.com/artist.asp?VID=1648 Charles Hawtrey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013546/https://www.boysoloist.com/artist.asp?VID=1648 |date=5 March 2016 }} at The Boy Choir and Soloist Directory.
* [http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=7656 Charles Hawtrey] at Aveleyman.

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawtrey, Charles}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts]]
[[Category:Boy sopranos]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English gay actors]]
[[Category:Gay comedians]]
[[Category:LGBT musicians from England]]
[[Category:People from Hounslow]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English singers]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]
[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century British male singers]]
[[Category:LGBT singers from the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths from falls]]
[[Category:20th-century LGBT people]]

The Goon Show Depository - User contributions [en]

Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914)