Birth Name

Born Irene Joan Marion Sims

Actress Joan Sims was born on 9 May 1930 in Laindon, Essex, where her father was the stationmaster. Known to millions for her roles in the Carry On movies, she died at the age of 71.

"To me she was the last of the great Carry On's.  She was there at the beginning.  Her talent was wonderful, she could do any accent, dialect, she could dance, sing, play dowdy and glam’’ said Barbara Windsor, who starred with her in eight Carry On’s.

Joan was also a RADA-trained theatre actress. Her performing debut was on the Laindon railway platform, where her father was stationmaster and she would entertain waiting travellers; her London stage debut was in 1952 and she had a success as Athene Seyler's no-nonsense maid in Breath of Spring (1958).

Peter Rogers spotted Joan during her cameo appearance in Doctor in the House as the sexually repressed Nurse Rigor Mortis.

Peter then gave Joan another script ‘Carry on Sargeant – 1958. The film had been a huge success at the box office and in the autumn of that year Rogers and Gerald Thomas began planning a follow up. She became the longest serving female member of the Carry On team, appearing in 24 of the films up until 1978.

Joan went on to become a popular face on TV screens, with roles in a number of successful sitcoms "On the Up" (1990) and "As Time Goes By" (1992) and the BBC's prestigious classic drama adaptations such as "Martin Chuzzlewit" (1994) (mini).

Joan released her autobiography, High Spirits, in 2000.

Her last movie was the BBC TV film Last Of The Blonde Bombshells in which she starred with Dame Judi Dench.

Unfortunately, years of heavy drinking took their toll and Joan, who was unmarried suffered in her later years with ill health. She was admitted to Hospital in Chelsea in London in mid 2001 and slipped into a coma. She died on 28 June 2001, with her lifelong friend and Carry On Norah Holland holding her hand.

More info……

She claimed that she was never married because the right person had not come along.

Had a short relationship with Hollywood star Tyrone Power

She was only paid a fee of £2,500 per film for most of the "Carry On" movies she appeared in.

Some of her films….

Trouble in Store – 1953

The Belles of St Trinians – 1954

Doctor in the House – 1954

Just my Luck – 1957

Passport to Shame – 1958

Carry on Nurse – 1958

Carry on Constable – 1960

Carry on Cleo – 1964

Carry on Cowboy – 1965

Carry on Screaming – 1966

Til death us do Part – 1966-1975

Carry on Doctor - 1968

Carry on… Up the Khyber - 1968

Carry on Camping – 1969

Carry on at your Convenience – 1971

Worzel Gummidge – 1979 – 1981

The Last of the Blonde Bombshells – 2000

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