1. Irene Joan Marion Sims was an English actress and comedienne, best remembered for her roles in the Carry On franchise, appearing in 24 of the films.
23 Facts About Joan Sims
1. 2.
Joan Sims decided that she wanted to pursue show business during her teens, and soon became a familiar face in a growing number of amateur productions locally.
3.
In 1946, Joan Sims first applied to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but her audition was unsuccessful.
4.
Joan Sims did succeed in being admitted to PARADA, the academy's preparatory school, and after her successful fourth attempt, she joined and was trained at RADA, graduating in 1950 at the age of 19.
5.
Joan Sims had a small part in the 1957 film Carry On Admiral, unrelated to the later Carry On series and with no other cast members in common with the series.
6.
In 1958, Joan Sims received a script from Peter Rogers; it was for Carry On Nurse.
7.
Joan Sims first starred in Carry On Nurse, then Carry On Teacher, followed by Carry On Constable and Carry On Regardless, and this sealed her future as a regular Carry On performer.
8.
Joan Sims appeared opposite Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier in the award-winning 1975 television film Love Among the Ruins and had a recurring role as Gran in the BBC comedy series Till Death Us Do Part.
9.
Also in 1986, Joan Sims appeared in the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who in the four episodes of The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet as Katryca.
10.
Joan Sims played Miss Murgatroyd in the Miss Marple adaptation A Murder is Announced.
11.
Joan Sims played Mrs Wembley in the BBC comedy series On the Up, which starred Dennis Waterman and ran from 1990 to 1992.
12.
Joan Sims played Betsey Prig in a star-studded adaptation of Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit and Lady Fox-Custard in Simon and the Witch.
13.
Joan Sims featured on an original cast recording of The Lord Chamberlain Regrets in 1961, as well as The Water Gypsies.
14.
Joan Sims replied, telling her parents that they had to come to terms with Tony being an extremely important part of her life.
15.
Joan Sims was a devoted daughter and found the separation from her parents difficult.
16.
The relationship with Baird began to flounder, Joan Sims said, due to her success and Tony Baird's failure as an actor.
17.
Joan Sims had been assistant stage manager for the revue High Spirits, in which she appeared.
18.
However, Joan Sims never felt it would be a long-term relationship: John was a much moodier character than Tony.
19.
Joan Sims suffered from Bell's palsy in 1999 and fractured her hip in 2000, but recovered well.
20.
Joan Sims was admitted to hospital in November 2000, and complications of a routine operation caused her to slip into a coma.
21.
Joan Sims died from liver failure and diverticulitis, with diabetes and COPD cited as contributory factors.
22.
Joan Sims was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium, and her ashes scattered in the grounds there.
23.
Joan Sims's authorised biography, Too Happy A Face, by Andrew Ross, was published in 2014.