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Sid James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 191326 April 1976) was a South African born British actor and comedian. Appearing in British films from 1947, he was cast in numerous small and supporting roles into the 1960s. His profile was raised as Tony Hancock's co-star in ''Hancock's Half Hour'', which ran on television from 1956 until 1960, and then he became known as a regular performer in the ''Carry On films'', appearing in 19 films of the series with the top billing role in 17 (in the other two he was cast below Frankie Howerd). Meanwhile, his starring roles in television sitcoms continued for the rest of his life. He starred alongside Diana Coupland in the 1970s sitcom ''Bless This House'' which aired from 1971 until James died in 1976. Remembered for a lascivious persona, the ''Snopes'' website describing him as "the grand old man of dirty laughter", he became known for his amiability in his later television work. Bruce Forsyth described him as "a natural at being natural."〔Forsyth, speaking on the TV programme ''Heroes of Comedy'', 2001〕 On 26 April 1976, James was touring in ''The Mating Season'', appearing at the Sunderland Empire Theatre when he died from a heart attack. Some, including comedian Les Dawson claim to have seen the ghost of James at the theatre. ==Early life== James was born Solomon Joel Cohen, on 8 May 1913, to Jewish parents, in South Africa, later changing his name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then Sidney James. His family lived on Hancock Street in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Upon moving to Britain later in life, he claimed various previous occupations, including diamond cutter, dance tutor and boxer;〔also reported in a BBC Radio4 tribute (to be broadcast in celebration of the centenary of his birth) as short-term jobs before he 'settled down' as a trainee in his mother's hairdressing salon〕 in reality, he had trained and worked as a hairdresser. It was at a hairdressing salon in Kroonstad, Orange Free State, that he met his first wife. He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, on 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1937. His father-in-law, Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for James, but within a year he announced that he wanted to become an actor and joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players. Through this group he gained work with the South African Broadcasting Corporation. During the Second World War he served as a lieutenant in an entertainment unit of the South African Army, and subsequently took up acting as a career. He moved to Britain immediately after the war, financed by his service gratuity. According to rumour, Sid had an affair with the daughter of an important member of Johannesburg society; his decision to move away from South Africa was partly because he was "advised" to leave due to the possible controversy. Initially he worked in repertory before being spotted for the nascent British post-war film industry. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sid James」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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