The illustrated Friends: Charles Hawtrey

As a Carry On regular, Charles Hawtrey is guaranteed a place in any history of British cinema. But he didn't start his career as an actor. In fact, his name was originally made as a boy soprano; and, luckily, as puberty didn't over-trouble him with gruffness, was even hitting the high-notes as late as fifteen years old.



That's him doing Hush, Here Comes The Dream Man with Eveleyn Griffiths, a track released in 1930.

He was - if a story in the New Statemsn is to be believed - offered a later crack at musical fame when he was given first refusal of vocals for this:



He refused, which is why Sandie Shaw was approached. (And, to be honest, I'm not sure the song would have quite managed to take the novelty heft of a Hawtrey lead.)

[Part of illustrated Friends]