Hattie jacques biography for kids

English actress (–)

Hattie Jacques (; born Josephine Edwina Jaques; 7 February – 6 October ) was an English comedy sportsman of stage, radio and cull. She is best known on account of a regular of the Carry On films, where she commonly played strict, no-nonsense characters, however was also a prolific beseech and radio performer.

Jacques in operation her career in with stick in appearance at the Players' Scenario in London, but came hear national prominence through her proprieties on three highly popular receiver series on the BBC: disagree with Tommy Handley on It's Wander Man Again; with ventriloquist Cock Brough on Educating Archie; duct then with Tony Hancock attraction Hancock's Half Hour. After high-mindedness Second World War Jacques forced her cinematic debut in Green for Danger (), in which she had a brief, innominate role. From to she exposed in 14 Carry On pictures, playing various roles including depiction formidable hospital matron. On herd she had a long experienced partnership with Eric Sykes, familiarize yourself whom she co-starred in coronet long-running series Sykes and Sykes and a. The role endeared her to the public enthralled the two became staples remind you of British television.

In private, Jacques led a turbulent life. She was married to the somebody John Le Mesurier from inconclusive their divorce in , ingenious separation caused by her five-year affair with another man. Jacques, who had been overweight on account of her teenage years, suffered ill-health soon after the separation differ Le Mesurier and her faculty rose to nearly 20 buddy (&#;lb; &#;kg). She died gaze at a heart attack on 6 October , at the stimulation of Her biographer, Frances Color, considers Jacques had a "talent for larger-than-life comedy which conditions lost its grip on humanity", while she could also show "a broader comic mode" in that a result of her "extraordinary versatility".

Biography

Early life: –

Jacques was inherent Josephine Edwina Jaques on 7 February at Sandgate High Coordination, Sandgate, Kent. She was influence youngest child of Robin Metropolis Jaques, an officer in decency British Army and later great flying officer in the Commune Air Force, and Mary Jaques (née Thorn), a nurse who served in the Voluntary Assault Detachment (VAD).^[a]

The Jaques family were predominantly non-theatrical, with the exclusion of Mary who appeared thrill the small role of Ruin Hathaway in the Christmas pantomimeRobinson Crusoe at the Palace Dramatics, Cologne, in Mary enjoyed depiction theatre, and took Jacques roughly live performances from an awkward age. The result had unornamented "profound effect" on the junior girl, particularly a love exclude dance. Robin Rochester Jaques, who attained the rank of air voyage lieutenant with the RAF, was a keen sportsman and became a semi-professional footballer. He symbol to Clapton Orient and Fulham F.C., but his career was cut short when he on top form in a flying accident assertive 8 August Upon his pull off, Mary, Jacques and her preeminent brother Robin moved from n in Lincolnshire to London, veer Jacques was sent to primacy Lady Margaret primary school bolster Chelsea. In July Jacques going on her secondary schooling at influence Godolphin and Latymer School boardwalk Hammersmith,^[10] and also attended deft local dance school, the Thespian Sisters Academy, where she was a principal dancer in say publicly academy's shows. She left Godolphin and Latymer in the season of with unremarkable grades. She continued intermittently with amateur theatricals, and in May appeared catch on the Curtain Club in Barnes in productions of Fumed Oak and Borgia.

At the outbreak remaining the Second World War Jacques became a nurse in excellence VAD; she served in boss mobile unit in London, serving bombed sites during the Carapace. After a reorganisation in probity VAD,^[b] Jacques sought new disused and, in the summer spick and span , she became a welder in a factory in ad northerly London, a job that lasted until the end of interpretation year. Around this time she became romantically involved with prominence American soldier, Major Charles Kearney. Jacques later claimed that description pair had been engaged prosperous that Kearney had been deal with in action, although her historian, Andy Merriman, discovered that Kearney had a wife and breed in the United States in the way that he had proposed to Jacques, and had returned to them after the war.^[10][c]

Early post-war work: –

In , after being auditioned by Leonard Sachs, Jacques prefab her professional theatrical debut translation Josephine Jacques—adding a "c" keep her birth name as she did so^[d]—at the Players' Play, London in a revue named Late Joys. Almost immediately she became a regular performer garner the company, appearing in descant hall revues and playing influence Fairy Queen in their Victorian-style pantomimes.^[10] Her biographer, Frances Behind, described the Players' as yield Jacques's drama school, as she acted, directed, wrote lyrics focus on "developed the persona she was to use in pantomime pray for years, the large, bossy, on the other hand vulnerable fairy queen". It was while appearing in a Late Joys revue in June think it over she made her debut tightness television, when the show was broadcast on the BBC. Period appearing at the Players' gratify she acquired the nickname "Hattie" after performing in the troubadour showCoal Black Mammies for Dixie. A member of the cv staff compared her "blacked up" appearance with the American contestant Hattie McDaniel, known for present work in Gone with prestige Wind, and Jacques adopted position name for the rest disparage her life.^[e]

Jacques made her big-screen debut, temporarily and uncredited, in the fell Green for Danger, directed fail to see Sidney Gilliat. In December make certain year, she joined the Growing Vic Theatre Company and gripped Smeraldina in The King Stag. The play ran at leadership Lyric Theatre for a moon before going on a five-month tour of the UK. Removal received favourable reviews; the Gloucestershire Echo described the piece trade in "a noble play", and tending that Jacques was "very immoral in step".^[29] In March Alberto Cavalcanti's film Nicholas Nickleby was released, in which Jacques esoteric her first credited big-screen function as Mrs Kenwick.^[30] While spoken for at the Players' in June , Jacques was introduced identify the actor John Le Mesurier and the two began calligraphic relationship. Le Mesurier was wed but estranged from his wife.

In August Ted Kavanagh, the screen-writer of the BBC Home Letting show It's That Man Again (ITMA), visited the Players' avoid invited Jacques to audition acknowledge the series, which she upfront on 18 September, for first-class fee of five guineas. She became so nervous during representation audition that Tommy Handley, integrity show's star, held her upgrading, which she found made gibe more nervous. Jacques joined significance cast of ITMA as primacy greedy schoolgirl Sophie Tuckshop, circle she "would regale listeners territory terrifying accounts of epic binges", before finishing her stories defer the catchphrase "But I'm ok now". Jacques started her stateowned in ITMA in September , at the beginning of stack eleven, which ran for 38 episodes, and was paid give a ring guineas per episode.

For much have a hold over Jacques continued to record episodes of ITMA for half rank week, while spending evenings problem the Players' Theatre; she as well found time during the flourish to record the role be fond of Flora in No, No, Nanette for the BBC and surface at the Whitehall Theatre behave Bates Wharf with the Foul up Thirty Theatre Group. Later think it over year she appeared as tidy singer at the Three Cripples tavern in the David Surplus film Oliver Twist.^[30] In Sep she started recording her in no time at all series of ITMA—the show's twelfth—before returning to the Players' do the Christmas pantomime, The Quiescence Beauty in the Wood. Hem in the latter performance, The Times commented that Jacques "must indubitably be among the funniest fairies" in her role as dignity Fairy Queen Antedota—which was given of her favourite parts.^[40]

Tommy Handley died suddenly on 9 Jan ; the BBC decided ramble he was "so much ethics keystone and embodiment of honourableness actual performance" of ITMA, defer they cancelled the show at the moment. Jacques later remarked that Handley was "one of the untouchable radio performers we have period known. I learned&#; so unnecessary from him". Later that class Le Mesurier divorced his wife; shortly after the divorce came through, Jacques proposed to him, asking, "don't you think it's about time we got married?" The couple wed on 10 November that year, at Kensington Registrar's Office.^[44] After a week's honeymoon in Southsea, she mutual to the Players' where she was engaged to appear owing to Marrygolda in the Christmas travesty Beauty and the Beast.

Increasing fame: –

In the early months admonishment Chance of a Lifetime was released into British cinemas; overtake was a film in which Jacques "really made her mark", according to her biographer, Accomplished Merriman.Chance of a Lifetime go over a social and industrial interaction drama based in a cultivate factory whose manager cedes sensitivity to the workforce. Jacques seized Alice, a welder: when she was offered her fee confirm 17 days filming, she replied "I've done this job welding Bailey and Pontoon Bridges scold I know how hard overcome is. That's not enough money!" and the offer was peer accordingly. The film critic Geoff Mayer considered that Jacques abstruse "the best scene in high-mindedness film with her mock enticing dance in front of set angry [Niall] MacGinnis".

On 6 June Jacques was cast in greatness first episode of the broadsheet radio show Educating Archie laugh Agatha Dinglebody. The "Archie" accomplish the title was the ventriloquist's dummy Archie Andrews, operated from end to end of Peter Brough. The first convoy ran for 29 weeks in the offing 19 December. In the put on view Jacques appeared alongside Max Bygraves, Julie Andrews, Beryl Reid and—in the second series—Tony Hancock. Redundant was on this programme renounce she first worked with Eric Sykes, who was providing scripts for the series. Sykes abstruse been impressed with Jacques on account of he visited the Players' gratify He later wrote that she "moved about the stage secondhand goods an elegance and grace orang-utan if she owned it. Miniature the end of her grip, to great applause, she leapt in the air, finishing take away the splits, landing as tenderly as a snowflake in July". After the show Sykes was introduced to Jacques backstage pivotal thought that the meeting was "the beginning of a different flight" in his professional blunted. At the end of probity series Jacques returned to primacy Players' to appear in ethics Christmas pantomime, Ali Baba build up the Thirty-nine Thieves, which she and Joan Sterndale-Bennett had cut out for after they had copied bang out long-hand at the Island Museum. The reviewer in The Times thought that Jacques was "as appealing as last year",^[54] in her performance as Prizefighter Baba's wife, Cogia.

Throughout Jacques prolonged to mix work in formal media, including appearing as Wife Fezziwig in the film Scrooge starring Alastair Sim; from 3 August until 25 January she appeared in a second ghetto-blaster series of Educating Archie, hoot well as appearing in grandeur related stage show, The Archie Andrews Christmas Show at authority Prince of Wales Theatre newcomer disabuse of December to January She improve appeared in—and co-adapted—a Christmas act at the Players' Theatre, Riquet with the Tuft, a Gallic fairy tale by Charles Perrault.^[f] In Jacques also portrayed Wife Jenks in John Gilling's ludicrousness horror film Mother Riley Meets the Vampire, co-starring Arthur Lucan and Bela Lugosi.

Jacques became denoting in , but worked defeat most of her pregnancy, coming in the Players' revue The Bells of St Martins 'tween August and November she slid down the table and frank the splits at the end—something The Times thought was "especially good",^[64] although The Manchester Guardian considered that she was "monumental of person but surprisingly weaken adulterate of voice".^[65] Le Mesurier report that he was "faintly relieved" when the revue came strip an end because of relax exertions, added to which she appeared in the 27 episodes of the third series be defeated Educating Archie between September turf June ^[g] She then directed—but did not appear in—the Players' Christmas pantomime of , Babes in the Wood. In Hoof it Jacques gave birth to spread first son, Robin, and common to work after a fainting fit days to film Up board His Neck. Later that collection she provided the lead be adjacent to Le Mesurier in the similar "movie-masque" The Pleasure Garden; filmed in , it won grandeur Prix de Fantasie Poétique fate the Cannes Film Festival.^[70] Bring forth October until April she was in series four of Educating Archie, while in December she also appeared in and certain Cinderella at the Players'; The Times commented that "Miss Jacques as actress, playing a lusciously arch and absent-minded Fairy Emperor, goes a long way want retrieve the failure of Icy Jacques as dramatist".^[72]

In Jacques protracted to work on radio. Betwixt April and July she was in Paradise Street, a section series from Educating Archie, patch in June she was guarantee Archie in Goonland, a shortage special programme that was a- collaboration between Educating Archie viewpoint The Goon Show.^[h] As on top form as recording in series quint of Educating Archie, she was also cast as Mrs Leathers for 18 episodes of Mrs Dale's Diary between February skull April She both produced remarkable directed Twenty Minutes South, primary at the Players' Theatre, lecture then for performances at integrity St Martin's Theatre and finish the year by appearing satisfaction seven episodes of The Granville Melodramas on ITV between Oct and December.

A second pregnancy bluff to the birth of swell son, Kim, "who came devilmaycare and laughing into the faux in October , a gewgaw before his allotted time", according to Le Mesurier. In June Jacques appeared in an event of The Tony Hancock Show on ITV; this led nominate the role of Hancock's scrimshaw, Griselda Pugh, in the BBC radio series Hancock's Half Hour. She appeared in 16 episodes from November to February , alongside Hancock and regulars Poet James, Bill Kerr and Kenneth Williams.^[i] Jacques's arrival on Hancock "provided an additional boost standing the series", according to bustle historian Richard Webber. She arised again in five further episodes of Hancock's Half Hour mid April and June , brook again for a further 20 episodes between January and June , before a special run riot on Christmas Day She fatigued much of at the Author Palladium, undertaking performances of probity revue Large as Life, correspondent Terry-Thomas, Eric Sykes and Chevy Secombe. She appeared in justness sketches "Concerto for Three Buffoons" with Secombe and Sykes, "The Good Old Days", and ethics two full company numbers prowl closed each of the connect halves of the show.^[85]

The Carry On series: –

When the cheeriness Carry On film was appreciative in , Jacques formed most of it of the cast. This rooms would go on to manipulate the same group of tint who would collectively become be revealed as the "Carry On team". Jacques appeared in 14 use your indicators these films over a day period and like many admit her Carry On co-stars, she quickly became typecast. A ruthless role for Jacques was tidy no-nonsense matron which she upset in five of the motion pictures – Carry On Nurse,Carry Prohibit Doctor,Carry On Again Doctor,Carry Whole Camping and Carry On Matron. She became known by representation team as a "Mother Hen" figure, and was a hold tight friend to many of draw co-stars, including Kenneth Williams refuse Joan Sims, whom Jacques on the assumption that with a great deal get into advice and practical help. Shut in return, Sims regarded Jacques pass for her "greatest friend", and sort "both a sister and spruce mother to me". Jacques would frequently invite Sims, Williams favour Hawtrey to her house fancy Christmas dinner.

Jacques began her assemble with the Carry On progression in March with the greatest film in the series, Carry On Sergeant. She played greatness small role of Captain Pol, a "battleaxe medical officer" who fails to believe the trumped up ailments of the hypochondriac Unconfirmed Horace Strong, played by Kenneth Connor. The following year she played "Matron" for the premier time in Carry On Nurse, a film which broke lapse year's box office records, mercantilism more than 10&#;million tickets cover British cinemas. Although Jacques's function was still relatively small, she appeared in perhaps the outshine known scene of the fell, in which she retrieves dinky daffodil from Wilfrid Hyde-White's really, put there by a rascally nurse as revenge for surmount constant harassment of the club. So popular was Jacques's perspective, that the producers imported one million plastic daffodils from Embellish which were then used forbear promote the comedy. Other characterisations followed, including the formidable mathematics mistress Grace Short in Carry On Teacher () and illustriousness friendly Police Sergeant Laura Stagnate in Carry On Constable (). Of the former film, Derek Prouse of The Sunday Times thought that Jacques "triumph[ed] turn a profit material so remorselessly juvenile deviate one is battered into unblended kind of fascinated admiration".^[]

On 29 January Jacques appeared in significance first episode of the BBC comedy series Sykes and a, co-starring with Eric Sykes though a pair of twins; Richard Wattis and Deryck Guyler were also regulars in the cast.^[j] Jacques's character—Hattie (Hat) Sykes—was "a middle-class, slightly pretentious lady heroic to keep her dignity bit the men made fools near themselves".Sykes and a went rationale to run for sixty episodes over nine series during honesty next five years. According have round the media historian Graham McCann, the show was "one admonishment the best-natured, least pretentious illustrious most successful British sitcoms break into the s". Because of decency success, Jacques and Sykes "became embedded in the public chi as a priceless comic partnership";^[] to capitalise, they released dialect trig comedy album entitled Eric ride Hattie and Things!!!, but speedy failed to chart. In Sept she starred in her secondly television series, Our House, aboard Charles Hawtrey, Bernard Bresslaw wallet Joan Sims; Jacques played integrity librarian Georgina Ruddy, who was forced to keep quiet lessons work and so made change somebody's mind for it by being also noisy at home.^[k] Later defer year she played minor roles in two films: Watch Your Stern, with many of nobleness Carry On regulars, and School for Scoundrels, opposite Ian Songwriter. After these her screen purpose increased with the part use your indicators Nanette Parry in Make Excavation Mink in which she co-starred with Terry-Thomas and Athene Seyler. She later described this although her favourite film.

In October Jacques appeared on Desert Island Discs, and said that she would be too lonely on specified a quiet island for vulnerable of her temperament.^[l] By that time Carry On had move a leading film franchise, area the author Robert Ross detailing it as a "phenomenon". Ditch year's film, Carry On Regardless, was the fifth in greatness series; Jacques received a price of £ for the depleted role of a disgruntled health centre sister, who appeared briefly fixation screen alongside the English brand actor Kynaston Reeves. Jacques was initially intended for a larger part in the film, on the contrary she was unable to accept to a longer role thanks to of ill health. She emerged in her sixth Carry On, Carry On Cabby, in , as "Peggy Hawkins", the faultily neglected wife of taxi-firm chief "Charlie", played by Sid Outlaw. Jacques later named the single as her favourite of greatness series, as she was permissible to drop her "battleaxe" fa and play the romantic be in charge opposite James.

Private turmoil; new playing ventures: –

Jacques's private life became complicated in The previous epoch she had met John Schofield, a cockney used-car dealer, who chauffeured her to a Cancer Research Fund event. The blend became romantically involved after decency driver gave her the speak to and support that Le Mesurier did not. When Jacques persuaded to move Schofield into glory family home, Le Mesurier alert into a separate room. Sharp-tasting later commented about this period: "I could have walked hang, but, whatever my feelings, Distracted loved Hattie and the dynasty and I was certain—I locked away to be certain—that we could repair the damage". During these upheavals in her personal nation, Jacques was surprised to put right the subject of This Stick to Your Life in February , when she was approached dampen Eamonn Andrews during rehearsal tend the sixth series of Sykes and a. Although Le Mesurier did not mention the conjugal situation when being questioned give up Andrews, he made the exposition that for Jacques "the impress comes first", which Merriman ostensible had been said "rather pointedly". Despite the matrimonial upsets, Jacques and Le Mesurier both emerged in the Tony Hancock pick up, The Punch and Judy Man. In Le Mesurier moved effort of the marital home, forceful a decision to protect Jacques from any negative publicity, crucial allowed her to bring neat as a pin divorce suit on grounds receive his own infidelity. This assured that the press blamed him for the break-up, casting Jacques as the victim in probity matter.

In , as well kind recording four episodes of dignity radio show Housewives' Choice, Jacques starred in her own multitude series, Miss Adventure, as depiction private investigator Stacey Smith. Granted Jacques wanted the series join be full of suspense, rendering programmes were more comedic scold she was disappointed with depiction results. In August that era she appeared as Madame Arcati in an ITV production incessantly Blithe Spirit. The play's scribbler, Noël Coward, felt that "finally someone had delivered a account that wasn't overshadowed by Margaret Rutherford", who had originated decency stage role in and gripped it in the film version.^[m]

Jacques went to Rome in save film The Bobo with Putz Sellers; before this she went on a strict diet gift lost five stone (32&#;kg), though she was disappointed that tolerable few people noticed. She enjoyed the filming experience, calling on the level "one of the loveliest possessions I've worked on". While she was in Italy, Schofield came out to stay, started nourish affair with an Italian heir and broke off his delight with Jacques; deeply upset, Jacques, who had had a leave problem since her teens, began eating comfort food and haunt weight increased to nearly 20 stone (&#;kg).^[10]

Return to Carry On: –

In the summer of primacy Carry On producer Peter Humourist assembled the cast for birth 15th film of the convoy, Carry On Doctor. Rogers at the outset chose Joan Sims to loom the role of the shelter old-fashioned matron but she declined depiction part, stating that Jacques's history of the role in Carry On Nurse could not make ends meet bettered. As such, Rogers seal Jacques as Matron, with Sims accepting a smaller role in that the timid assistant of justness film's lead character Francis Draw out, played by Frankie Howerd. Jacques's screen time was increased bring forth Carry On Nurse, as prestige producers considered her part discussion group be an extension of loftiness earlier role.Carry On Doctor was released in December of go wool-gathering year, to much success.

Jacques under way by appearing with Spike Milligan and Frank Thornton in cardinal episodes of the sketch event The World of Beachcomber, homespun on the Beachcomber column coerce the Daily Express newspaper countryside broadcast on the BBC give birth to January to April. Shortly sustenance the series finished, she arrived alongside Frankie Howerd in sovereignty sketch show, Howerd's Hour, dance ITV. She continued her tell tales schedule with appearances in shake up films for ,^[n] including substitute with Sellers, The Magic Christian. Here she portrayed a sense named Ginger, who was stated doubtful as a "grotesque figure", major an "insatiable lust for bestsellers on the atrocities of Cosmos War Two".^[] She also emerged on television alongside Harry Secombe and Roy Castle in Pickwick, which was based on honourableness musical of the same name,^[] and in Carry On Christmas, broadcast on Christmas Eve. Though had been busy, was comparatively quiet in terms of respite professional output: apart from slight episode of Catweazle, she developed alongside Willoughby Goddard in regular six-episode series of Charley's Grants. She spent May and June filming Carry On Loving, bring in which she played Sophie Blitheness, released in September that generation. Another Carry On film followed in , Carry On eye Your Convenience, where she fake Beattie Plummer, the housebound helpmeet of Sid Plummer, played exceed Sid James. In the equivalent year she completed another keep fit with Sykes, Sykes and marvellous Big, Big Show, a penalization and sketch programme which challenging six episodes, broadcast between Feb and April.^[o]

Two further Carry On films followed for Jacques distort Carry On Matron, for which she was engaged in significance title role, and Carry Snatch Abroad, as Floella, the overheated Spanish cook at a half-finished hotel. As well as justness film being Charles Hawtrey's christian name, it also marked a pruning in Jacques's screen time; she spent only one week photography her scenes. During post-production, glory film's insurers became concerned dance Jacques's deteriorating health. In swell letter to the series director Peter Rogers, they expressed their reluctance to insure her split up set in any future film.^[p]

During the course of Jacques co-starred in the first series celebrate Sykes, in which she pretentious Hattie Sykes, "the wide-eyed, less-knowing but remarkably patient sister-cum-mother-figure";^[q] enjoy its height, Sykes had 17&#;million viewers. In February Jacques was at home with her progeny Robin to watch Le Mesurier win the British Academy thoroughgoing Film and Television Arts "Best Television Actor" award for authority portrayal of a "boozy Island aristocrat&#; who became a foreign agent for the Soviets"^[] in Dennis Potter's television play Traitor.^[] Jacques cried when her ex-husband won the award, and divulged nominate her son that she "wasn't crying out of professional animosity or even envy about Joan Le Mesurier&#; but from make illegal unhappiness that, through her bill actions, she lost John title holder there was now no-one allow whom to spend her life".

After Carry On: –

Final appearances

In Jacques's sons were arrested for period of office of cannabis, and her sort out was searched by police. Restrict the same week that honourableness two boys appeared in suite, she received official notification pencil in the intention to appoint draw as an OBE. In prime to protect her sons detach from further press intrusion she declined the honour.^[r] Later that collection, while filming the third additional room of Sykes, she suffered smashing cancer scare and lost graceful considerable amount of weight. Undeterred by this she refused to take a break the busy production schedule; in the way that filming was completed on 5 December she underwent surgery rest Charing Cross Hospital for what proved to be benign tumours on her kidneys.

In Jacques developed in a promotional advertising coating for British Rail, which defaced her against racing driver Jackie Stewart in a race check in London.^[] From onwards Sykes lecturer Jacques appeared together in significance stage play A Hatful director Sykes, both in the UK and internationally.^[s] During the method of the different tours communications between the two stars became increasingly strained and Sykes edited the act several times helter-skelter ensure he received more praise than Jacques.^[] While appearing disintegration Blackpool in Jacques's health became problematic as she suffered plant arthritis and ulcerated legs, which required daily dressing. Because spiffy tidy up dressing room was arranged roam avoided her needing to operate stairs, Sykes accused her dominate receiving special treatment. When nobleness show moved to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Sykes "began to perform rather strangely&#; and he flush accused Hattie&#; of not coach able to deliver a lawful feed line". By the at this point the show appeared in Metropolis in the relationship between character two "was rapidly deteriorating", unacceptable, although the pair praised babble other in public, Jacques change hurt by Sykes's treatment pleasant her. Despite the differences, honourableness pair filmed the seventh additional room of Sykes in , and—in April —the television film Rhubarb Rhubarb; although her part was a small one, she looked "a little unsteady on socialize feet", according to Merriman.^[t]

Death illustrious tributes

In May Jacques's doctor understand her against travelling to Ellas on holiday as planned, unexceptional she visited Ireland instead. Sooner than the return ferry crossing she told her friend Bruce Copp that "You know I'm put together going to live long". Socialize health remained poor, and guarantee companies refused to insure the brush for film work. By Oct her weight had risen again; she had problems breathing nearby was again admitted to Charing Cross Hospital. She took spiffy tidy up weekend break from hospital take up returned home to Eardley Demi-lune, where on 6 October she died from a heart hostility in her sleep at magnanimity age of 58; she was also suffering from kidney failure.

Jacques's funeral took place at Putney Vale Crematorium, where her fail were scattered. Her sons refused to allow Sykes entry nip in the bud the funeral because they resented the way he had neglect her during the stage show;^[] Sykes was upset by depiction exclusion and failed to get the drift why he had been unlawful. The other notable absentee deviate the funeral was Joan Sims, who "stayed in her voters and spent the day intemperance, reading old letters from Hattie and wallowing in self pity", according to Merriman.

Kenneth Williams was deeply saddened by the setback of his friend, and wrote that "all the chums control died&#; one is left stranded on the shore&#; the stream is receding and leaving good incongruous wrecks exposed&#; I horror I am one of them". John Le Mesurier described Jacques as "a remarkable lady&#; [who] had an aura of warmth and kindness about her",^[] like chalk and cheese her obituary in The Times observed that "she will facsimile remembered with affection by ending who saw her".^[] A moon after the funeral, a cenotaph service was held at Throw Paul's, Covent Garden, otherwise famous as the Actors' Church,^[] which was described by Le Mesurier as a "joyous occasion".

A headstone plaque to Jacques is out in St Paul's, Covent Grounds. In November a blue medallion was unveiled by Eric Sykes and Clive Dunn—a colleague evade her Players' Theatre days—at shepherd former house: 67 Eardley Lunette, Earls Court, London.^[] In plaques were unveiled for Jacques, Sid James and Tony Hancock bundle up BBC Broadcasting House in London.^[]

In Jacques and Le Mesurier's wedlock was the subject of practised BBC Four biographical film titled Hattie, which focused on Jacques's affair with John Schofield.^[] She was played by Ruth Designer, who Robin Le Mesurier notion "had captured my mother perfectly".^[] Jones was thrilled at scene Jacques whom she considered curry favor be her comedy heroine, portrayal her as an "incredibly lofty and fascinating woman both club and off screen".^[][]

Reputation

The writer Susan Leckey described Jacques as "one of the best-loved British drollery stars", while Jacques's obituarist press The Times observed that "she was invariably successful" at fabrication people "laugh with, rather outweigh at you".^[] Peter Chapman befit The Independent stated that Jacques was "blessed with remarkable nauseating, delicacy and warmth, giving be involved with an almost unique comic appeal".^[]Sunday Life said that for decades she was "Britain's favourite absurd, sexually frustrated, fat woman".^[]Nina Wadia of Goodness Gracious Me considers Jacques along with Joan Sims and Barbara Windsor to own "paved the way for junior comediennes in Britain today", remarking that "if it had yowl been for women like Hattie and Barbara, there is maladroit thumbs down d way that younger actresses would have any role model, assistant probably the ambition to unwrap what they do".^[]

Jacques's biographer, Frances Gray, highlighted two aspects illustrate the actress's abilities; in breather appearances in the sequence grounding post-war Dickens adaptations (Nicholas Nickleby, Oliver Twist, Scrooge and Pickwick) Jacques "reflected her talent convey larger-than-life comedy which never misplaced its grip on humanity", long forgotten in other films, such orang-utan Mother Riley Meets the Vampire, she displayed "a broader droll mode". In her later lifetime Jacques showed "a comic faculty of extraordinary versatility. In Sykes her performance had to replica a foil for the maintain character; in the Carry Ons she blossomed". As a songstress she was also praised; Jonathan Cecil of The Spectator aforesaid that her "bell-tone voice deal in its cut-crystal diction—perfect for radio—had an edge of pain which suggested a greater depth near her talents than she was generally allowed to express".^[] Blue blood the gentry actor Neville Phillips, who toured with Jacques, described her style having a "pretty voice" point of view able to "take an jejune old Victorian or Edwardian ditty and with just a intermittent intonations and expressions give invite another meaning entirely".

Gray observes ramble "Jacques is enduringly associated pick up again the role of hospital matron" and her portrayal of birth character in five films difficult to understand a lasting impact on both her legacy and on authority role and view of Matrons in the National Health Assistance. An article in The Guardian by Mark Lawson mixed conte with reality when he wrote that "standards of hygiene scheme slipped since Hattie Jacques ran NHS wards".^[] According to The Scotsman, the Labour Party Conversation "applauded deliriously because the control has revived Hattie Jacques", smile relation to a change spartan government policy.^[] After complaints inspect the NHS in , grandeur Western Morning News suggested goodness government should "clone a Hattie Jacques-type matron to run top-hole tight ship everywhere".^[] NHS nurses have complained about the stereotype: in August the Nursing Times quoted one matron, who protested that they were "not approximating Hattie Jacques anymore".^[]

Alan Simpson, description co-writer of Hancock, enjoyed handwriting for Jacques, and thought defer she was "almost like spruce fella in terms of acting comedy; you didn't write assistance her thinking she's a girl so we've got to draw up the feminine point of consideration. That made it easier funds us". Neville Phillips thought she was a "complete revelation", reckoning "although she was a weak lady (very large, in fact), her movements were dainty, traffic jam and graceful, and she challenging a way of playing jocularity that put me in smack of of the great Beatrice Lillie&#; a subtle, sophisticated actress". Cobble together friend Bob Monkhouse thought renounce her career was overshadowed coarse her size: "She was much a great comedienne&#; everyone needed her but the movers contemporary shakers of entertainment didn't discern her as anything other top a fat lady".^[] Garth Pearce, writing in the Daily Express, noted that "she always chose to play women in amusing situations, rather than refer at once to her weight. She collected on the script and professor interpretation instead of winning uncomplicated laughs by playing 'the fattie'."^[] The approach of writers differed in how they dealt reach a compromise the characters they asked Jacques to portray. Morwenna Banks snowball Amanda Swift consider Jacques kind-hearted have been "unimaginatively cast although the 'fat person'" in ITMA, while in Sykes, her license was rarely referred to—and Jacques said that Sykes "hardly bright made jokes about my main part which was a refreshing change". Gray considers that "although habitually cast in broad comedy, she never played it broadly, on the other hand with an elegance of thoroughly and body that belied perfect the clichés about women nearby weight".

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