Oooh Matron - A Tribute to Hattie Jacques Quiz

Answer: Josephine Edwina

Hattie was born in Sandgate, Kent on 7th February 1922. Plump as a child, she developed the knack of making people laugh with her, not at her.

Answer: Welder

Hattie originally trained as a hairdresser. During the war she worked as a Red Cross nurse, before switching to welding.

Answer: John Le Mesurier

Hattie and John had two sons, Robin and Kim. They divorced in 1965. John remarried the following year and ever the gentleman, allowed people to think that he was "at fault". However, Hattie had moved her younger lover into her home before the divorce. Matron would definitely not have approved! Hattie and John remained good friends until her death.

The other three choices mentioned all starred with John Le Mesurier in "Dad's Army" (1968).

Answer: ITMA

"ITMA" stands for "It's That Man Again". It was first broadcast in July 1939 and Hattie joined the cast in 1948. The character of Sophie Tuckshop was a greedy schoolgirl. "Hancock's Half Hour" was first broadcast in 1954 and Hattie played the part of a secretary, Griselda Pugh. "Educating Archie" (1950) centred round a ventriloquist and his dummy. Yes I know, an unlikely subject for a radio programme, but it was rather popular in its day.

Answer: Eric Sykes

"Sykes" ran for seven series, from 1972 until 1979. It was developed from an earlier series - "Sykes and a..." - which ran from 1960-1965. In both programmes, Eric and Hattie played an unmarried twin brother and sister. Eric Sykes had hearing problems and a lot of his comedy was very visual. The combination of the tall and lanky Sykes and his plump sister illustrated this perfectly.

Derek Guyler played P C Turnbull ("Corky") and Richard Wattis played their neighbour Charles Brown. When "Hancock's Half Hour" made the move from television to radio in 1956, Hattie carried on with her role of Griselda Pugh.

Answer: A Tale of Two Cities (1958)

She was uncredited for her part as a singer in "Oliver Twist". She played the part of Mrs Fezziwig in "Scrooge" and Mrs Nupkins in "The Pickwick Papers".

Answer: Mother Superior

Despite Hattie's sometimes formidable screen persona in the "Carry On" series, off screen she was known as a kind and helpful person. Other cast members often came to her for help with their personal problems.

Answer: Carry on Sergeant (1958)

Hattie played the part of Captain Clark in "Carry on Sergeant", which was also the first of the "Carry On" series of films. It was released in 1958 and also starred Shirley Eaton, of "Goldfinger" (1964) fame.

Answer: Carry on Camping (1969)

Hattie played the part of Miss Haggard, Matron of a girls' school taking part in a camping trip. This film is probably most memorable for Barbara Windsor's bikini top flying off during an exercise session - daring stuff indeed for 1969.

The other three films were the "Carry On" team's unique take on historical figures - Dick Turpin, King Henry VIII and Cleopatra.

Answer: Rhubarb Rhubarb

"Rhubarb Rhubarb" was written and directed by Eric Sykes and was a remake of his 1969 film "Rhubarb". As mentioned before, Eric Sykes leans heavily towards visual comedy and the only lines of dialogue uttered are "Rhubarb Rhubarb". Hattie played the part of a nanny. The film was released in December 1980. Sadly Hattie died after the film's completion and never saw its release. She died of heart failure on 6th October 1980.

"The Plank" was another virtually silent film both written and directed by Eric Sykes and released in 1967. "Carry on Abroad" was released in 1972 and "Carry on Columbus" was released in 1992.