A FEW DAYS AGO, pcasuk follower Stuart Cooper sent me a question, the
subject of which, I thought no one would remember... 'Marcus, is it true
that Hammer actress, Veronica Carlson once worked with US comedian and
film star, Dom Deluise? I have looked into it and can't find any
reference to it, so I guess it must be not true?' . . .
WELL YOU WOULD THINK the degrees of separation would make that the case, but
no! Back in 1971, Veronica DID indeed work with Deluise, not on the big screen
but on TV. The show was the UK 'Des O'Connor Show' she appeared in a
'slave-and-cave-girls' jungle hunters sketch, maybe because of her
Hammer film success and their 'Slave Girls' 1967 film and 'One Million
Years BC' success. Deluise did appear on the show too. The US actor comedian was also just about known to some of the O'Connor audience for his work and appearances in US sit coms, which were being screened in the UK, Shows and comedies like 'The Munsters' anyd his appearance in Mel Brook's 'The Twelve Chairs'. His other work with Burt Reynold's like 'The Cannonball Run' films and several other Brooks films, were yet to come!
FOR THOSE, over the pond or elsewhere, not familiar with Des O'Connor, he was a successful and popular singer / comedian at this time. Comedian's Morecambe and Wise had quite few long running and funny gags, Ernie's wig and hairy legs, Peter Cushing not being paid and . . . Des O'Connor, "Des - short for Desperate" ... "Sing on our show? He can't even sing on his own show!" "Has Des O'Connor got a sore throat?'... these gags ran for years and Des loved them.
THE CAREER OF VERONICA CARLSON and her work with Peter Cushing is covered in PART FIVE of our WOMEN IN GOTHIC Series CLICK HERE!
OUR RARE PHOTO GALLERY and feature on Peter Cushing and Veronica Carlson in Hammer films, 'FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED' is RIGHT HERE!
