The archetypal cockney with the dirtiest laugh in the history of showbiz.
Robert RossSid James: Cockney Rebelattempts to shed some light on the real Sid.
Sid was born Sidney Joel Cohen in Johannesburg in South Africa in May 1913.
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Cockney Rebelalso reveals Sids passion for women, horses and hard work.
They are almost uniform in their praise and generosity.
Unfortunately, this means the book can feel a tad repetitive.
All good, but we get the idea!
Contrary to popular opinion, Sid didnt feature in everyCarry Onfilm.
He made 19 of them in total.
According toCarry Onproducer Peter Rogers, Ted Ray was the original choice of figurehead for theCarry Ons.
At once this is the Sid we know and love.
The book follows Sids acting journey from being Sid the lad to Sid the Dad.
The second series of Sids sitcomCitizen Jamessaw his character soften, much to the actors approval.
Anyone familiar with his work wont be disappointed by this meticulously researched volume.
Anyone with an interest in comedy will notice the chapter headings are, rather neatly, all sitcom titles.
Most are wonderfully appropriate to the chapters subject matter though some are arguably poor sitcoms in themselves.
Then again, if you follow anything to its logical conclusion you begin to clutch at straws.
Rather frugally only eight pages are given to photographs, all of which are in black and white.
Sids overriding quality was his sheer likeability.
The public, especially the working classes, loved him.
That was Sid, entertaining the public to the end.
Sid James: Cockney Rebelisout now.
Rating:
4 out of 5
