Sunday 25 January 2015

Familiar faces. A Sunday Special.


Many (most) actors/actresses have very familiar 'faces', but other than that we often know very little about them.

Esma (often wrongly called Esme) Cannon is a good example.

                                    

Originally from Australia, Ms Cannon is mostly known for her comedic acting; especially in the 'Carry on' films, where she usually played the part of a confused diminutive spinster.

She was what one might call a jobbing actress; not at all a 'lovie'. In fact, it was her dislike of the limelight that prevented news of her death (back in 1972) being widespread, even those who had been closest to her weren't informed.

Not much is known of Esma, so I'm really posting this short piece for her name and face to be seen once again.

She was one of those little treasures of English cinema. Did you know her name?


23 comments:

  1. What a nice thing to do Cro, Usualy there are the blond or the dark beautiful woman that the world prefer to remember..

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  2. I remember her best for Lil in the Rag Trade on tv. She was amazing. Her rather dead pan delivery and her timing were spot on. I can still see her now.

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    1. I'd forgotten that she was in TRT. She was good in everything she did.

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  3. I remember her well and no I didn't know her name but there are a lot of actors like that whose face you know but their names remain a mystery, mostly character actors I think who do sterling work but never make it big.

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    1. Years ago when I lived and worked in Chelsea, I'd see them all the time. "I just saw thingy from Z cars; the one with the red hair", etc. Never knew their names.

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  4. I remember her well but did not know her name. She is one of those familiar faces in British films from the 1950s and 1960s which I find comforting to watch and were a feature of my childhood.

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  5. No Cro, I didn't know her name. Actually I am not all that good on remembering faces, I go more for the names, so until I actually saw that photo above I couldn't say I remembered her in any film. We never seem to see repeats of the carry on films now, and yet they were so very popular in their day weren't they?
    PS Don't forget to post what you are eating - I am waiting for some inspiration. I bought some endive yesterday because it looked rather inviting. Have never cooked it before, but I'll bet you have. I intend to half each one and then cook it slowly in the Aga with a drizzle of olive oil over it.

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    1. Yes we do eat endive regularly (the bullet shaped ones), either as salad in summer or sliced in half and fried in winter. I'm surprised you don't recognise Ms Cannon!

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  6. Carry On Cruising is where I remember her from. Trying all the drinks in the bar and getting soppy over the romantic singing. I didn't know her name.

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  7. I certainly recognise the face, but I never knew her name.

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  8. Oh, I LOVED her Cro ….. she was such a favourite with all of our family. She was brilliant in everything she was in but, I loved her in Sailor Beware as Aunt Edie. She was Peggy Mount's sister and she was wonderfully confused and, whenever Peggy Mount appeared, she kept dropping and spilling things !!! Shirley Eaton was in it too. I did know her name because she was so loved by us as a family….. as much as Irene Handl was….. and Kathleen Harrison. She was in Meet the Huggets too I think { a Sunday favourite in our house in the 50's !! }
    You've taken me right back to my childhood Cro !! XXXX

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    1. Meet the Huggets was on Radio 4 extra recently; I loved it too. You've mentioned some wonderful names here.

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  9. You have just made me realise that she - as a young woman - played the room-maid in 'A Canterbury Tale' (my favourite film ever) - "It's only what they say, Sir!"

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    1. She did countless 'cameo roles', but always playing roughly the same character.

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  10. I didn't know her name but she looks very sweet.

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  11. No, but I do remember the Carry On films.

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  12. I have been thinking more about Esme Cannon during the day and I am a little curious how you came to highlight her today.

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    1. I saw her recently in a film, and was thinking what a wonderful little actress she was. There are so many 'character actors/actresses who deserve to be better known. (it's Esma, not Esme)

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  13. No. I didn't know her name, but she does look familiar. The personality captured in that photo makes her look like someone I would've loved.

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  14. Himself and I were talking about how many great character actors there seemed to be and now there's a dearth of them.

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