Carol Hawkins

Carol Hawkins (born 31 January 1949) is an English actress, best known for her various comic roles in numerous television sitcoms and films in the 1970s and 1980s.

She played the roles of Sharon Eversleigh in the film of the television series Please Sir! and Sandra in the BBC TV series Porridge, and starred in two Carry On films (Carry On Abroad as Marge and Carry On Behind as Sandra).

Biography Hawkins trained early on as a shorthand typist at Pitman's College, London, but, following some modelling and promotion work, attended the Corona Stage Academy in Hammersmith, London. While still training as an actress, she won the part of Sharon Eversleigh in the film of the popular television series Please Sir!, replacing the departed Penny Spencer. Hawkins went on to play the part of Sharon in The Fenn Street Gang.

She performed in British comedy films of the 1970s, such as two Carry On films: Carry On Abroad (1972), alongside Sally Geeson, and Carry On Behind (1975), alongside Sherrie Hewson. In 1972, she again appeared alongside Geeson in the film adaptation of the British television comedy, Bless This House.

She appeared in the Carry On Laughing television series, but she declined to appear in the 1976 Carry On England, due to the nudity. (The part written for Hawkins was played instead by Tricia Newby.) Her other film appearances at that time included principal roles in British comedy films Not Now, Comrade and Confessions of a Pop Performer. At the end of 1975, she appeared in the Porridge episode "No Way Out" as a fake doctor assigned to secretly give Fletcher a false passport.

Hawkins "more or less retired" in 2005, with the aim of devoting more time to spiritual matters and animal care.

Film, television and theatre credits Filmography The Body Stealers (1969) – Paula Zeta One (1969) – Zara Monique (1970) – Blonde Girl When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970) – Yani Up Pompeii (1971) – Nero's Girl (uncredited) Please Sir! (1971) – Sharon Eversleigh Bless This House (1972) – Kate Baines Carry On Abroad (1972) – Marge Percy's Progress (1974) – Maggie Confessions of a Pop Performer (1975) – Jill Brown Carry On Behind (1975) – Sandra Not Now, Comrade (1976) – Barbara Wilcox

Selected television credits

Carry On Again Christmas (1970) – Island Girl On the House (1971) – Elspeth The Fenn Street Gang (1971–1973) – Sharon Eversleigh / Sharon Duffy The Two Ronnies (1974–1983) – various characters Porridge (1975) – Sandra Carry On Laughing (1975) – Lily Whodunnit? (1976) – Vera Moore And Mother Makes Five (1976) – Miss Jennings Mr. Big (1977) – Norma Robin's Nest (1978) – Policewoman Doris Dobbs Whodunnit? (1978) – Penny Cooper The Les Dawson Show (1979) Blake's 7 (1980) – Kerril The Dick Emery Show (1980) Together (1980–81) C.A.T.S. Eyes (1985) – Sandra Fox My Husband and I (1986–1988) – Tracy Cosgrove All at No 20 (second series, 1987) – Candy The Bill (1991–1999) – Lynn Archer / Mrs. Rose / Mrs. Sterry / Mrs. Nash / Mrs. Giles Rides (1993) – Charmian Trial & Retribution (1998) – Monica Fuller Doctors (2004) – Pam Jordan

Selected theatre credits

Wait Until Dark (1975) Sextet (1977–78, Criterion Theatre) Time and Time Again (1978) Bedroom Farce (1979) The Undertaking (1980, Fortune Theatre) Dirty Linen (1980, Arts Theatre, London) Run for Your Wife (1983, Shaftesbury Theatre; 1989, Whitehall Theatre) See How They Run (1984, Shaftesbury Theatre) Wife Begins at Forty (1985, Ambassadors Theatre)