History Trivia / FollowThatCamel

* DeletedRole: Peter Jessen's role as Lawrence was cut.

* WorkingTitle: ''Carry On Bo'', with at least two more working titles before ''Follow That Camel'' was decided on.

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/CharlesHawtrey wanted to play the role of Bo West, but Creator/PeterRogers refused; it was eventually played by Creator/JimDale.

** The camel used in the film came from Chessington Zoo. Called Sheena the Camel, it had never walked on sand before and corrugated material covered with sand had to be placed on the floor. It apparently bit Creator/JimDale once and Creator/PeterRogers hit it with a prop in response.

** The original ending had Silvers as the baby of Lady Jane turning to camera and saying 'Ah well as the old Arab saying has it - you can put may camels thru the eye of a needle but you still know not what will come out'. While the scene was shot it was replaced at the eleventh hour with a baby Creator/KennethWilliams.

* WorkingTitle: ''Carry On Bo'', with at least two more working titles before ''Follow That Camel!'' was decided on.

** The regular castmembers didn't enjoy Creator/PhilSilvers' presence onset. He had short-term memory loss during the making of the film and had to have boards placed behind the camera so he could read his lines. Creator/KennethWilliams publicly rebuked him both on-set and in his personal diaries for this. He also kept losing his contact lenses in the sands, necessitating cast and crew to help him look for them. There was also the fact that he was being paid considerably more than the regulars caused animosity.

** The camel used in the film came from Chessington Zoo. Called Sheena the Camel, it had never walked on sand before and corrugated material covered with sand had to be placed on the floor. It apparently bit Creator/JimDale once and the producer hit it with a prop in response.
** The horse used in the desert scenes would not gallop only canter. The producer sped up the film in order to show the horse galloping.

* DVDCommentary: With ''Film/CarryOn'' historian Robert Ross talking to Creator/JimDale (Bo).

** The horse used in the desert scenes would not gallop only canter. The producer speeded up the film in order to show the horse galloping.

* ThrowItIn: If the scene where Bo West drops the rifle on Commandant Burger's foot, Creator/JimDale actually did accidentally drop the rifle onto Creator/KennethWilliams' foot instead of onto the sand. It was so heavy it cut the boot leather. Williams' painful reaction was real, and he can be seen limping in several subsequent scenes. Dale insisted it was accidental but Williams wrote in his autobiography that he was sure it was deliberate.

* CompletelyDifferentTitle: Some of the film's literal English language translations of its foreign language titles were "Carry On in the Legion" (USA), "In the Desert, No Water Flows" (West Germany) and "Carry On with the Foreign Legion" (Hungary).

* TheOtherMarty: Creator/PhilSilvers replaced Creator/SidneyJames in the role of Sergeant Nocker which had been originally written for James who could not star due to commitments on ''George and the Dragon''.

** Creator/WoodyAllen was considered for the role of Sergeant Nocker after Creator/SidneyJames pulled out and Creator/PhilSilvers was cast.

* WorkingTitle: ''Carry On Bo''.

* WorkingTitle: ''Carry On an Bo''.

** Creator/PhilSilvers replaced Creator/SidneyJames in the role of Sergeant Nocker which had been originally written for James who could not star due to commitments on ''George and the Dragon'' (1966). About two weeks into filming, James suffered a mild heart attack anyway, on 13th May 1967. Creator/WoodyAllen was also considered for the role.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/PhilSilvers replaced Creator/SidneyJames in the role of Sergeant Nocker which had been originally written for James who could not star due to commitments on ''George and the Dragon'' (1966). About two weeks into filming, James suffered a mild heart attack anyway, on 13th May 1967. Creator/WoodyAllen was also considered for the role.

* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/CharlesHawtrey wanted to play the role of Bo West, but producer Peter Rogers refused; it was eventually played by Creator/JimDale.

** For most of the filming Creator/JimDale and Creator/PeterButterworth weren't speaking to each other, even though they had the majority of scenes together.

* FakeNationality: Creator/BernardBresslaw plays a character called Abdul Abulbul. This is a reference to a popular British drinking song (with unprintable lyrics) called Ivan Skavinsky Skavar, in which the eponymous young Russian engages in a sexual duel with the wily Turk Abdul Abulbul Emir.

* This was the first ''Carry On'' that was distributed from Creator/TheRankOrganisation. The series was originally distributed from Anglo-Amalgamated, but the owner died of a heart attack and the production team decided to change distributor. The Rank Organisation was very hesitant to take on a popular series that was originally a part of a rival company, but they gave in.
* Creator/PhilSilvers had short-term memory and had to read most of his dialogue off cue-cards behind the cameras.
* Only ''Carry On'' film that had an American actor as one of the lead characters.
** Also, second actor featured that wasn't British. The first being the French actress Dany Robin in ''Film/DontLoseYourHead'' (Creator/SidJames doesn't count because he has British citizenship).

** The regular castmembers didn't enjoy Creator/PhilSilvers' presence onset. He had short-term memory loss during the making of the film and had to have boards placed behind the camera so he could his lines. Creator/KennethWilliams publicly rebuked him both on-set and in his personal diaries for this. He also kept losing his contact lenses in the sands, necessitating cast and crew to help him look for them. There was also the fact that he was being paid considerably more than the regulars caused animosity.

** The camel used in the film came from Chessington Zoo. Called Sheena the Camel, it had never walked on sand before and corrugated material covered with sand had to be placed on the floor.

** Creator/JimDale was bitten by a camel.

* Some horses couldn't gallop, so footage had to be sped up in post-production.

* The camel used was from Chessington Zoo. It apparently bit Jim Dale once and the producer hit it with a prop in response.
* Silvers received the AndStarring credit as a RatingsStunt at the box office. It was in hope to gain money on a movie from a low-budgeted production company because of his popularity at the time. It didn't work as much as it should've done.

* '''''Carry On In The Legion''''' was one of the alternate titles upon international release.

** Also, second actor featured that wasn't British. The first being the French actress Dany Robin in ''Film/DontLoseYourHead'' (Sid James doesn't count because he has British citizenship).
* Sid James was wanted, but had other contractual obligations. WordOfGod says that he was to play SGT Knocker.

* This was the first ''Carry On'' that was distributed from the Rank Organisation. The series was originally distributed from Anglo-Amalgamated, but the owner died of a heart attack and the production team decided to change distributer. The Rank Organisation was very hesitant to take on a popular series that was originally a part of a rival company, but they gave in.

** Also, second actor featured that wasn't British. The first being Dany Robin in ''Film/DontLoseYourHead'' (Sid James doesn't count because he has British citizenship).
* Sid James was wanted, but had other contractual obligations. WordOfGod says that he was wanted to play Sgt Knocker.

* Phil Silvers had short-term memory and had to read most of his dialogue off cue-cards behind the cameras.