Trivia / Carry On Again Doctor

• Actor-Shared Background: Hattie Jacques, who played Miss Soaper, the Matron, was a nurse in the VAD during World War II.
• Billing Displacement:
  • Sid James gets top billing, as he did in almost every Carry On film in which he appeared, but he doesn't appear in the film for the first time until almost the halfway mark.
  • Patsy Rowlands was added to the list of stars on the original VHS release as despite playing a small role here, she would be a familiar face in the series for the next six years.
• Cast the Runner-Up: Pat Coombs was originally cast as Miss Armitage but when Ambrosine Phillpotts became unavailable, Coombs took her role as the new Matron and her original role went to Ann Lancaster.
• Completely Different Title:
  • Denmark: On Again, Doctor.
  • Germany: Come Back, Doctor!/The Totally Crazy Madhouse.
  • Greek: He is a Mad Gynecologist.
  • Hungary: Continue Again, Doctor.
  • Mexico: Control Doctor.
  • Norway: Full Speed Again.
  • Polish: Full Speed Ahead: Doc, Let's Do it Again!.
  • Portugal: Doctor... Now it's Them!!!.
  • Spanish: Control Him, Doctor.
  • Sweden: Look! Now we Take the Hedge.
  • Turkish: Crazy Doctor.
• Cowboy BeBop at His Computer: The back of the Australian VHS incorrectly claims that Gladstone works at Long Hampton Hospital, rather than on the Beatific Islands.
• Creator Backlash:
  • While Kenneth Williams was happy with both the film itself and his performance, he thought the lines he had to perform were incredibly banal.
  • Jim Dale hated the "crocogator" line and tried to get it cut from the script.
  • In her autobiography, Joan Sims mentions that she didn't like her character's humdrum name of "Ellen Moore", especially considering her co-stars were Dr. Nookey, Gladstone Screwer, Dr. Stoppidge, and Dr. Carver.
• The Danza: Jim Dale as Dr. Jimmy Nookey.
• Deleted Scene:
  • Mrs. Moore asking to see her removed appendix that had been thrown out by Dr. Carver, who after considering removing Miss Fosdick's to give to her, decides to show her some uncooked chicken.
    Dr. Carver: Miss Fosdick! Quickly, what happened to Mrs. Moore's appendix?
    Miss Fosdick: You took it out, sir.
    Dr. Carver: I know I took it out! But what did I do with it afterwards?
    Miss Fosdick: I really don't know, sir. Have you looked through your pockets?
    Dr. Carver: Oh yes... What am I doing? I don't go around with my pockets stuffed with offal, woman!
  • Several extra shots of Goldie during her first scene were cut to limit how much of her rear was shown.
  • The Long Hampton Hospital Dance sequence had various segments cut so the audience would get to Sid James' scenes quicker, including:
    • Dr. Carver accidentally setting fire to his table with the candle he was using to read his note to Mrs. Moore with, and then making it worse by trying to put out the flame with a bottle of wine.
      Mrs. Moore: I don't mind you getting burnt up over me, but this is ridiculous.
    • Nurse Willing getting her skirt accidentally ripped off by a dancing Dr. Nookey, revealing her knickers.
      Dr. Carver: Dr. Nookey, kindly give Nurse Willing her skirt back and let's have no more unnecessary exposure. This isn't the theatre, you know.
  • The BBFC cut out the line "Take your hand away".
• Dolled-Up Installment: The original script raised problems with Rank's legal adviser, who felt it was too similar to an unfilmed Doctor... Series script that Talbot Rothwell had previously submitted to producer Betty Box. Most notably, both scenarios featured the medical mission/slimming potion idea. As Box had not taken up the option on Rothwell's Doctor script, however, it was felt there were no legal problems with the use of those ideas in this film.
• DVD Commentary: With Carry On historian Robert Ross talking to Jim Dale (Dr. Jimmy Nookey).
• Dyeing for Your Art: Barbara Windsor went on a stringent diet without informing Gerald Thomas, who was unhappy on seeing her new slimline figure and remarked, "Well, that's the joke about Bristols out of the window".
• Edited for Syndication:
  • Goldie's introduction was severely cut down in a 2015 airing on ITV3 only to show Barbara Windsor on her back. The same airing also cut out part of the X-ray machine sequence.
  • The scene where Mr. Pullen gets handsy with Nurse Willing is cut from recent TV showings.
  • All use of the word "crumpet" was cut out from a 2021 airing on ITV3.
• Hey, It's That Place!: Dr. Nookey's consulting rooms use the same building that was previously the building that Helpings Hands was run from in Carry On Regardless.
• Missing Trailer Scene: In the trailer, when Goldie (now a famous actress) and Dr. Nookey (now a famous slimming doctor) reunite, they bang into each other, making Goldie's lips brush Dr. Nookey's cheek — he becomes drowsy and says that she doesn't "know what that kiss [has] done" to him. In the actual movie, Dr. Nookey demands that she kisses him, and chases her around the room. Luckily for Goldie, the Matron and Gladstone walk in on them wrestling, immediately stopping the fiasco.
• No Stunt Double: Jim Dale did all his own stunts during the filming.
• On-Set Injury:
  • Alexandra Dane hurt her back when the spinning machine she was in came loose and left her in hospital for a day.
  • Jim Dale was taken to hospital after his arm repeatedly banged against a delivery trolley, causing him to have an emergency operation. The next day, he was back at work doing a stunt where a hammock falls through a wooden floor.
• Playing Against Type: Charles Hawtrey, as while Dr. Stoppidge is still a quite silly character, he spends most of the first half of the film scheming and acting villainous towards Dr. Nookey.
• Referenced by...:
  • The poster is visible in Deep End.
  • The Endeavour episode "Lazaretto" mentions a hospital called Long Hampton.
• Throw It In!: The feather boa getting in Mrs. Moore's mouth during the Long Hampton Hospital Dance scene was an accident, but Joan Sims played it off so well that it was kept in the film. She also ad-libbed her "stop messing about" (an Author Catchphrase used by Kenneth Williams) over the scripted "get on with it".
• Troubled Production: Both Talbot Rothwell and Peter Rogers revised the script several times, which is believed to be the cause of the film's ramshackle narrative that wanders between three separate plots.
• Uncredited Role:
  • Wilfrid Brambell as Mr. Pullen.
  • Shakira Baksh (later wife of Michael Caine) as Scrubba.
  • Hugh Futcher as the taxi driver who drops off Gladstone at Long Hampton Hospital.
  • Yutte Stensgaard as a trolley nurse running around during the electrical failure.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Talbot Rothwell's first draft was rewritten due to Rothwell finding the original unsatisfactory.
  • According to a diary entry during the filming of Carry On Camping, at one point Kenneth Williams was to play a witch doctor rather than Dr. Carver. Barbara Windsor jokingly remarked that if Williams didn't want to play the role, she would gladly play it herself.
  • Dr. Carver's name was originally Sir Carver, but it was changed out of fear that it made the character too similar to Sir Lancelot Spratt from the Doctor... Series.
  • Frankie Howerd was sought for a part but wasn't available.
  • Peter Butterworth was unable to take a larger role due to his stage commitments, so the small role of the shuffling patient was written especially for him.
  • The role of Miss Armitage was originally intended for Pat Coombs and the role of the new Matron was originally for Ambrosine Phillpotts, but when she became unavailable, Coombs was cast as the new Matron and Ann Lancaster was brought in to play Miss Armitage.
  • Patricia Franklin was supposed to play a night nurse, but couldn't due to her pregnancy and other work commitments. The role later went to Jenny Counsell.
  • A scene of Dr. Carver dictating a letter to be for Harold Wilson was cut from the script due to fears that it would date the film. A wise choice, seeing as Wilson would lose the next election to Edward Heath.
    Dr. Carver: "Chairman, Labour Party Executive Committee, Dear Harold... I shall be honoured to carry out the proposed transplant operation on your member... and put in the member's name... and suggest he comes into Hampton Wick as soon as possible. Yours etc.... Frederick Carver, OBE, KCB, FRCS, NIT". (Beat) A head transplant would be more appropriate.
  • The wedding scene planned for the end of the film was never shot.

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