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Dec 28, 2021 · His first marriage, to Berthe Sadie Delmont, was in 1936; within a year the young couple had had a daughter, Elizabeth. But four years after they married, in 1940, Sid and Berthe divorced, mainly as a result of his other relationships with women.
- Early Life
- Early Acting Career
- Stardom
- Carry on and TV
- Personal Life
- Ill-health and Death
The comedy actor Sid James was born Solomon Joel Cohen on 8 May 1913 to Jewish parents in Johannesburg, South Africa. As a small boy, he performed with his parents in their music-hall act. In 1919, his parents, Laurie (Lou) and Reine Cohen left South Africa for a 2-year tour of Australia. James and older brother Maurice were farmed out to relatives...
The Second World War temporarily stalled James’s acting ambitions. In 1940, he joined the allied war effort himself, eventually serving as a sergeant in the South African Army. The now divorced James spent much of his service in the Defence Force Entertainment Unit. The experience helped to strengthen his determination to become a professional acto...
James’s major film breakthrough came in a supporting role in the popular Ealing comedy The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway. His much higher profile from the film directly led to him landing the role as Tony Hancock’s sidekick in BBC radio’s highly popular ‘Hancock’s Half Hour’. He achieved nationwide fame throu...
In 1960, James made his ‘Carry On’debut when he landed the lead role in ‘Carry On Constable’. He went on to appear in a further 18 ‘Carry On’ films as well as most of the various stage and television spin-off productions. Reputedly, James did not exactly see eye-to-eye with fellow co-star Kenneth Williams on the ‘Carry On’ set. However, the affable...
Sid James was married three times. His first wife Berthe Sadie Delmont was the daughter of a wealthy Jewish South African businessman. Their marriage in 1936, saw their daughter Elizabeth, arrive the following year. The couple divorced in 1940, mainly as a result of James’s persistent philandering. In 1943, James married for the second time. This t...
James was a heavy smoker and drinker throughout most of his adult life. His work-hard, play-hard lifestyle came to a head in 1967 when he suffered a massive heart attack. He had been scheduled to star in the ‘Carry On’ Foreign Legion romp ‘Follow that Camel’. He was replaced by the American comic actor Phil Silvers. Later that year, he did appear i...
James married three times. He and his first wife, Berthe Sadie Delmont, were married in 1936 and a daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1937; they were divorced in 1940, mainly as a result of his many relationships with other women. In 1943, he married a dancer, Meg Sergei (1913–1977); in 1947, they had a daughter Reina. They were divorced on 17 ...
Mar 18, 2016 · He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, on 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1937. His father-in-law, Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for James, but within a year he announced that he wanted to become an actor and joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players.
Jul 6, 2022 · Sid met his first wife Toots or Berthe Sadie Delmont in a hairdressing salon in Kroonstad, Orange Free State. He married her later on August 12, 1936. Upon marrying Toots, his father-in-law Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for, Sid James.
Feb 20, 2019 · Berthe Sadie (Toots) Delmont shared Sid's interest in music and dance -in particular Jazz and the Charleston. This interest rekindled Sid's childhood enjoyment of performing and began to undermine his 'forced' career.
He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, on 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1937. His father-in-law, Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for James, but within a year he announced that he wanted to become an actor and joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players.
