Biographie

She entered hospital in November 2000. However complications of a routine operation caused her to slip into a coma. Her lifelong friend Norah Holland has spoken of the doctors' amazement at her strength and courage throughout her final illness. Ten minutes before Joan died, Norah spoke to her gently about Kenny (Kenneth Williams, Hattie (Hattie Jacques), and their time on the 'Carry On...' films. Joan died with Norah holding her hand.

The closing pages of her autobiography actually mentions her trivia page on IMDB. She complains that there is not much information, however following her death it was dramatically expanded.

She and Frankie Howerd had difficulty working together, because they could not stop laughing. During scenes, they would have to look at one another's forehead in order to avoid eye contact and avoid more laughter.

Became a good friend of Katharine Hepburn during the filming of Love Among the Ruins (1975). Hepburn allowed her to use her caravan during filming breaks, although she did tick her off for smoking. Sims later described working on this film as one of the high points of her whole career.

A lifelong smoker, in later years Joan refused to be photographed with a cigarette in her hand in case it influenced younger fans to take up the habit.

"I can get quite embarrassed seeing some of the things on television. I don't know whether things have to be quite as explicit as they are nowadays. Carry On films were much more innocent." (2000)

"I don't think I've ever had anybody say the words, 'Will you marry me?', not even someone tight as a tick at a party." (2000)

"To be a comic woman, you have to put up with quite a bit of banter. But I didn't mind. I've got a dirty sense of humour and I never found those things really offensive." (2000)

"I'm a workaholic, really, so it's hard when I'm not working. I'm not a great reader, so I do watch a lot of telly. I've actually become the most frightful cabbage potato." (2000)

"I was always being ticked off for making the class laugh, usually by mimicking the teacher." (2000)

Carry on Emmannuelle (1978) - £2,500

Carry on England (1976) - £2,000

Carry on Behind (1976) - £2,000

Carry on Dick (1974) - £2,000

Carry on Girls (1973) - £2,500