His final 'Phwaay!'

Carry On star Jack Douglas has died of pneumonia at the age of 81.

He died this morning on the Isle Of Wight, here he lived with his partner Vivien Howell. He had been ill for several years.

His agent Phil Dale said: ‘Jack was one of those lovely people who came from the world of comedy and understood comedy timing in the sense of the old British tradition of farce, which is seldom done these days.’

Born in Newcastle, Douglas came into showbusiness by entertaining the troops with the Combined Services Entertainments unit just after the war. He became a favourite in panto and on the variety circuit and worked as a Straight Man for the likes of Bruce Forsyth, Arthur Haynes and Benny Hill.

He had a cameo in Carry on Matron in 1972, and gradually his role grew as his ‘Phwaay!’ catchphrase became famous. He appeared in the next seven Carry On films: Abroad, Girls, Dick, Behind, England, Emmannuelle and the 1992 revival Carry On Columbus, which was his last screen role.

However, apart from a break to recuperate from a hip operation in 2002, Douglas carried on working on stage until 2002, quitting just before his 75th birthday.

Douglas also guest-starred in the Goodies episode Goodies in the Nick and appeared in the 1982 Cannon And Ball move Boys In Blue.

Here he is in Carry On Matron:

And Carry On Abroad:

Published: 18 Dec 2008