Norman Hudis wrote first six movies

Norman Hudis, who wrote the first six Carry On films, has died in California at the age of 93.

His widow Rita said in a statement: ‘He died peacefully at home with myself and Stephen and Kevin, his two sons. He did well to reach 93. We will miss him. Our 60th anniversary would have been on the 28 April.’

Hudis had been in a hospice for several weeks before his death on Monday.

He wrote Carry On Sergeant in 1958, when he was 34, followed by Carry On Nurse, Teacher, Constable, Regardless and Cruising.

In his memoirs, Hudis revealed that he continued to write scripts after he left the series in the hope that he might be asked back one day. Unproduced ideas included Carry On Under the Pier If Wet and Carry On Shylock Holmes.

He said of being dropped from the Carry Ons: ‘I was disappointed, but it was quite clear that I was tired. They didn’t like my script for Spying - which I was very unhappy with myself - and that was it. But no hard feelings - it was a glorious time.’

He moved to the States in the 1960s, and wrote episodes of The Man From UNCLE, Hawaii Five-O. and Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century, among others.

Here's the trailer for Carry On Sergeant (also pictured above), which starred William Hartnell, Bob Monkhouse, Shirley Eaton, Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Connor and Kenneth Williams:

Published: 9 Feb 2016