The merry night of Windsor

2:26pm Tuesday 29th July 2008

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The plaque-unveiling honouring Barbara Windsor proved a great success for Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council in its programme to celebrate the town’s unique film and television heritage.

The ceremonies have taken place, mainly in conjunction with Elstree Film Studios, since 1996, with guest unveilers including Pete Waterman, Olivia DeHavilland and Honor Blackman and those honoured including Roger Moore, John Mills, George Lucas and Simon Cowell.

Many readers may remember Barbara for her several Carry On movies, but may not realise she has starred on Broadway and the West End, not to mention nearly 14 years in EastEnders — all of which earned her an MBE.

In fact Barbara’s career stretches back to 1954, but she told me: “I have never regretted any of my career decisions.

“Sometimes you have success and sometimes not, but my idea is just to enjoy life.”

Barbara — still as energetic and attractive as ever at 70 — then reflected on the ups and downs of showbiz.

“For years I was labelled as the Carry On pin-up girl and I was thinking of giving up acting and becoming an agent. Then EastEnders came along and everything changed.”

Barbara said her favourite Carry On film was Up The Khyber, even though she was not in it.

“People forget they made about 23 of those movies without me in them, ”

As part of the ceremony, Barbara answered questions from the 130 guests representing various local organisations and made a point of visiting each table to sign autographs and pose for photos.

She also spoke frankly about her career, including her memories of her first Borehamwood movie.

“It was called Too Hot To Handle and the star was Hollywood pin-up Jayne Mansfield. She would never talk to the other cast members. I suggested to her she might like to say hello to everyone each day and she just looked at me as if I was mental.”

After the event, Barbara told me she did not know what to expect but found the whole event “wonderful”.

The afternoon proved full of laughs and one or two surprises. Among the celebrity guests was 53-year-old Dale Winton, who proved quite a hit with the ladies, including several councillors.

Then there was comedy legend 82-year-old Stanley Baxter, who rarely attends such showbiz events.

Stanley won a BAFTA comedy award and a lifetime achievement award from the British Comedy Awards.

In the Seventies, his spectacular comedy and music shows, including marvellous impersonations, gained television viewing figures twice that of Britain’s Got Talent or of Ant and Dec today.

Stanley told me: “I always wanted to include a sketch based on the old Forties Road To movies, starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.

“I could impersonate Bob but not Bing. Then one day his son saw me on television impersonating Gordon Jackson as the butler in Upstairs Downstairs and persuaded Bing to cast me in a similar role in a special being shot at ATV in Borehamwood.

“So fate had me working with my screen hero, but sadly a few weeks after filming Bing died on a golf course in Spain.”