I am sad to report that Carry On star Jack Douglas has died aged 81.

Best-known for his work on eight Carry On films (Carry On Matron, Carry On Abroad, Carry On Girls, Carry On Dick, Carry On Behind, Carry On England, Carry On Emmannuelle and Carry On Columbus) which were made at Pinewood Studios in London, Douglas also worked with the Carry On team on the Carry On Laughing TV series which was taped at ATV Centre (now BBC Elstree) in Borehamwood in 1975.

I have always been a huge fan of Jack's and was thrilled when in 2007 he said of my quiz book on the Carry On films (The Official Carry On Quiz Book): "This has been a wonderful time for me to read this book. It is a joy to read. It brought back a pile of happy memories of my life in the Carry On pictures."

Douglas came from a theatrical family. His father was a theatre producer and his brother (Bill Roberton) became a theatre director. Indeed, Roberton directed that Carry On stage show - Carry On London - which included a run at the Victoria Palace in London's West End from 1973 - 1975. Bill also directed runs of the farce Don't Tell the Wife, which Douglas appeared in at venues such as the Windmill Theatre in Great Yarmouth.

Like a lot of contemporaries in the business, Jack was a hardworking actor with extensive credits to his name. For instance, along with his other co-stars from the Carry On London stage show, he filmed Carry On Dick in 1974 during the daytime whilst appearing in two performances of the stage show in the evening.

Douglas also joined members of the Carry On team in Christmas TV specials made for Thames Television in the early Seventies at Teddington in Middlesex, and another stage show, Carry On Laughing in the Slimming Factory, which was staged at the since-demolished Opera House in Scarborough, in the summer of 1976.

Douglas was also well-known for having played a twitching character which he devised called Alf Ippititimus, who had the catchphrase "phwaay". Jack played this character on stage, film & television.

Pantomime, farce, musicals (he also wrote a musical) and various TV appearances on quiz, game shows and documentaries kept Douglas busy in more recent years and he also wrote an autobiography, A Twitch in Time, while his hobbies included cookery and photography.

Douglas is survived by his partner, Vivien Howell.

RIP, Jack, a huge thank you for all the laughter you gave to this fan! Your legacy will be the film & TV credits you have left behind for us which will be discovered and enjoyed by generations to come.