FILM: CARRY ON COLUMBUS (1992)

There was no one more delighted and relieved than TP McKenna when he heard  his cameo apperance in the much anticipated Carry On revival, Carry on Columbus, had been dropped.

Without much exception, actors never take very kindly to having their work end up on the cutting room floor, but for TP the news came as a blessed release.

It was just one day's shooting, but, nonetheless, working on the film had been a slightly quirky experience.

On the plus side he shared a very convivial lunch with Maureen Lipman while he chatted with Jon Pertwee whose dressing room was across the corridor from his.

Pertwee was rather in awe of the great 'classical actor', McKenna, though TP would have demurred that there was no less talent involved in playing Dr.Who or Worzel Gummidge.

However, things took a turn for TP at the worst possible moment. Shooting rather late in the day he had been on the set long enough to get a sense that what he was involved in, for a comedy,  wasn't very funny. In fact, it wasn't funny at all.

There he was, grandly attired as the Archbishop of Canterbury and as per standard practice they ran a rehearsal for the cameras.  That all went fine and  the camera, lighting and sound departments each confirmed that they were happy to go for a take.

So, the director called out, 'Standby TP ... and ACTION!'

Nothing. To his horror, he had dried and for the life of him couldn't remember his first line.

Not even stood before the cameras with Michael Caine, Dustin Hoffman, David Hemmings, Richard Burton  and Trevor Howard in who knows how many films and television dramas had he ever experienced such a complete dry.

Everyone was very nice and understanding and all was well on the second take but even so TP was more than a little mortified with himself.

So, it was a complete balm to him that he could now draw a conclusive veil over the matter.  Indeed, once the film was released to a universal and major panning by the critics, TP could feel as relieved as the man who had missed the sailing of the Titanic.

Carry On Coda:-

Carry On legend, Kenneth Williams once crossed the car park at Pinewood Studios to complement TP on his part in Straw Dogs. 'Oooh! You were sooo sinister' he cooed.

TP also played opposite Carry On stalwart Liz Frazer for three months in the Shaw comedy Too True To Be Good at the Garrick Theatre in 1965 along with George Cole and Alastair Sim.