Carry On smoking and haunting

In reference to Matthew Thorley’s letter about Carry On favourites Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey’s deaths having paranormal postscripts [FT440:61], I’d like to add a third sneaky spirit.

In 2015, I was asked by the editor of a London magazine called Journal if I would like to photograph actress Fenella Fielding for a feature. Though I was familiar with many of the Carry On films, Carry On Screaming was one I’d never seen; and having grown up in Canada, I had been unaware of Fenella’s delightful voice and inimitable manner – not to mention her iconic status, despite how few really juicy and memorable characters she’d had the chance to portray in film or television.

Of course, Fenella Fielding was an intoxicating and somewhat mysterious character. Even at 89, the year before her death, she retained her sultry sense of mischief. I had photographed her to celebrate her OBE, but sadly she passed away not long after.

Fast forward to Spring 2022. I had ordered a takeaway from the Leon restaurant on Carnaby Street late one night and was leaving the premises, when two ladies stopped me to ask if I’d name their newly acquired pink flamingo watering can, proudly displayed on their table. I stopped, thinking this was a strange request, then saw the fabulously camp flamingo and immediately thought “Fenella!”

The lady who had asked seemed utterly shocked: “Why would you choose that name? I mean, it’s so uncommon!” I explained, “Well, I was Fenella Fielding’s photographer for the last few years of her life...”

She replied, astonished: “My name is Fenella... my father was obsessed with Fenella Fielding. I was named after her!”

This moment of synchronicity was for all three of us truly unbelievable. I mean, honestly, what are the chances? I walked home and called up Fenella’s manager, Simon, recounting the story – and his reply took this synchronicity to another level. “Fenella and I would often eat at that very Leon!” he told me. Well, I’ll concede that part of the continued coincidence sounds rather less spectacular... but what came next made me wonder: Had Fenella’s ghost been wandering theatreland waiting to deliver a last bit of spectral mischief?

Simon finished:”At her wake, one artist who had been planned for the performance was Marc Almond, but he was unable to join us as he was touring abroad.” The song Marc would have performed at Fenella’s memorial, according to Simon? Pretty Flamingo by Manfred Mann.

Etienne Gilfillan

Art Director, Fortean Times

London