Morrissey and Charles Hawtrey

Charles Hawtrey¹ was an English actor, comedian, singer, pianist and theatre director who starred in most of the 'Carry On' films. 'Carry On' was a British comedy franchise comprising films, four Christmas specials, a television series and stage shows produced between 1958 and 1992. Actor Charles Hawtrey starred in 23 of the 'Carry On' films and several 'Carry On' Christmas TV specials, spanning 1958 until 1972.

Morrissey's affection for actor Charles Hawtrey was very particular and very personal. In fact, Morrissey went so far as to compose an obituary for Charles Hawtrey (published in NME) when he died in 1988. In part, Morrissey wrote that Hawtrey was "The very last comic genius...Charles Hawtrey's death ties in with the advance chill of 1992, the slaughter of the British passport, and the last death wheeze of the real England... By all accounts being unfriendly and friendless, Hawtrey's mystique surpasses Garbo. I personally loved him."

Morrissey's admiration for Charles Hawtrey manifested itself in several of his releases:

In the music video for Morrissey's single 'Everyday Is Like Sunday' (released along with the single in May 1988) there are clips of Charles Hawtrey (2:44 and 3:04) from the 1972 British comedy film Carry On Abroad, a favorite of Morrissey. See the video here

Morrissey seemingly emulates Charles Hawtrey in the album art for the 'Everyday Is Like Sunday single, copying his pose from a notorious photo taken in the immediate aftermath of a fire at the actors residence in August 1984.

A photograph of Charles Hawtrey adorns the album cover of 'The Very Best of The Smiths', a compilation album released in June 2001.

Morrissey appears to channel Charles Hawtrey in the DVD cover art for '25 Live', a 2013 music concert film documentary depicting Morrissey's March 2, 2013 live performance at Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, California (the concert was intended to mark Morrissey's 25-year solo career following the break-up of The Smiths).

1. Born George Frederick Joffre Hartree in 1914, little is known about Hawtrey's early years or later private life. He guarded his relationships very carefully in an era when male homosexual sex was illegal and punishable by a prison sentence. His outrageous drunken promiscuity did not attract sympathy, nor did his general peevish demeanor and increasing eccentricity earn him many close friends.

If fans asked him for an autograph, Hawtrey would often swear at them and rip their paper in half.

Kenneth Williams recounted a visit to Deal in Kent where Hawtrey owned a house full of old brass bedsteads that the eccentric actor had hoarded, believing that "one day he would make a great deal of money from them".

Hawtrey spent most of his life living with his mother, who suffered Alzheimer's disease in later years. Another anecdote recounted by Williams describes how during the filming of Carry On Teacher, Joan Sims cried out to Hawtrey that his mother's handbag had caught fire after her cigarette ash fell into it. Without batting an eyelid, Hawtrey poured a cup of tea into the bag to put out the flames, snapped the handbag shut and continued with his conversation. He would often bring his mother onto the set and then lock her in his dressing room when he was required to film a scene.  Williams also recounted his gathering up of the sandwiches left over from a buffet for the Carry On cast. Williams was envious of Hawtrey's acceptance of his sexuality: "He can sit in a bar and pick up sailors and have a wonderful time. I couldn't do it."

On 6 June 1981 Hawtrey suffered a heart attack. He next hit the headlines after his house caught fire on 5 August 1984. He had gone to bed with a 15-year-old rent boy and had left a cigarette burning on his sofa. Newspaper photographs from the time show a fireman leading an ill-looking, emotional, partially clothed and toupeeless Hawtrey to safety.[ Hawtrey told the press that "The smell of smoke woke me up and there were flames coming up the stairway. I've lost a lot of valuable antiques and sentimental keepsakes but I am all right. It was all very frightening".

On October 24, 1988, Hawtrey collapsed in the doorway of the Royal Hotel in Deal, shattering his femur, and was rushed by ambulance to the Buckland Hospital in Dover.  He was discovered to be suffering from peripheral vascular disease, a condition of the arteries brought on by a lifetime of heavy smoking. Hawtrey was told that to save his life, his legs would have to be amputated. He refused the operation, allegedly saying that he preferred 'to die with his boots on', and died at 3.30 am on 27 October 1988, at Windthorpe Lodge Nursing Home in Walmer, near Deal. It was claimed that on his deathbed he threw a vase at his nurse who asked for an autograph.  On November 2,1988, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered in Mortlake Crematorium, close to Chiswick in London.  Just nine mourners attended; no friends or family were there.