Talk:Sid James
| This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Sid James article. This is not a forum for general discussion of the article's subject. |
Article policies
|
| Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL |
 | Biography: Actors and Filmmakers C‑class | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
 | Comedy C‑class Mid‑importance | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
The article states his DOB and DOD but on the last line it says he was 62 when he sadly died.
Surely this should read 63.
NO! He was born in May 1913 and died in April 1976, therefore he did not quite make 63.
South African not "South African born"
Sid James came to live in Britain in 1946- when he was 32 or 33. Surely that makes him a South African and not merely "South African born" ? I'm changing it unless someone has a really good reason why it should stay the way it is... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.35.16.3 (talk) 10:43, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
The Krays
I remeber tell that as a result of his antics with Barbera Windsor (on and possibly off screen) he angered one of the Kray twins (the one Windsor was involved with). As a result he broke into James' home and moved things about to ward him off). Anyone care to mention this?--Crestville 19:40, 12 July 2006 (UTC)
No not exactly true. Barbara Windsor was once married to Ronnie Knight. Knight was a top villian in his own right and did actually break into Sid's house, or some sources claim it was his dressing room, and in bed an axe into the floorboards as a sign. Babs Windsor did have an affair with Charlie Kray at one time though.
Real Name
His real name is "Joel Solomon Cohen" (not "Sidney Joel Cohen"), I'm not too sure why there should be dispute about this but apparently there is, I'm a witness of his birth certificate. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.203.64.10 (talk • contribs)
- Because there's no proof, and Wikipedia works on verifiable fact. Can you prove you are his grandson, or show us other proof about his name? This site suggests you are wrong. Stephenb (Talk) 13:22, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
- And this one and iMDb too. Need I go on? I'm afraid to say I don't believe your claims Stephenb (Talk) 13:26, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
- The first site is only half right, "When the Australian tour finally finished in 1921, Reine returned home alone to collect her children. Now eight years of age, Sollie was sent to Hospital Hill Primary School, where his cousin Joel Cohen was a pupil. To add further confusion, the family had taken to calling Joel 'Sidney'. It was the young lads class teacher who resolved the problem. 'From now on you will be Joel, and Sollie, you will be called Sidney.' " both were called Joel, but Sid was called "Joel Solomon Cohen", he was then named Sidney by the teacher on the basis of there being too many Joels. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.203.64.10 (talk • contribs)
- Sorry, don't believe you. Please cite where this information can be found. Stephenb (Talk) 13:40, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
- What do you want me to do? Scan in his certificate? I find it strange that you even have the time to be looking through the changes to this and also fiding source that display a false name, I'll change it back later when you decide to stop, I'm surprised people still believe media articles over genuine people.193.203.64.10 13:44, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
- (1) I don't know you are genuine. Wikipedia has a lot of vandals. (2) All other evidence is against you. (3) Wikipedia relies on citable, verifiable evidence. The article is now on my watchlist. Please do not vandalise it again. Stephenb (Talk) 13:46, 30 November 2006 (UTC)
- Lol, looks like we'll be having some fun then, I'll see you later. The Vandal—Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.203.64.10 (talk • contribs)
Our policy on verifiability, WP:V, requires sources that an uninvolved reader can check. If the checkable set of sources is consistent, what they say must be said. In theory, a birth certificate is possible source, but I don't think it is workable for a claim that someone's birth name was different than the name they were later known by. How could anyone know the birth certificate was for the same person? That transition needs to be published in a reliable source, and the birth certificate won't show the change of name. GRBerry 21:39, 1 December 2006 (UTC)
To clarify all this: His birth name was Joel Solomon Cohen, he changed it to Sidney Joel Cohen because at school, there were too many Cohens and the teacher got confused. He then later changed it to Sid James due to personal reasons which I don't think need to be explained. This is in his biography but I don't have it and don't intend to buy it, but there is your reference.--81.178.80.16 11:26, 22 January 2007 (UTC)
- Please give a clear reference. I have reverted your change to one which has a clear reference. Stephenb (Talk) 14:39, 22 January 2007 (UTC)
- Thanks... He changed his name from X Cohen to Y Cohen because there were too many Cohens...? Hmm, doesn't sound plausible, since he didn't change the Cohen part! Stephenb (Talk) 17:40, 22 January 2007 (UTC)
- Sorry, too many Joels^, I'd prefer it if this information wasn't on wikipedia at all considering he wasn't even happy with his family knowing, but if it has to be on there, I want it correct. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.178.80.16 (talk) 20:41, 22 January 2007 (UTC).
RfC response
This subject has come up a number of times, most recently with Ernest Borgnine. The problem is that we must have a way of verifying if the information concerning James's birth name is correct. Without that, it cannot be changed. Personal research cannot be used because it is nonverifiable. See WP:NOR. Hope this helps. --Mantanmoreland 21:50, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
- I just found a website called "Screenonline" [1]that appears to be reliable and does say that James's birth name was "Cohen." It does not provide the other names stated by the unknown user. Again, they would need to be verified but I think that you can say that his birth name was "Cohen" based on this, and cite this source. There may be others. Halliwell's film guide has nothing.--Mantanmoreland 22:00, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
- I found another, this time referring to a "Sidney Joel Cohen." [2] Seems to be stuff out there.--Mantanmoreland 22:02, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
- nndb takes user submissions. I wouldn't rely on it to be 100% accurate. As for the other source, there is an encyclopedia mentioned at the end. Brian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of British Film. Perhaps if that was their source it can be checked.--Crossmr 03:24, 14 December 2006 (UTC)
Health
Later it was rumoured that Sid James's ghost haunted the dressing room he occupied on the night of his death. After one experience during a gig there, the comedian Les Dawson refused to play the venue again. He never revealed why and would not talk on the subject....
Not that I want to be nitpicky, but if Dawson never revealed why he refused to play the venue again, and would not talk on the subject, then how does anyone know that it had anything to do with Dawson seeing Sid James' ghost? SimonUK (talk) 13:40, 8 December 2007 (UTC)
- I recall seeing a TV documentary about Sid James where his wife (I beleive) commented that when the doctor told him to give up brandy and cigarettes he did... and replaced them with whisky and cigars. (83.13.39.98 (talk) 11:29, 18 February 2008 (UTC))
The second paragraph in Health begins "Meanwhile his success in TV situation comedies continued, now heading the cast, notably in Taxi!," "Taxi!" was a 1962 British sitcom starring Sid James, but "Taxi!" here, as a link, goes to the 1932 James Cagney movie of the same name. It appears that the link needs to be corrected.
Wcomm (talk) 07:52, 12 June 2009 (UTC)