Editing Sid James (section)

==Early life==
James was born Solomon Joel Cohen on 8 May 1913, to [[History of the Jews in South Africa|Jewish]] parents in [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]] (at that time a [[British Empire|British]] [[dominion]]), later changing his name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then Sidney James.<ref>{{Cite news |year=2003 |title=The Classic Carry On Film Collection |publisher=DeAgostini}}</ref> His family lived on Hancock Street in [[Hillbrow]], [[Johannesburg]]. He claimed various previous occupations, including [[diamond cutting|diamond cutter]], dance tutor and boxer,<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=Carry On Darkly |date=31 August 1998 |publisher=[[Channel 4]] |time=3:26–13:02 |medium=TV documentary}}</ref><ref>These were also reported in a [[BBC Radio 4]] tribute (to be broadcast in celebration of the centenary of his birth) as short-term jobs before he 'settled down' as a trainee in his mother's hairdressing salon</ref> but in reality had trained and worked as a hairdresser.<ref name="denofgeek.com">{{Cite web |title=Sid James: Cockney Rebel book review |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/5901/sid-james-cockney-rebel-book-review |website=Den of Geek |date=29 October 2009}}</ref>

It was at a hairdressing salon in [[Kroonstad]], [[Orange Free State (province)|Orange Free State]], that he met his first wife. He married Berthe Sadie Delmont, known as Toots, on 12 August 1936 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1937. His father-in-law, Joseph Delmont, a Johannesburg businessman, bought a hairdressing salon for him, but within a year James announced that he wanted to become an actor, and joined the Johannesburg Repertory Players. Through this group he gained work with the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]]. Toots divorced him in 1940.

During [[World War II]] he served as a lieutenant in the [[Union Defence Force Entertainment Unit]]<ref>''A Country At War 1939-1945 –The Mood Of A Nation'', Jennifer Crwys-Williams, Ashanti Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Rivonia, 1992.</ref> in South Africa's army, and subsequently took up acting as a career. He moved to the United Kingdom in December 1946, financed by his service gratuity. Initially he worked in [[repertory]], before being spotted for the nascent British post-war film industry.