Sid James attack while performing on stage at the Sunderland Empire Theatre; he died in hospital an hour later. Some, including comedian Les Dawson, claim to have seen the ghost of James at the theatre, and subsequently refused to appear at the theatre again. James was born Solomon Joel Cohen on 8 May 1913, to Jewish parents in South Africa, later changing his name to Sidney Joel Cohen, and then Sidney James. His family lived on Hancock Street in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Upon moving to the UK later in life, he claimed various previous occupations, including diamond cutter, dance tutor and boxer; in
Sid James which his wife was not told how much he was being paid, so that a portion could be set aside for gambling. James has been the subject of at least five tribute shows: a 1996 one-off tribute, "The Very Best of Sid James"; as the focus of a 2000 episode of the series "The Unforgettable"; a 2002 episode of "Heroes of Comedy"; Channel Four's "With Out Walls, Seriously Seeking Sid" in the late 1980s; and in 2013, the BBC's "The Many Faces Of Sid James". In August 2018 it was announced that a radio interview which James had recorded for