Kenneth Williams

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So, tell me about Kenneth Williams. I'm in love with my Jules and Sand and Rambling Syd Rumpo tapes from the BBC. What else should I seek out? Was he particularly good in any of the Carry On films?

And how is he regarded in the U.K.? As a comic oddity or a national treasure? Has anyone read his autobiography? It's rather dull, some interesting bits about his friendship with Joe Orton and lots of British Theatre minutiae but nothing I could really sink my teeth in. No dirt.

So, ILE, please tell me everything you know about Kenneth Williams. Or any other British comic of the 60s. Thanks!

― Arthur, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

How bona to vida your dolly old new answers!

― Arthur, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

He's an odd national comedy treasure. If you're fascinated by Ken then you must read his waspish, sad, bitter but brilliant diaries. Plenty of dirt.
Was he good in the Carry Ons? Was he good? ... uh, he was a unique talent, lets put it that way. I'm not a massive fan of the Carry Ons but his performance in 'Carry On Cleo' (my fave) had me honking with laffter.
S'funny, I was listening to some old 'Hancock's Half Hour' cassettes today (50s radio, and, later, TV sitcom on which Williams was a regular) he played a different role in each episode, but he always ended up being just him, his drilling, nasel whine cutting through everything. Odd fellow.

― DavidM, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Search: Willow The Wisp.

― Ally C, Friday, 8 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

His diaries are essential, far more revealing and caustic than his rather bland autobiography. Bitter is the right word to describe a lot of the writing in them, they're filled with self loathing and disgust as his career arcs from Saint Joan and working with Orson Welles to becoming little more than dependable chat show filler. Classic 'I could've been a somebody' stuff, sad thing is he was a *somebody*, but not the one he wanted to be.

― Billy Dods, Saturday, 9 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Some thoughts about KW I was going to post on here, but the boards were down so I've posted it on Church of Me instead.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The only non-comedy performance by Williams that I've heard is the narration he did for an animated version of Gogol's "Diary Of A Madman", in the early Sixties. The film was never finished and only the soundtrack survives. This soundtrack was broadcast on Radio 4 in the 1990s. Williams conveyed the mental breakdown of the main character very effectively.

― Mark Dixon, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

New answers? Did you read the diary, Arthur?

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 24 May 2004 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

four years pass...

Watched the Fantabulosa! drama based on the diaries and starring Michael Sheen on BBC2 on Saturday. Ludicrous rubbish; Sheen played KW like Tony Blair with a clothes peg stuck up his anus, the chronology and attribution of quotes was a complete mess and you were left with the hugely misleading impression that he was a neurotic fuck-up all the time which if you read the Diaries in full was definitely not the case.

Whereas Terry Johnson's Carry On drama Cor Blimey! which was screened before this was superb; finely written and judged, and uncanny performances from the actors who played Sid James and Barbara Windsor, not to mention an infinitely better KW.

― Dingbod Kesterson, Monday, 14 July 2008 09:46 (seventeen years ago)

The version of K Williams in this was really like a guy I work with which spoiled the illusion somewhat. I only made it through ten mins of this.

Not at all looking forward to that Damned United film after watching this.

― Raw Patrick, Monday, 14 July 2008 10:35 (seventeen years ago)

one year passes...

What "Carry On" is this Jpeg from? (assuming this is Kenneth Williams and I'm not bad at faces)

http://i32.tinypic.com/34pf62a.jpg

― Cunga, Saturday, 29 August 2009 06:31 (sixteen years ago)

Carry On Don't Lose Your Head?

― Henry Frog (Frogman Henry), Saturday, 29 August 2009 06:49 (sixteen years ago)

stop messing about

― conrad, Saturday, 29 August 2009 16:23 (sixteen years ago)

(xpost) it is...
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/images/bex/dlhy_execution.jpg

― the visible spectrum is rainbows (snoball), Saturday, 29 August 2009 17:45 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, yes, Citizen Camembert!
(see what they did there?)

It features one of the great Carry On lines. The Duc de Pommefrit (Hawtrey) is on the guillotine and someone runs up with a letter, so he says "Put it in the basket, I'll read it later."

― Ned Trifle II, Saturday, 29 August 2009 20:03 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, yes, Citizen Camembert!
(see what they did there?)

The IMDB entry notes that KW actually says the line "I'm Camembert! I'm the big cheese!". Subtlety and Talbot Rothwell being more or less strangers...

― the visible spectrum is rainbows (snoball), Saturday, 29 August 2009 22:09 (sixteen years ago)

thirteen years pass...

Been reading the diaries again (read aged 14 but remember little)

Everyone talks about the very last entry, but this from a few weeks earlier is the one that gets me. "But I'm not deceived"

21st March 1988. pic.twitter.com/G52sH99tJF
— Kenneth Williams (@DiariesKenneth) March 21, 2023

― the world is your octopus (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 15 April 2023 23:29 (two years ago)

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