"All the way from Great Portland Street"... It's the Kenneth Williams thread!

[Barbara Fan]

My Fav magazine is Retro and this was in it when i bought it yesterday
Another book to add to the long list -@Mel O'Drama

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Another book to add to the long list -@Mel O'Drama

Absolutely. I'm quite behind the times with newer books on the Carry On-ers, so I'd certainly like to check this one out. I don't recognise the author from any other works, so it'll be interesting to get a (hopefully) slightly different take on Kenny.

 

[Richard Channing]

Kenneth Williams: The life of an introverted extrovert (20 min bio)

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Just stumbled upon this super Parky interview with Kenny, his then-current co-star Lorraine Chase and Kevin Keegan:

It covers a lot of ground, some familiar from other interviews and live performances, but always great to see. And it includes a great rendition of Crepe Suzette.

In particular it's lovely to see him speaking so fondly of his friend Joe Orton and sharing some classic "Edna Welthorpe" stories.

According to Kenneth's diary this was filmed Sunday 13th October 1979. From his entry, it seems he was really pleased with how it went. He describes Kevin as "excellent & dishy", Lorraine as "elegant & poised & v. human & funny" and the show overall as "a lovely evening".

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Worlds collide... Alan Carr reads Kenneth Williams quoting Jean Marsh to Eric Peel (and with a profanity warning to boot):

Have some carrots...!​

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Yesterday, the Thames TV channel dropped this snippet from a nice interview with Mavis Nicholson where Kenny talks about school, the army and fitting in:

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Some top-notch raconteur action going on in this 1972 appearance on Parky.

There's lots of familiar material - the "bum trouble", his ENSA days, Orson Welles telling him to "piss off"; Edith Evans criticising his voice - but it's done with his usual flair.

This one had me laughing out loud:

Actually I knew a girl on this cruise who was called Ophelia, and her father was Mr Balls.

Tall tales aside, it's a genuinely intelligent interview, and I love how seriously all present take it when it gets down to talking about their craft, funny voices and all. And with hindsight it's always a little touching to hear discussion of funny people with tragic lives.

For reference, this would be around a week and a half before Carry On Abroad arrived in the cinema, so that will be the film he talks about getting a good notice from The Times.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

A video just unearthed by Thames... grace under fire as Kenny is accosted by Anneka Rice and a group of schoolchildren:

 

[Mel O'Drama]

A nice 1981 Parky interview. Among other things Kenneth talks expansively about ENSA, his first meeting with Stanley Baxter, meeting Hal Roach to discuss potential American adaptions of the Carry Ons.

Some lovely moments here, and especially nice to see him briefly enacting a dramatic piece, which shows how effortlessly good he was when it came to non-comic performances.

Windsor Davies sits beside him and doesn't get the chance to speak, but seems to be thoroughly enjoying it. It's nice to see.


Kenneth's diary entry on the episode:

Saturday, 17 October 1981
Went to TV Centre at 1 o'c. for the 'Parkinson Show'. It was Windsor Davies, then me, then Douglas Bader, then Vera Lynn. It started well with W.D. being warm & funny, I went on and told the Nee Soon story of Hank Marriott & Leo Wilson in the monsoon ditch and after that, it went steadily down hill. Got home by about 4 o'c.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Kenny talks diaries, farting during an intimate stage scene with Maggie Smith, an awkward first meeting with Nöel Coward, trouble in Tenerife and having his bum made up for Carry On Constable. A 1983 appearance on Sunday Sunday.