Kenneth Williams

A memorial service was held for him at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden on 29th September 1988.

Was unhappy with the script for Carry on Emmannuelle (1978) because of how smutty it was and continually refused to do it. After numerous rewrites he still wasn't happy, and only did it out of friendship for the film makers. He got £6000 to take the role, his highest fee ever. .

Was supposed to play The Brigadier in Carry on England (1976), but turned it down due to theatrical commitments. The role went to Peter Jones.

Was supposed to play Cecil Gaybody in Carry on Girls (1973), but turned it down due to theatrical commitments. The production team were desperate to have him in the movie, but his commitments wouldn't allow an appearance either way. The role went to Jimmy Logan.

Regarded as a brilliant raconteur, he made many guest appearances on the original run of the television series Parkinson (1971), eight in total. Ironically, Williams was initially reluctant to be interviewed by Michael Parkinson, whom he described in his diary as a "north country nit".

Of the 30 films in the "Carry On..." series Kenneth Williams appeared in 25, more than any other actor. For the record he did not appear in Carry on Up the Jungle (1970) , Carry on Girls (1973) , Carry on England (1976) and Carry On Columbus (1992) .

Regarded Kenneth Horne as the father he always wanted and was devastated by Horne's sudden passing in 1969.

Favourite Carry On was Carry On... Up the Khyber (1968). Kenneth also thought that of all his Carry On appearances, The Khasi of Kalabar will be the one that the audience will never forget.

Williams publicly insisted that he was celibate, but in private found his homosexuality difficult for him to deal with. Was good friends with gay playwright Joe Orton and his companion Kenneth Halliwell, and performed in Orton's play "Loot" in 1965. Halliwell later murdered Orton in 1967 in a fit of rage with a hammer.

Was offered the part of Albright in Carry on Cabby (1963), but turned it down because he believed that it was an inferior script. The part was cut down and the best lines given to Charles Hawtrey. Norman Chappell played Albright.

Kept falling asleep while filming Carry on Nurse (1959), due to the combination of warm studio lights and acting on a bed. When director Gerald Thomas woke him up, Kenny would swear blind that he wasn't asleep. So the next time it happened, Thomas put a sign around his neck, and took a photograph. When Kenny tried to wriggle his way out of it again with protestations of not being asleep, Gerald showed him the photograph - apparently Kenny's language became very colorful.

The only actor in the "Carry On..." films to appear, along with Kenneth Connor and Eric Barker in the first (Carry On Sergeant (1958)) and last authentic "Carry On... films (Carry on Emmannuelle (1978)). This does not include the heavily criticised Carry On Columbus (1992).

In 1944 he was drafted into the army, and although posted to the Royal Engineers, he managed to land a job in the Combined Services Entertainment unit, where he got a chance to act in shows that were put on to entertain the troops, and even designed the posters that advertised the shows. After his discharge from the army he began to work as a professional actor, and traveled the country in repertory companies. It was in a production of "Saint Joan", where he played the Dauphin, that a radio producer saw him and hired him to do voice characterizations on a popular radio comedy show, "Hancock's Half Hour". His penchant for wild, off-the-wall characters led to his being hired by the producers of the "Carry On" comedy series, where he performed in 26 entries in the long-running series. When the series ended, Williams returned to radio work, and also made the rounds of the TV talk shows in addition to writing several books, including his autobiography. Later in his life Williams developed a serious ulcer, and was given medication to combat the pain.

The acting bug bit Kenneth Williams when, as a student, his English teacher suggested he try out for a school play. He found that he enjoyed it tremendously, but when he raised the possibility at home of becoming an actor, his father forbade it. Williams was eventually sent to art school in London in 1941.

Had a stepsister named Alice Patricia (Pat) (1924-1996). She grew up with him.

Son of Charles (1899-1962) and Louisa (Lou) Williams (née Morgan) (1901-1991).

Was a big fan of Gilbert and Sullivan' operas. They wrote fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado are among the best known.