Two more lovely photos of Ingrid Bergman and Kenneth Williams at the press reception for their common stage play, a production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” at London's Cavendish Hotel, 5th January 1971.
On the 31st [July 1971] the theatre was packed and the audience tremendously enthusiastic.
Ingrid put her arms round me in the wings before I went on, and said, "So at last, my dear, we come to the final performance. Just think, I stood here and wished you luck half a year ago.' I had little time to reply because I had to make my entrance but I felt a surge of melancholy as she spoke.
I wasn't the only one who was affected by last-night feelings. Several actors became sentimental and invested certain lines with special significance. When I came to my speech, 'Dear me, we comes in with vanity, and we departs in darkness, don't we, guv'nor?" I suddenly realised that when the lights went out tonight on this production it would vanish forever. It had all turned out so differently from what I had imagined.
This poor old creaking play and this rickety production, greeted with hostility and indifference by the press, had been kept afloat by a lady who had broken all box-office records for a limited London season, delighted loyal audiences nightly and never missed a performance. ♡
Finally, I've managed to get an excellent conditioned copy of the audio book of Kenneth' Williams's autobiography "Just Williams," released on two audio cassettes in 1988 ... the year he died before his time on April 15th.
Even if it's abridged by ca. 43 minutes, it's an original in every way, thus a must-have for my already huge but still constantly growing KW collection! ♡
Below is an excerpt from the book, which is one of my favourite anecdotes when Kenneth served the British army as a draughtsman in the Royal Engineers. This notable episode happened in Ceylon in 1945:
He was such a smart guy with great wit! I miss him ... ✨️
Kenneth Williams reads his autobiography “Just Williams” (1985)
Kenneth Williams’ autobiography is somewhat “airbrushed” compared to his actual diaries, but entertaining nonetheless. This abridgement, read by the great man himself, was produced for BBC radio in 1985 and released on two cassettes as an audiobook in 1988.
... his voice alone is worth listening to the end! ♡
Lines like 'I can't stand queers' are as daft as 'I can't stand heterosexuals,' but people will go on saying them.
Whether it is sexual, religious or racial, discrimination will occur in one way or another in most societies, and eradictating efforts are futile because the prejudice is born of ignorance.
Bernard Shaw wrote that the only thing to do about ignorance is to enlighten it, and a lot of idealists think that education can achieve that enlightenment. Legislator think that laws can do it, and trendsetters think that fashion can do it.
They are wrong because they start from a false premise. They're like the doctor who once told me that smoking cigarettes would shorten my life; he made the erroneous assumption that I craved longevity.
Kenneth Williams
Just Williams - An Autobiography (1985)
Kenneth wrote these lines 36 years ago ... that better should make you think because sadly his brilliant words are still the bitter truth!
LAURENCE OLIVIER and KENNETH WILLIAMS in THE BEGGAR'S OPERA,
a 1953 British historical musical film, a Technicolor adaptation of John Gay's 1728 ballad opera of the same name.
“By September (1952) I was back in London. Peter Eade (KW’s manager) told that Herbert Wilcox had remembered me, that he was producing a film of The Beggar’s Opera with Laurence Olivier as MacHeath, and that he wanted me to meet the director, Peter Brook, for the part of Jack.
I went down to Shepperton Studios, full of apprehension, clutching a few sheets of paper comprising the scene between Heath and the pot-boy at the inn where the hero is hiding. I had to wait until the day’s shooting was over and then found myself facing both the director and Sir Laurence.
I read the scene rather haltingly and my accent was criticized: ‘He’s supposed to be cockney, you know.’ ‘But I’m a cockney’, I protested. ‘I was born in the Caledonian Road.’ They didn’t seemed convinced.
I returned home on the train resigned to defeat, thinking the part would go to someone else. Next day, however, Peter rang to tell me I’d got the role and that I was to have a costume fitting ‘for a period pot-boy’.
At the costumiers I was duly attired in waistcoast and breeches and looked rather like a junior footman. But when I arrived on the set there was as much disapproval for the costume as there had been for my accent. ‘No, no, it’s far too smart,’ said Sir Laurence, and Peter Brook agreed. ‘Yes, he’s a pot-boy in a hostelry, not an attendant at Chatsworth. Take the waistcoast away.’ The wardrobe people obliged. ‘And dirty the shirt down.’ The garment was trampled in dirt and liberally stained, and I was produced again. ‘No, it’s still too smart. Tear the shirt and dirty the breeches and stockings.’ The clothing was torn to tatters, my face daubed with dirt and eventually they seemed reluctantly satisfied.
This inauspicious beginning, coupled with my awe for Sir Laurence, created inhibitions which I never managed to overcome, and I was bad in the role.
(...) I was relieved when the job was finished.”
Kenneth Williams
Just Williams - An Autobiography (1985)
Years later ...
Mags (Maggie Smith) told me over dinner that Larry Olivier said to her, about me ‘I think he’s got sex appeal.’ Of course, I don’t think it’s true, but what a charming thing to have said about one.
The Kenneth Williams Diaries - 20 December 1963
Kenneth’s appearance opposite Sir Laurence available on YouTube
Excerpt from "The Screen on Review", New York Times, 25 August 1953:
“Although the ideal marriage between films and opera is not effected in "The Beggar's Opera," on which the curtain was rung up yesterday at the Baronet, it is a generally happy liaison and one that is a credit to both media. For this Technicolor screen version of John Gay's 225-year-old work is a kaleidoscopic view of truly colorful facets of the London dear to Hogarth and is as unrestrained as its author's name. While it deviates from its original intent and now lampoons neither opera nor political personalities, it is still a spirited musical.”
