Kenneth Williams : born brilliant : the life of Kenneth Williams

Kenneth Williams was the stand-out comic actor of his generation. Beloved as the manic star of Carry On films and as a peerless raconteur on TV chat shows, he was also acclaimed for serious stage roles. Born Brilliant will include much previously unseen material from Williams's candid daily journal and also draw on rare in-depth interviews with friends and colleagues. Since the publication of edited extracts from his diaries, much controversy has surrounded Williams's personal and professional lives. This biography traces the complex contradictions that characterised an extraordinary life and presents the first full portrait of a star who was born brilliant. Title Page 3 Copyright 4 Dedication 5 Contents 6 Preface ‘I was more pleased than I ever dreamed I would be’ 9 1 ‘Brushed over with false gaiety’ February1926 –February1944 11 2 ‘Happy days, what a laugh! Oh! Life!!’ February1944 –December1947 18 3 ‘The dream from which there is no awakening’ December1947 –February1950 27 4 ‘What is right in this haphazard career?’ February1950 –October1954 34 5 ‘Too popular. Quite so. Reely. I don’t mind’ September1954 –June1959 43 6 ‘I could no more share a flat with Anyone than I could fly’ November1954 –June1957 51 7 ‘Lots of old pals. It was all delightful’ May1957 –April1959 59 8 ‘Throwing temperaments in sapphire mink’ April1959 –December1960 66 9 ‘I have been taught the severest lesson of the theatre, and taught it pitilessly’ September1960 –December1962 73 10 ‘God has given me the opportunity to use the theatre in its moral sense’ January1963 –April1964 83 11 ‘It was Felicity’s twenty-first!’ July1964 –December1965 90 12 ‘You always talk to the one you don’t like’ February1965 –August1967 98 13 ‘You can’t be childish at 42 and get away with it but nonetheless, I shall try’ August1967 –August1968 108 14 ‘It’s all whoops and bonnet over the windmill!’ September1968 –December1969 114 15 ‘I adore this woman and will forgive everything from someone who has her sweetness, radiance and generosity of spirit’ February1970 –June1973 121 16 ‘Critics will say “tired, laboured, unfunny”, etc, but it don’t matter and I do need the money’ December1972 –August1977 131 17 ‘The tide is receding and leaving some incongruous wrecks exposed’ October1969 –December1983 140 18 ‘Nobody should live past sixty-five, because nobody should have to face deterioration’ January1984 –April1988 150 AFTERWORD ‘It’s fascinating, it’s a little defeat of death’ 159 Acknowledgements 161 Illustration Credits 162 Notes 163 Bibliography 212 Illustrations 214 Kenneth Williams was the stand-out comic actor of his generation. Beloved as the manic star of Carry On films and as a peerless raconteur on TV chat shows, he was also acclaimed for serious stage roles. Born Brilliant includes much previously unseen material from Williams's candid daily journal and also draw on rare in-depth interviews with friends and colleagues. Since the publication of edited extracts from his diaries, much controversy has surrounded Williams's personal and professional lives. This biography traces the complex contradictions that characterised an extraordinary life and presents the first full portrait of a star who was born brilliant. The authorised full story of the troubled and brilliant comic genius that was Kenneth Williams By Christopher Stevens. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 415-418) And Index.