I thought Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howerd deserved a thread of their own. I was wondering, are there any fans out there of Kenneth Williams or/and Frankie Howerd? I myself am fans of both. I know they were both in the Carry On films (Kenneth in 26 and Frankie in 2 of the 31 films made), but I also enjoyed their other works as well. I thought Kenny was brilliant on chat-shows and on radio. Frankie too was great to see on other televison shows and on radio as well. Has anyone seen the 3 'Up' films Frankie starred in? They are:
Up Pompeii
Up The Chastity Belt
Up The Front
It's such a shame that Kenneth became typecast in the 1980s and his film career ended. Has anyone here read The Kenneth Williams diaries? They are a must read of Kenny Williams fans. Also there is a new Kenny book coming out this October 20th, called Kenneth Williams Unseen: The Private Notes, Scripts and Photographs. I have loads of Frankie Howerd and Kenneth Williams books at home.
And did you know that the only assignment Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howerd were both in together, was Carry On Doctor, made in 1967?
I thought Kenneth Williams played all his characters in the radio show Round The Horne very well. I also thought Kenneth was brilliant in Hancock's Half Hour as well. Did you know Tony Hancock was jealous of Kenneth Williams getting more laughs than him (in particular there was a character called "Snide" that Hancock really did not like with its famous catchphase "stop messin' about"), and said that Kenneth's humour was very carboard like? Eventually Kenneth got smaller parts in Hancock's Half Hour and Kenneth decided that he should leave.
I was wondering if anyone could help me. Does anyone know which chat show this picture of Kenneth is from?
It looks like it's from a show either in 1987 or early 1988.
When you read the last few years of Kenneth's life in the diaries, you can see that he is in alot of pain what with stomach ulcers and problems with his colon. Even when you see him in pictures from 1986-1988 he looks very ill. But though in 1986 when he was hosting Wogan for Terry when Terry was on holiday, I thought Kenneth didnt look all that bad.
It's such a shame, though in the chat-shows that in the 1980s when being interviewed, Kenneth would always make fun of his problems for comic effect. He had boxed himself into a corner, and didnt really have any new material to work with. After telling all his stories about his life and experiences in show buisness about Dame Edith Evans and Noel Coward etc, he felt there was nothing left, and so decided to make fun of his ill health and problems.
I personally think that Kenneth Williams was so much more than just the Carry On character he created, and it's such a shame he got typecast. He even directed some of Joe Orton's plays in the early 1980s.
Thing is, when after Kenneth died the coroner recorded and open verdict. Was it suicide, or was it a mistaken overdose? For some reason I keep thinking it was suicide. He had kept on talking about suicide since the 1940s and had been collecting pills to kill himself with. Also his father Charlie committed suicide in 1961. Though he had an advert or voice-over to record the next day on the 15th April, and was always very professional when it came to work. Leslie Philips believe's that Kenneth did not kill himself. What are people's views on this?
Hope you find something to like in it.