I saw Ken in M&S Oxford Street in early 88. He looked lost sad and ill but but still said hi after I said hello to him from a respectful distance. Little did I know that only a few weeks later he'd be gone. I'll never forget that encounter. RIP Kenneth I hope you are at peace now.
I met him about 1 hour before he died. I was in Picadilly Circus buying a pie and he cycled past on his blue and yellow Raleigh bike, wearing a donkey jacket and a green kilt. I said hello and he waved back. Later I found out he was dead. It was a terrible moment in my life when he died and I have been unable to eat a pie in Soho ever since due to PTSD.
Thanks for posting that, I was a huge fan of the Carry on Movies as a kid. early in 1988 when I was 14 my family took a weekend break in London and I saw him on Oxford street. He looked frail and mournful, and I only recognized him as I passed, I turned to look at him as he walked away and excitedly told my parents what I had seen. He had mingled with the crowd and was gone. Over the years as Ive grown older, I began to question if it really was him. Your post of having seen him there confirms it for me, he probably lived local to the area. A few months later I learned of his death on the news and I remembered how he looked that day. R.I.P.
@@CliveLomax Wow an amazing recollection! When I saw him he looked sad and mournful as you say. He was quite vacant but I felt compelled to say hello and glad I did. I think he lived up near Regents Park at the top of Baker St so probably spent a lot of time walking round the west end. Thanks for posting and I'm glad my post may have confirmed it was really him you saw. Regards Vince
He was tormented most of his life because he hadn't or couldn't achieve the ideal as he thought. This man was genuine and suffered for his art. God bless him.
Dear Kenneth, you are sadly missed for your frank and self deprecatory humour and your erudition in this dismal world of empty celebrity. You were a national treasure. We glimpsed your pain often but we never thought you would end like you did.
You are so right. His public persona, his humor, his wit, himself really, he will be sadly missed by people like myself and others who can understand or relate to what bothered him ALL his life.
I've only recently been introduced to Kenneth Williams and his sense of humor and repartee but can't get enough of him! Wish I had learned about him much sooner. British humor is a treasure and he is a very beautiful gem.
Such a multi-talented artist of a man, and so underrated. I was a fan from childhood, and even as a youngster I could see there was so much more to him, both as a performer and as a person. Never got to meet him unfortunately, but many years later, and long after his passing, I was in Pinewood Studios and was given a small dressing room to use. It was once in regular use by Ken when he worked there, and had his pictures on the wall from his hayday... A very comforting few hours that was...Gawd Bless ya Ken, too good for this world, and totally unique. 🏴🤗
62 yrs of torment, brilliance, laughter, knowledge, openness, sadness, loneliness, pain, and yet he never failed to make people laugh, his voice, his demeanour, his command of the English language ,his faults, his outlook on life, the way others seen him whether good or bad didn't much bother him, a troubled and entertaining soul at peace and still remembered as one of the best. "Carry on"
So many of these great comics lived with a dark side to their lives....laughing on the outside and saddness on the inside.... Kenneth was a comic genuis..He knew what we wanted of him, it just never made him happy personally it seems ....RIP Kenneth..thanks for the laughlines.
Thing is you get born with abilities and that's not a choice. Your personality could be completely opposite than what you are good at. Entertainers have natural ability but the person we are inside may be living with deep sadness and pain deep inside.
His self loathing was profound and I wonder if he he really new how much people he didn’t know loved him , God bless you Kenneth you made a lot of people laugh and I doubt we shall the like again ❤️
I have loved Kenneth's work since I was a child. My parents bought me a vinyl LP 'The Worth of Kenneth Williams' full of hilarious songs I still remember to this day and I'm 62 now! I never knew he had taken his own life and he died in such a sad way, as did Charles Hawtry. Kenneth died in April 1988 and Charles, his 'old mate', in October the same year - both with no friends or family , with them. Why do these great comics become such tragic cases themselves seeing themselves as 'unwanted' or 'inadequate'? That you to these great men RIP, may you make them laugh in Paradise............
One of the most funniest comedians and comedy actors I knew as a child....especially in the Carry On series of movies. Very sad and tragic ending to his life.
@@tuxitalk1World Very good point, there can be a broad contrast between the characteristics people display and what's really going on in the imprisonment of the mind. I say imprisonment, because we can't free ourselves from it. Alcohol and drugs might bring temporary respite. I believe our brain, which is responsible for our thoughts and therefore our behaviour, is programmed while developing in the womb and this programming as well as childhood experiences will play a major part in our mental wellbeing or illness. The world and life is fired at us from blank range after birth and it can be a very challenging and tough place to live. The circus clown makes us laugh but spends the rest of his time, crying in the alleyway. Keep safe and guard your mental health, it's important.
A thousand thanks for uploading this document 25thNovember1970, I grew up with Williams & somehow knew he was a troubled character.... Fascinating, amusing & tragic.... The holy trinity of great comedic talent. Gus, London.
I met him when i was 18 on gower street must have been 77 or .78. i was coming back from the marlborough and i saw him goming towards me . long coat looking upwards , as we passed i said good evening ..he said in the posh voice ..good evening ..i just stopped and looked back until he walked into the distance
I walked past him in Cadogan Square in 1983, I was looking at him and he nodded at me, no words. A Carry On lege and me a young wannabe. Still remember it.
Dear Kenneth, you are sadly missed for your self deprecatory humour and your erudition in this dismal world of empty celebrity. You are a national treasure. We glimpsed your pain often but we never thought you would end like you did.
Subsequent suicide? He had a heart attack in his sleep as a result of an accidental overdose of Barbiturates and an antacid medication. Yes he was in pain in every sense of the word, but it's now generally accepted that it was an accident that resulted in a heart attack. He left a large jar of sleeping tablets (Barbiturates) in is kitchen. if he truly was going to kill himself, he would have taken a larger dose of Barbiturates. The amount he had taken wasn't enough to kill him by themselves, he didn't have a large amount of alcohol ( a glass of Gin), the combination of the two medications and general ill health and malnourishment all coalesced to finish his life. No suicide note. He had told his mother that they both had a dentists appointment the next morning. Of course, we will never truly know, but the medical evidence doesn't support a closed case of suicide.
How admirable that you two brilliant diamonds should spare thought for this incredible character long gone... How wonderfully human..! I sometimes pass his little flat & never fail to touch the peak of my hat as I look up, a small reverential act which makes me feel better. I oft' wonder if he looks down - or recoils from his window - as if discovered, in death....to puzzle upon how he might have been spotted...... Love & best regards to you both, Gus, London.
A master of comedy I grew up with him on the television he was like family god rest his sole I hope he finds peace in heaven that which he couldn’t on earth
Soul, not sole. Sorry, I only mention it because, when I read that, I instantly imagined the man himself burst forth "Sole? Sole? Do they thing I've got a tired fish here that needs rest?" In that outraged way if his. It says something of a performer's strength of personality when you can "hear" their reactions like that years after they're gone.
listen to him in "round the horne" made in the sixties and you will be amazed at how well he could create characters. i don't care a toss if he was gay or straight or whatever all i know is that he had a talent for making people laugh and that is a great skill to have. he coped with life, like it or not and got on with the job. when he grew too tired he let it go. i think i have an idea of how he felt about life. you did make a difference kenneth, you really did.
I feel Ken was so underrated, if he were around now where he would be excepted his work would possibly be appreciated I’m sure. He lived before his time. I found him funny and entertaining. Rest in peace Ken, I feel so sorry for your pain, but never no more!
Such a tragic personal life never once shown through his brilliance on screen. A legend, never to be forgotten. Who will ever forget "infammy, Infammy, they've all got it infammy!" probably one of the best lines ever, and as the Khasi of Kalabar in Khyber opposite the great Sid James, is to date, my favourite comedy film.
Kenny has long been a hero of mine. He suffered for his art and subsequently became the caricature he created himself. I know there is to be another scribe based on his diaries but I don't have a publishing date at the moment. I always felt the diaries left out so much, and wished they were available 'uncut'. RIP KW
So sad that enough research for IBS and IBD wasn't done back then and still isn't curable. It leads to depression. So many people change drastically after dealing with disorders like that, that don't have a cure.
He did suffer with very bad piles for nearly 40 years & had several operations but the symptoms always came back, he was a total hypochondriac which made this worse...
I've read the published diaries and believe he did kill himself - there's a continuous theme of bitterness towards other people and himself which nobody was close enough or trusted enough to snap him out of. He wanted to be a serious actor and writer but people kept asking for his funny voices.
Thank you for sharing this, I thought the world of Kenneth Williams when I was younger, he was funny and extremely talented, I loved to watch Willo the Wisp, still do but it was never the same thing always something different and his voice made that show very well worth watching, Thank you Kenneth for bringing happiness to a young lad through a cartoon, may you Rest In Peace.
In 1976 I saw my first Carry On movie. It was Carry On Cruising. I laughed my ass off, and Kenneth's character was the one I most closely associated with that film. For me, it began a long, ongoing love affair with the Carry On flicks. RIP Kenneth.
A brilliant and great person as Mariam says she is down to earth and speaks on behalf of us a brilliantly talented person who did the best he could with such a distorted life
Like other comedians such as Tony Hancock, Ted Ray, Frankie Howerd and Charles Hawtrey ......Kenneth Williams was cursed with a depressive personality trait. He never failed to make other people happy....just not himself.
its sad to say that id never even heard of him till last night when i watched kenneth williams-fabulosa on bbc2 and i actually was really interested. i watched the carry on matron on after and found it utterly hilarious! an amazing comic. needless to say i am young. but i wish i had heard of him before now. legend.
No one I fear was capable of returning even in part to him the gift that he shared with all of us. I find his compassion for others so deep and so tragic; to know that the very laughter he created was based on the contradictions within his own life. Had we known just how much of himself he was revealing to us, perhaps he could have found some relief from his pain in his lifetime. RIP Kenneth, you were brilliant and we love you warts and all.
Tara steele We all agree with you Lady Tara.unfortunately we all Die...and our Families and Loved one's..get to see what impact we left on all we knew...but yet it would be so "SMASHING" to know how many people did like us or loved us...
Such a shame how Kenny ended up, he really was a true comedy icon and his odd personality was very funny but not in a bad way,his genius lives on in all those great carry on films.
Same happened to Charles hawtry who was so nasty according to sources to friends and fans who loves him. It was such a shame with Charles as I'm sure we all think the booze didn't help him with being the way he was. Kenneth's friends didn't seem like they wanted to help him as a actress said she was going to contact him and help him but didn't. There is alot more awareness now of depression and lots more help. Kenneth would of been a great presenter or game show host. Such a great talent. We all miss them greatly.
He was great. From a generation of people that could really tell stories & make us British laugh & I mean laugh… He didn’t know how much he was loved & such a shame to lose him at only 62. Their generation will never be seen again & that is a massive loss to all of us Brits that have come since….RIP KW.. Royal Engineer….
Dear Kenneth - may you be resting in peace, free from all the troubles and ill health that failed you. As a young girl in the 60’s & 70’s watching you in the Carry On films and telling the stories on Jackanory and then later on, seeing you “Holding the stage” on chat shows like Parky and Russell Harty with the audience and me just soaking up your words and expressions and just laughing because you were just so gloriously funny! You WERE loved by the general public, it is just so very sad, that you could not gain the love you wanted RIP Mr Williams 😢⭐️
How terribly sad that someone who brought so much pleasure to so many people did not realize how many cared for him . He was clearly a troubled soul and didn't seem to find the fulfillment he was looking for.The world is a sadder place without the wonderful Ken. Rest in peace dear friend and know you were loved .
A hugely talented and also intelligent man who failed to find meaning in his life. Unfortunately, the same could be said of many comedians of the last 100 years or so.
His mother was a self-centered awful woman, who ruined his life. As he grew older I think he realised this more and more, but couldn't fully admit it to himself. She saw him more as her boyfriend than her son, and poor Kennneth paid the ultimate psychological price, God rest him.
Suzanne McMann, Kenneth had problems with his health, we do not know what was going thou his life each day which is sad, its like anyone who has problems, we cant do nothing about this, its called life.
Sir Kenneth Williams I have a Telegram from you in my posession...and I will have you in my heart forever...one Friday afternoon for drinks same place same time ..What do you think O'l Boy ?
I watch Carry on Screaming at least once a year and his delivery of the line "What am I expected to do with this? 's a load of old rubbish" always cracks me up.
An open verdict was the only option for the coroner, really. It's not as if their job is to wait around for probate to see if the deceased left any indication of their manner of death. The only little bit, which to those who knew Kenneth or those who have read his diaries, is that Lou, his Mum, wasn't a beneficiary. That _proves_ nothing. But given what we know of Kenneth, the idea that he would make no provision for her means that he believed she would predecease him. However, if the back pain and the stomach problems were causing a level of unprecedented pain, he may have accidentally overdosed or he may have deliberately taken his life, the pain so acute that lucidity may have escaped him. We'll never know.
It wasn't known till well after the coroner report that Kenneth used a massive amount of laxatives & indigestion medication which may have conflicted with prescribed medicine & lead to his death..
No. Williams wrote in his diaries that he felt that one of his beneficiaries would look after his mother. Williams also wrote that his mother would be sad if he committed suicide but not as sad as he was at the time. It's highly likely that he committed suicide.
I feel a sorrow for Kenneth Williams that he could never except himself or even know himself for who he was. I think he was an extremely talented man overly conscious that he didn’t fit into the ‘norm’ for a start he was gay which was, I believe, still illegal and this lead to other anxiety based behaviours also driven by guilt of the occasions presented where he was able to enjoy a lifestyle which he enjoyed but was forbidden. I’m sure this left him feeling a ‘dirty misfit’ so he used his film image to appear to conform which never sat comfortably with him so when the film and TV work started to dry up he felt lost alone and abandoned. As human beings we can only take so much, everyone has a breaking point and unfortunately for Kenneth I think he reached it so he simply thought no more. R.I.P Kenneth surely we all deserve peace in the end.
One reviewer has said that Kenneth Williams' greatest contribution to art is not in fact his acting or comedy, but his diaries. They are a fascinating and vivid snapshot of not only theatrical life but of 20th century British life in general from the 40s to the 80s. They are in every way the equal of Samuel Pepys and will one day be recognised as such by historians.
Hi! I have this documentary on video but the recording cut off the introduction and now I'm trying to cite it and can't recall- do you remember what the title of the production was? Thank you also for putting it up I love this docu & God Bless Kenny
I love Kenneth William and all these old actors, mainly from the carry on films cos they really did have tragic lives and in some cases lonely ones. These "celebrities" today think they have problems but it's nothing compared to stories like Kenneth Williams'. R.I.P Kenneth, you truly are a great memory in my mind and an inspiration to us all
Oh God here we go! Another "Good old days" dork, suckling on hyper-nostalgia and demeaning every person who has serious issues today just becasue you think that "your" time had it harder. You're a disgraceful human being to try and present hardship as some sort of generational competition.
Read Kenneth Williams diaries...published all together in book form....they give a very concise insight into a troubled but talented man..they are also extremely funny and revealing...acerbic in parts...but so well written....a genius .
I've kept a copy of this book on my night stand for years and dip into it every so often when I can't sleep. Had the honour of meeting Kenneth a few times through the book trade. He had a cup of tea with us in the staff room and we were delighted to talk to him (he recorded it in his diary). I remember a very funny and frank man with no airs and graces.
Probably one of the best actors i know, i wish i knew him in person i feel that he wasnt a twisted guy as some people said and he will be missed greatly by me and i am sure millions of others around the world :'(
But nowadays you dont have to hide being gay, worry about being sent to jail or hanged for being gay, and can marry and adopt children In Kenneth Williams era he could never come outright and declare publically or personally declare himself to be gay, only allude to it - an open secret
I saw Ken in M&S Oxford Street in early 88. He looked lost sad and ill but but still said hi after I said hello to him from a respectful distance. Little did I know that only a few weeks later he'd be gone. I'll never forget that encounter. RIP Kenneth I hope you are at peace now.
Very sad. I worked in Bloomsbury at that point and I wish I had met him. I would have told him how great he was, and how often he made me laugh.
I met him about 1 hour before he died. I was in Picadilly Circus buying a pie and he cycled past on his blue and yellow Raleigh bike, wearing a donkey jacket and a green kilt. I said hello and he waved back. Later I found out he was dead. It was a terrible moment in my life when he died and I have been unable to eat a pie in Soho ever since due to PTSD.
@@papalaz4444244 why would you say hell to him?
Thanks for posting that, I was a huge fan of the Carry on Movies as a kid. early in 1988 when I was 14 my family took a weekend break in London and I saw him on Oxford street. He looked frail and mournful, and I only recognized him as I passed, I turned to look at him as he walked away and excitedly told my parents what I had seen. He had mingled with the crowd and was gone. Over the years as Ive grown older, I began to question if it really was him. Your post of having seen him there confirms it for me, he probably lived local to the area. A few months later I learned of his death on the news and I remembered how he looked that day. R.I.P.
@@CliveLomax Wow an amazing recollection! When I saw him he looked sad and mournful as you say. He was quite vacant but I felt compelled to say hello and glad I did. I think he lived up near Regents Park at the top of Baker St so probably spent a lot of time walking round the west end. Thanks for posting and I'm glad my post may have confirmed it was really him you saw. Regards Vince
Dearest Ken... You made the world smile, 😃
He was tormented most of his life because he hadn't or couldn't achieve the ideal as he thought. This man was genuine and suffered for his art. God bless him.
Stephen Mulhern he should need blessing. By god. He should of been loved by people for all that was different about him.
@@vincentwithers3617 thank god you are not god
Dear Kenneth, you are sadly missed for your frank and self deprecatory humour and your erudition in this dismal world of empty celebrity. You were a national treasure. We glimpsed your pain often but we never thought you would end like you did.
You are so right. His public persona, his humor, his wit, himself really, he will be sadly missed by people like myself and others who can understand or relate to what bothered him ALL his life.
I've only recently been introduced to Kenneth Williams and his sense of humor and repartee but can't get enough of him! Wish I had learned about him much sooner. British humor is a treasure and he is a very beautiful gem.
Such a wonderful sweet man. I miss his voice, the laughter. Such a shame he never had the love he wanted.
He wasn’t sweet at all. He became bitter and unbearable.
He was in physical and emotional pain..where is your compassion?
Sweet ?
I have great respect for Ken because of his honesty ,
I feel so sad for him, I wish he could have known how loved he is still, and I wish that he could have had peace in his life
Such a multi-talented artist of a man, and so underrated. I was a fan from childhood, and even as a youngster I could see there was so much more to him, both as a performer and as a person. Never got to meet him unfortunately, but many years later, and long after his passing, I was in Pinewood Studios and was given a small dressing room to use. It was once in regular use by Ken when he worked there, and had his pictures on the wall from his hayday... A very comforting few hours that was...Gawd Bless ya Ken, too good for this world, and totally unique. 🏴🤗
62 yrs of torment, brilliance, laughter, knowledge, openness, sadness, loneliness, pain, and yet he never failed to make people laugh, his voice, his demeanour, his command of the English language ,his faults, his outlook on life, the way others seen him whether good or bad didn't much bother him, a troubled and entertaining soul at peace and still remembered as one of the best. "Carry on"
"selfish as regards his mother". Are you mad? He doted on his mother, supported her ( and his sister) whilst leading a frugal life.
He was so very talented. Funny, intelligent and eloquent. It’s unfortunate that many of his roles ended up becoming parodies of themselves. ❤
I have such admiration for Ken. R I P Mr Williams
Poor Kenny Williams,I never feel to be moved when I hear his diaries,God bless Kenneth!
So many of these great comics lived with a dark side to their lives....laughing on the outside and saddness on the inside.... Kenneth was a comic genuis..He knew what we wanted of him, it just never made him happy personally it seems ....RIP Kenneth..thanks for the laughlines.
Dallas Nyberg nice words Dallas. He was very unique, people can’t always handle unique. They prefer you to be square and out you In a box...
Thing is you get born with abilities and that's not a choice. Your personality could be completely opposite than what you are good at. Entertainers have natural ability but the person we are inside may be living with deep sadness and pain deep inside.
Yea very sad as the similar thing happened with Hattie Jacques
His self loathing was profound and I wonder if he he really new how much people he didn’t know loved him , God bless you Kenneth you made a lot of people laugh and I doubt we shall the like again ❤️
I didn't realize he had such a good singing voice , RIP Kenny
Remembered FOREVER!! REST IN PEACE our friend Kenneth.
I have loved Kenneth's work since I was a child. My parents bought me a vinyl LP 'The Worth of Kenneth Williams' full of hilarious songs I still remember to this day and I'm 62 now! I never knew he had taken his own life and he died in such a sad way, as did Charles Hawtry. Kenneth died in April 1988 and Charles, his 'old mate', in October the same year - both with no friends or family , with them. Why do these great comics become such tragic cases themselves seeing themselves as 'unwanted' or 'inadequate'? That you to these great men RIP, may you make them laugh in Paradise............
Tony Hancock, Robin Williams...
One of the most funniest comedians and comedy actors I knew as a child....especially in the Carry On series of movies. Very sad and tragic ending to his life.
Yes, a very sad story, that everyone loved Kenneth except Kenneth. I hope he's up there somewhere living the life he should have had down here.
tjfSIM they only care when you’re gone
@@dean9330 no. we loved him then. and still do.
@@paulkinsella6536 And you will find many people with the best senses of humor are hiding a very sad, depressed life.
@@tuxitalk1World Very good point, there can be a broad contrast between the characteristics people display and what's really going on in the imprisonment of the mind. I say imprisonment, because we can't free ourselves from it. Alcohol and drugs might bring temporary respite. I believe our brain, which is responsible for our thoughts and therefore our behaviour, is programmed while developing in the womb and this programming as well as childhood experiences will play a major part in our mental wellbeing or illness. The world and life is fired at us from blank range after birth and it can be a very challenging and tough place to live. The circus clown makes us laugh but spends the rest of his time, crying in the alleyway. Keep safe and guard your mental health, it's important.
My heart weeps seeing such a person; gifted, suave and yet tormented. Kenneth touched the stars but lost the earth beneath. RIP Kenneth Williams.🙏⭐
A thousand thanks for uploading this document 25thNovember1970, I grew up with Williams & somehow knew he was a troubled character....
Fascinating, amusing & tragic.... The holy trinity of great comedic talent.
Gus,
London.
My favourite radio comedy voice. He made me laugh. I just wish he had been happier in his soul.
I met him when i was 18 on gower street must have been 77 or .78. i was coming back from the marlborough and i saw him goming towards me . long coat looking upwards , as we passed i said good evening ..he said in the posh voice ..good evening ..i just stopped and looked back until he walked into the distance
I walked past him in Cadogan Square in 1983, I was looking at him and he nodded at me, no words. A Carry On lege and me a young wannabe. Still remember it.
He was very lonely. He was talented. Very sad.
B loneliness is a big killer
He was a funny bugger. RIP Kenneth, you truly were one of a kind.
He was such a beautiful soul but broken.
May he be at peace now, knowing he was loved. ❤
Dear, dear Kenneth. I was very young when he died but he always makes me smile and think when I listen to him.
Dear Kenneth, you are sadly missed for your self deprecatory humour and your erudition in this dismal world of empty celebrity. You are a national treasure. We glimpsed your pain often but we never thought you would end like you did.
A most saddening life story. Heart breaking, really.
Subsequent suicide? He had a heart attack in his sleep as a result of an accidental overdose of Barbiturates and an antacid medication. Yes he was in pain in every sense of the word, but it's now generally accepted that it was an accident that resulted in a heart attack. He left a large jar of sleeping tablets (Barbiturates) in is kitchen. if he truly was going to kill himself, he would have taken a larger dose of Barbiturates. The amount he had taken wasn't enough to kill him by themselves, he didn't have a large amount of alcohol ( a glass of Gin), the combination of the two medications and general ill health and malnourishment all coalesced to finish his life. No suicide note. He had told his mother that they both had a dentists appointment the next morning. Of course, we will never truly know, but the medical evidence doesn't support a closed case of suicide.
His family didn't believe he committed suicide. Leslie Phillips didn't think so either. Miriam Margoyles and Stanley Baxter believe he did.
We will never truly know?
Then why have you written a comment that suggests you know exactly what happened?
The perfect comedian, period!
Its sad to see that a lot of the truly exelent comedians have such a tragic life themselves.
benny hill etc etc
Poor Kenneth. I wish he had found someone to love.
DrLisa7 Oh my Dear DrLisa...Little did he know he had millions of us that loved him Hugs My Sweet Lady xx
How admirable that you two brilliant diamonds should spare thought for this incredible character long gone...
How wonderfully human..!
I sometimes pass his little flat & never fail to touch the peak of my hat as I look up, a small reverential act which makes me feel better.
I oft' wonder if he looks down - or recoils from his window - as if discovered, in death....to puzzle upon how he might have been spotted......
Love & best regards to you both,
Gus,
London.
@@stellaorvad2519: Oh, so true. So true.
I would of loved him. He’s just my type tbh
Dean interesting comment , would you really
Bless his heart😪 Kenneth Williams you have left a marvellous legacy at heaven only knows what cost to you, you are loved and remembered! ❤❤❤
RIP Kenneth you will never be forgotten.❤️
God Bless kenneth.
thx to you and the rest of the carry on team,
rip my friend.
:'''( really really sad, nearly in tears... rest in peace Ken
A master of comedy I grew up with him on the television he was like family god rest his sole I hope he finds peace in heaven that which he couldn’t on earth
Soul, not sole. Sorry, I only mention it because, when I read that, I instantly imagined the man himself burst forth "Sole? Sole? Do they thing I've got a tired fish here that needs rest?" In that outraged way if his.
It says something of a performer's strength of personality when you can "hear" their reactions like that years after they're gone.
The Smiths song 'Please, please, please, please let me get what I want' always seemed to me to show the inner world of Kenneth Williams
@Planet of the grapes And of course Joan Sims as the clairvoyant in the video to Ouija Board, Ouija Board.
Some Parkinson chat shows were brilliant!
listen to him in "round the horne" made in the sixties and you will be amazed at how well he could create characters. i don't care a toss if he was gay or straight or whatever all i know is that he had a talent for making people laugh and that is a great skill to have. he coped with life, like it or not and got on with the job. when he grew too tired he let it go. i think i have an idea of how he felt about life. you did make a difference kenneth, you really did.
Dan Walsh Yours is a thoughtful comment. His gift for comedy may have partly come from a too harsh view of people, including himself.
I feel Ken was so underrated, if he were around now where he would be excepted his work would possibly be appreciated I’m sure. He lived before his time. I found him funny and entertaining. Rest in peace Ken, I feel so sorry for your pain, but never no more!
Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it In for me!!!!
No no Barbara!! Tent up first, bunk up later
Hahaha saucy!!!! Lol😂
Best line ever. 😂 😂 😂
Such a tragic personal life never once shown through his brilliance on screen.
A legend, never to be forgotten.
Who will ever forget "infammy, Infammy, they've all got it infammy!"
probably one of the best lines ever, and as the Khasi of Kalabar in Khyber opposite the great Sid James, is to date, my favourite comedy film.
Kenny has long been a hero of mine. He suffered for his art and subsequently became the caricature he created himself.
I know there is to be another scribe based on his diaries but I don't have a publishing date at the moment. I always felt the diaries left out so much, and wished they were available 'uncut'. RIP KW
So sad that enough research for IBS and IBD wasn't done back then and still isn't curable. It leads to depression. So many people change drastically after dealing with disorders like that, that don't have a cure.
not sure if i agree with parkinson calling him a creature,,he did a lot for parks shows ,he was a gift on chat shows,,
He did suffer with very bad piles for nearly 40 years & had several operations but the symptoms always came back, he was a total hypochondriac which made this worse...
I have IBS and have never felt more depressed so I can relate :( RIP Kenneth
@@SonicFan147 me too, I tottaly agree
@serendipidus1 Ken said the trouble started around 1960 when a high wire harness slipped
Poor man so very sad with Kenneth Williams hope you are in peace.
I've read the published diaries and believe he did kill himself - there's a continuous theme of bitterness towards other people and himself which nobody was close enough or trusted enough to snap him out of. He wanted to be a serious actor and writer but people kept asking for his funny voices.
Much loved so sadly missed 😥
A great actor and comedian
Much loved and sadly missed……… by millions of us.
We loved you Kenny, peace.
A very miss understood man a gentleman such a sad heart RIP Mr Williams .
Thank you for sharing this, I thought the world of Kenneth Williams when I was younger, he was funny and extremely talented, I loved to watch Willo the Wisp, still do but it was never the same thing always something different and his voice made that show very well worth watching, Thank you Kenneth for bringing happiness to a young lad through a cartoon, may you Rest In Peace.
R.I.P. Kenneth and thanks for all the laughter
In 1976 I saw my first Carry On movie. It was Carry On Cruising. I laughed my ass off, and Kenneth's character was the one I most closely associated with that film. For me, it began a long, ongoing love affair with the Carry On flicks. RIP Kenneth.
Such a sad ending 😢 Rest In peace Kenny you were great!
As horrible as life gets it will eventually end.
I loved his voice❤️
Funny, I disliked his voice, loved his facial gymnastics
A brilliant and great person as Mariam says she is down to earth and speaks on behalf of us a brilliantly talented person who did the best he could with such a distorted life
Like other comedians such as Tony Hancock, Ted Ray, Frankie Howerd and Charles Hawtrey ......Kenneth Williams was cursed with a depressive personality trait. He never failed to make other people happy....just not himself.
Almost parallels the life of Paul Lynde here in America. Very witty man.
He left a legacy of laughter that we can cherish! :-))) Your in all our hearts Mr. Williams.
its sad to say that id never even heard of him till last night when i watched kenneth williams-fabulosa on bbc2 and i actually was really interested. i watched the carry on matron on after and found it utterly hilarious! an amazing comic. needless to say i am young. but i wish i had heard of him before now. legend.
No one I fear was capable of returning even in part to him the gift that he shared with all of us. I find his compassion for others so deep and so tragic; to know that the very laughter he created was based on the contradictions within his own life. Had we known just how much of himself he was revealing to us, perhaps he could have found some relief from his pain in his lifetime. RIP Kenneth, you were brilliant and we love you warts and all.
Tara steele We all agree with you Lady Tara.unfortunately we all Die...and our Families and Loved one's..get to see what impact we left on all we knew...but yet it would be so "SMASHING" to know how many people did like us or loved us...
So sad that he was tormented. I am sure that he is in a better place wherever that may be.
I feel very sorry for this poor man.
So do I!! Bless his heart!!!💔
Thank you so much!!! You are a marvel :D!
Such a shame how Kenny ended up, he really was a true comedy icon and his odd personality was very funny but not in a bad way,his genius lives on in all those great carry on films.
An eccentric personality, with class and style.
RIP Kenneth. A talented man with his own inner demons.
very sad, thank you for sharing
Same happened to Charles hawtry who was so nasty according to sources to friends and fans who loves him.
It was such a shame with Charles as I'm sure we all think the booze didn't help him with being the way he was.
Kenneth's friends didn't seem like they wanted to help him as a actress said she was going to contact him and help him but didn't.
There is alot more awareness now of depression and lots more help.
Kenneth would of been a great presenter or game show host.
Such a great talent.
We all miss them greatly.
Thank you for the lovely memories,
Christ. Poor man. What an unhappy individual. And how terrible for his mother to have found him dead
He was great. From a generation of people that could really tell stories & make us British laugh & I mean laugh… He didn’t know how much he was loved & such a shame to lose him at only 62. Their generation will never be seen again & that is a massive loss to all of us Brits that have come since….RIP KW.. Royal Engineer….
Dear Kenneth - may you be resting in peace, free from all the troubles and ill health that failed you. As a young girl in the 60’s & 70’s watching you in the Carry On films and telling the stories on Jackanory and then later on, seeing you
“Holding the stage” on chat shows like Parky and Russell Harty with the audience and me just soaking up your words and expressions and just laughing because you were just so gloriously funny! You WERE loved by the general public, it is just so very sad, that you could not gain the love you wanted RIP Mr Williams 😢⭐️
How terribly sad that someone who brought so much pleasure to so many people did not realize how many cared for him . He was clearly a troubled soul and didn't seem to find the fulfillment he was looking for.The world is a sadder place without the wonderful Ken. Rest in peace dear friend and know you were loved .
Would have been amazing to have met this wonderful human I love you and your comedy💔🇬🇧💔🇬🇧💔🇬🇧💔🇬🇧
A fascinating man. Very rare.
A hugely talented and also intelligent man who failed to find meaning in his life. Unfortunately, the same could be said of many comedians of the last 100 years or so.
He had a beautiful laugh. Rest in Peace. I can relate to so much of your personality Kenneth x
His mother was a self-centered awful woman, who ruined his life. As he grew older I think he realised this more and more, but couldn't fully admit it to himself. She saw him more as her boyfriend than her son, and poor Kennneth paid the ultimate psychological price, God rest him.
Suzanne McMann, Kenneth had problems with his health, we do not know what was going thou his life each day which is sad, its like anyone who has problems, we cant do nothing about this, its called life.
That's pure conjecture. You don't know the details of life between them, and that's an incredibly unkind thing to say about someone you didn't know.
Sir Kenneth Williams I have a Telegram from you in my posession...and I will have you in my heart forever...one Friday afternoon for drinks same place same time ..What do you think O'l Boy ?
A phenominal talent - but history has ensured that his memory lives on ................ a shame that he went so early though .... what a loss.
So sad, RIP Kenneth.
I watch Carry on Screaming at least once a year and his delivery of the line "What am I expected to do with this? 's a load of old rubbish" always cracks me up.
God bless Kenneth ,.you never find love did u .... It was so sad when your life ended rip my friend
So sad, what a great yet tragic man. Miriam Margoyles speaks for us all here I think.
An open verdict was the only option for the coroner, really. It's not as if their job is to wait around for probate to see if the deceased left any indication of their manner of death. The only little bit, which to those who knew Kenneth or those who have read his diaries, is that Lou, his Mum, wasn't a beneficiary. That _proves_ nothing. But given what we know of Kenneth, the idea that he would make no provision for her means that he believed she would predecease him.
However, if the back pain and the stomach problems were causing a level of unprecedented pain, he may have accidentally overdosed or he may have deliberately taken his life, the pain so acute that lucidity may have escaped him. We'll never know.
It wasn't known till well after the coroner report that Kenneth used a massive amount of laxatives & indigestion medication which may have conflicted with prescribed medicine & lead to his death..
No.
Williams wrote in his diaries that he felt that one of his beneficiaries would look after his mother.
Williams also wrote that his mother would be sad if he committed suicide but not as sad as he was at the time.
It's highly likely that he committed suicide.
I feel a sorrow for Kenneth Williams that he could never except himself or even know himself for who he was. I think he was an extremely talented man overly conscious that he didn’t fit into the ‘norm’ for a start he was gay which was, I believe, still illegal and this lead to other anxiety based behaviours also driven by guilt of the occasions presented where he was able to enjoy a lifestyle which he enjoyed but was forbidden. I’m sure this left him feeling a ‘dirty misfit’ so he used his film image to appear to conform which never sat comfortably with him so when the film and TV work started to dry up he felt lost alone and abandoned. As human beings we can only take so much, everyone has a breaking point and unfortunately for Kenneth I think he reached it so he simply thought no more. R.I.P Kenneth surely we all deserve peace in the end.
KW was brilliant, witty, and entertaining....I loved listening to a radio show he was one I think it was called Just Minute
Well, I for one, am v glad to have read his published Diaries.
One reviewer has said that Kenneth Williams' greatest contribution to art is not in fact his acting or comedy, but his diaries. They are a fascinating and vivid snapshot of not only theatrical life but of 20th century British life in general from the 40s to the 80s. They are in every way the equal of Samuel Pepys and will one day be recognised as such by historians.
A mother should never be a burden, as hard as it may be, (in an ideal world)
Hi! I have this documentary on video but the recording cut off the introduction and now I'm trying to cite it and can't recall- do you remember what the title of the production was? Thank you also for putting it up I love this docu & God Bless Kenny
I love Kenneth William and all these old actors, mainly from the carry on films cos they really did have tragic lives and in some cases lonely ones.
These "celebrities" today think they have problems but it's nothing compared to stories like Kenneth Williams'.
R.I.P Kenneth, you truly are a great memory in my mind and an inspiration to us all
Oh God here we go! Another "Good old days" dork, suckling on hyper-nostalgia and demeaning every person who has serious issues today just becasue you think that "your" time had it harder. You're a disgraceful human being to try and present hardship as some sort of generational competition.
A brave, honourably, unique man, and a comedy genius. Where was the support he needed?
I think he was clear about everything he saw and noted.Brilliant
and disciplined.
Read Kenneth Williams diaries...published all together in book form....they give a very concise insight into a troubled but talented man..they are also extremely funny and revealing...acerbic in parts...but so well written....a genius .
I've kept a copy of this book on my night stand for years and dip into it every so often when I can't sleep. Had the honour of meeting Kenneth a few times through the book trade. He had a cup of tea with us in the staff room and we were delighted to talk to him (he recorded it in his diary). I remember a very funny and frank man with no airs and graces.
How sad. He was such a wonderful, wonderful person and personality. God bless you Kenneth. I hope you have your own stage up there.
Ben Calibri
Williams was an atheist.
@@kelman727 you sure? I read that he was a Christian
Probably one of the best actors i know, i wish i knew him in person i feel that he wasnt a twisted guy as some people said and he will be missed greatly by me and i am sure millions of others around the world :'(
I can relate in so many ways and I think a lot of gay men can in this crude world we now live in.
But nowadays you dont have to hide being gay, worry about being sent to jail or hanged for being gay, and can marry and adopt children
In Kenneth Williams era he could never come outright and declare publically or personally declare himself to be gay, only allude to it - an open secret