Kenneth Williams Rare In Depth Interview Part One

[TheodorBjork]

Strange how Mavis Nicholson mimicks William's voice patterns. I'm unfamiliar with Nicholsons work, but is this her usual vernacular?

[Feisty1967]

Mavis Nicholson and Kenneth Williams were legends!!!

[indiana1977]

Such a complex personality. A truly unique man, terribly tortured but much beloved by the British public.

[dondoman]

And Mavis Nicholson was always a fabulous interviewer....

[billsmith666]

I passed him on Oxford Street once, he had eyes down and walking fast. But still a brilliant comedian.

[sferb]

"you can get away with murder" - very true about comedy! Not to sidetrack from this great interview, but that quote reminded me of George Bush... kind of like how everyone brushes him off as stupid, which is actually quite genius, because that's how he got away with a lot of things that others would be more heavily scrutinized for

[acohen1980]

He's the son of norf London carpet salesman...cooool....

[LionheartNh]

What an incredible intellect...he says what we all think..and much more..thank you for being you Kenneth..the universe will never be the same without you.

[Buffythekriptonian19]

Such an insperational man, it makes me feel ill to think how anybody could even attempt to break this mans confidence.

[CaptPoco]

I didn't know people could ever have an accent this silly!

[seamuslyfamous105]

an amazing man !!!

[crispin1964]

Poor Kenny, full of self loathing, if only he knew how much everyone loved and adored him. R.I.P.

[gamewizard]

What's with the black box on the screen?

He was funny as heck on screen but bitter and mean off screen. He didn't have time for anyone but his mother outside of work. Eventually he lost all his friends with his rude and outrageous behavior. Very sad.

[Nosmos]

Probably the most intelligent comic England has ever produced (and never went to University either!!!)

[playgirlc]

working class too! :o)

[playgirlc]

@Mscabbageable - erm yes he was, sorry to disappoint you.

[jimmystewert1]

great interview...but the constant giggling from mavis becomes a tad annoying!..oh by the way my grandad was kennys postman,in his diarys he is always talking about the letters he received all posted by my gramps!

[playgirlc]

@jimmystewert1 - i was just reading in his diaries a few days ago about how he'd left a £1 note in an envelope for the postman, just randomly, it wasnt christmas or anything. he said that they work so hard it must be nice to get a nice surprise now and again. aw....

[ybot1983]

nice welsh bird

[rivestalex]

Thoroughly enjoying these interviews with him.

[ammorreztristar]

British comedy legend. RIP Kenneth.

[TuRdSandwitch18]

i actually like the on sceen him but cant stand the 'real' him

[FreyaBlack]

@TuRdSandwitch18

What do you know about the 'real' him? How do you mean it?O.O

[TuRdSandwitch18]

well i mean i like him as an actor in carry on films but he's just a little too intense to know him in every day life [i wud imagine]

[FreyaBlack]

I'm curious what he was like in every day life:)

[TuRdSandwitch18]

while u might wanna check out the doc about his diary, apparently he was suicidal and generally uptight

[FreyaBlack]

@TuRdSandwitch18

I know that. But it doesn't matter if he would have real good caring friends.:(

[zimnaya]

I worked for many years in Hallam Street and saw Kenneth Williams several times. He always looked as though he wished to talk and I regret immensely that I was so over-awed that I never did stop and talk

[retread01]

If he had only managed to be a bit calmer his life would have been so much better, but he was always wound up tight. He is managing to be quite straightforward here but it always slips and his energetic eccentricity pours out. We can't help who we are some times.

[exCroweater]

What a great piece of interview with Kenneth. Think I'll watch Pt 2 now.

[121Swaleskid]

didnt know kenneths mother was welsh :O

[KleverGirl1]

Some members of the public don't always allow actors to move on. Think Gareth Thomas from Blakes 7, to some fans he will always be Blake, but he wanted to expand his working horizons and did just that.

[s13deb]

I used to work in Great Portland St years ago and I used to see Kenneth almost every morning and he would always nod his head and say good morning. Loved him.

[nurioopta]

Interesting I use to live in Great Portland Street early seventies,and met Kenneth quite often.

His communication never extended beyond "Hello how are you", but as you say, a nice bloke.

[s13deb]

See! small world. :-)

[spaceoreo]

Poor Kenny...very sad and talented man.

[playgirlc]

@spaceoreo - yeah... i think he was 'tortured' to a degree. very much a square peg in a round hole, certainly for the times & also thru life circumstances. i'm reading his diaries atm &, i suppose like most of us, he was a v multi-faceted person. sometimes i agree with his views wholeheartedly, sometimes theyre eye-opening, sum things in it i really dont like, sometimes he's hypocritical & ungrateful. but it's interesting & of course, it's his edited diaries so not to be taken too fully.

[spaceoreo]

@playgirlc Yeah, I read his diaries a few years ago and got the feeling that his depression often made him arch and brittle.

[marcN19]

The man was brilliant and could have done so much more than he did...

[Gesmehod]

Never seen an interview quite like this.

[paulspydar]

thanks for uploading this , could you tell me what is blacked out at the bottom of the csreen please? if you know that is? cheers

[gnamp]

Mavis's laughter is the stuff of nightmares

[surreydeltaman]

interviewer is welsh,mavis nicholson,hence the accent Daeghraefn

[MandyBuglet]

I've never see one like him before!

I've seen other clips on youtube, the man was freakin' hilarious!

I would have liked to have met him, but he died the year I turned 6.

-Amanda

[eclecticfire73]

Gorgeouis

[snowflakett]

unforgettable actor.

[valakicske93]

i love he!!!!!! so sweet!!

[pauly1138]

Legend!!!!

Kenneth is a complex and ethereal character and the world is a sadder place without him.

On my bleak days i take solace from the likes of Kenneth & Jeremy Brett, just to see how they coped from day to day.

Pauly.

[Rock74]

I wonder if he ever expected his diaries to be read after he died.

[tehlia77]

@pauly1138 Hi pauly, I know you commented this a year ago but I've just read yours, what struck me was when you mentioned Kenneth & Jeremy Brett, cause the two of them come across in interveiwes as almost the same, in the way they think and talk, very intelligent, it's a shame the both of them didnt get to play more ' Actor ' roles, it's always great & fun to watch them. hope you dont have too many bleak days,

Mike.

[tuesdayjoe]

Boo Hoo..not as nice as one would like..

[limeyosu]

funny he died the same year as the other Carry on bloke Charles Hawtry

[EldritchMask]

A good Interview of the Great Man himself.

He was a tragic character.

Cheers for this rare clip.

[hdprice]

It's a shame that the public never really knew Kenneth. He lived a double life. His diaries are a real revelation. Well worth reading. He's missed so.

[carlwheathers]

He got a £100 for the interview,as stated in the biopic of his life.

Ejel Khan

[kcirish]

Such a wonderful man and actor with sadly a lonely depressing private life. Sadly missed.

[mrjamest2000]

He has a great voice.

[MayhemV1]

mavis nicholson is my girlfriends nan.

[Daeghraefn]

I can't place her accent?

[Shanniquitie]

she's polished it, but it's defntly welsh

[drees71]

Mavis Nicholson, so much better than Parkinson.

[burnjim]

Thank you for uploading this, really enjoyed it!

[DAZZAMAGOO]

His voice was awesome lol

[MickeyLove01]

The flared nostrilled one.

[dfarmbrough]

Interesting.. What a fascinating man. I could listen to him for hours.

[britcomic]

What a brilliant interviewer Mavis Nicholson was: able subtly to get her subjects to reveal themselves by having a proper conversation with them. How different from today's gimmick-filled PR-opportunity 'chat' shows. This is one of the best KW interviews.

[campfreddie]

thanks for posting

[uptheresistance]

reminds me of the drab 70's.

his philosophy towards british society was spot on, especially the parkinson interview yet it's all very grey.

english society is dead.

[StonefieldJim4]

I'd forgotten how much I miss Mavis Nicholson, let alone Williams. Ah, the days when TV producers and interviewers assumed their audiences could handle ideas and conversations (without frills) - nothing fancy, just good TV.

[emoheartcannie]

the little giggle he has when Mavis says: when im making them laugh is so cute lol

[emoheartcannie]

Kenneth Williams is a legend

[moroc99]

dont you yhink the interviever looks a bit like kenneth in drag

[mark919]

LOL..she does!!!

[ukboomerfl]

She reminds me of Shirley Williams

[trotwoodcopperfield]

there *are* some interviews (several with a very young russell harty) which crop up now and then on which he *does* refrain from doing an act

- for a clearer picture of williams, the television plays 'cor blimey' and 'fantabulosa' are unbeatable ... while his diaries are an intellectual and specialist insight into many things including himself and his occupation

[trotwoodcopperfield]

she asks him if he minds that people automatically want him to be funny then he sits there being amusing she sits there giggling loudly and continuously like a demented fan -

hm!

[gamewizard]

What's the black box at the bottom of the screen?

[AdamH]

It's to hide the time code. This is obviously a dub from an original master tape.

[TripleX808]

I was born in 1971 and discovered Kenneth through the carry on's. Quite possibly, the only person I would give my life to spend an afternoon with....A True Genius!

[rexel666]

Kenneth Williams was superb

[JoeStunner]

Fantastic interview! Many thanks for posting it. :-)

[mellysingsdoom]

An excellent interview, and an excellent interviewer too.

[train672]

I was lucky enough to me in the audience once for a recording on "Round the Horne" It was interesting to see the cast at work. I never realised at the time I was watching a great moment in broadcasting history.

[DidaDragan]

Mavis Nicholson is the best interviewer in the business. She researches thoroughly, asks a question and then lets the interviewee answer. Most of these interviewers (especially nowadays) try to steal the limelight for the themselves.

Kenny Williams is always wonderfully honest and entertaining when being interviewed.

[QUANTUMLORD18]

re: " Round the Horn " .... Anybody interested in this and other BBC radio programs, both past and present, should Google: BBC 7. When the BBC7, HOME PAGE, comes up on the left of the page, you'll see: 'Listen Again', press it and you'll have 1 weeks worth of various shows.

[DavyTop]

Try and get your hands on some of the radio broadcasts made in the mid sixties called 'Round the Horn'. Ken and Hugh Paddick did a weekly sketch as characters called Sandy and Julian. They were the first openly gay people on British radio and were outrageous but some how got away with it.

[stopmessinabout]

This is a great clip...although he was not all that happy with the interview...as usual. I have a round the horn episode from 1966 on my channel.

[QUANTUMLORD18]

The interviewer is: Mavis Nicholson. She started out on Television Wales and the West (TWW), and Harlech Television (HTV), as far as I can recollect.

[aidan86]

Who is the interviewer?

[uknmireo]

ahhh thanks......