Carry on Kenny - The Life of Kenneth Williams Quiz

Answer: Lithography

His father insisted that he 'learn a trade' and so Kenneth went to the School of Lithography in 1940 at the age of 14. His training and career were interrupted first in 1940-41, when he was evacuated out of London because of World War II. In 1944, having been declared unfit to join the War Effort as a soldier, he was sent to a training camp in Cumbria to toughen up and was later enlisted in the Royal Engineers where he worked in Surveying and Map Reproduction.

After the Japanese surrender in August 1945, he managed to get transferred into the 'Combined Services Entertainments' division.

He was finally demobbed from the Armed Forces in December 1947. He only returned to lithography for a few more months in 1948. He seemed to enjoy the work but his diary notes a certain amount of office bullying related to his sexuality.

Answer: Hairdresser

The relationship between Kenneth and his father comes across in his diaries as very strained. Kenneth clearly looks down on Charlie at times because of his lack of education yet overall he remained loyal to him despite their differences. For a brief time in 1948 there were discussions about Kenneth joining his father in the hairdressing business but, by March 1948, they were arguing about the arrangement and it never took place. This seemed in the main to be an excuse to resign from the lithographers' firm, which Kenneth did in February 1948.

In contrast, Kenneth adored his mother, Louisa, known as Louie or Lou. She regularly joined him at parties or on holiday in her younger years. When they moved into adjacent flats in London, their relationship developed a little more tension. His diaries show a growing fear in the final years of his life of, on the one hand, having to care for an increasingly frail and dependent Louie and, on the other, of not being able to cope if she died before him.

Answer: Noel Coward

Ivor Novello died in 1951, Aaron Copeland and Irving Berlin were composers and I am not aware that Kenneth Williams ever met any of them. References to Noel Coward, with quotations, appear from the earliest entries in Kenneth Williams' diaries. In the early years of his stage performances, Kenneth appeared in a number of Noel Coward's plays and, in later years, Noel Coward attended a number of his other stage performances.

His advice and words have been recorded in the diaries and, in contrast to other friends, was always heeded and respected. On 26 March 1973, on hearing of Noel Coward's death, Kenneth Williams wrote in his diary: "My beloved Noel Coward has died in Jamaica." In this particular entry he sets out the specific influences Coward had on all aspects of his work - "everything I based on him."

Answer: The Dauphin in 'St. Joan'

Kenneth Williams was widely praised in his role as the Dauphin in George Bernard Shaw's play 'St Joan' in 1950. The praise came mainly for the development of the character's voice and mannerisms as he aged through the play, showing Kenneth's character-acting potential.

As with so many of his stage performances he had a difficult time with the director and cast and focused almost exclusively in his diaries on the bad reviews rather than the good. The role brought him to the notice of BBC radio producer Dennis Main Wilson, who was casting for 'Hancock's Half Hour.' The opportunities for Kenneth to experiment with his funny voices and mannerisms in 'Hancock's Half Hour' catapulted him into other work.

He remained disappointed at his lack of success in serious theatre.

Answer: 'Carry on Sergeant 'and 'Carry on Emmanuelle'

He appeared in all the 'Carry On' films listed above as well as 'Carry On Regardless', 'Carry On Cruising', 'Carry On Jack', 'Carry On Spying', 'Carry On Cleo', 'Carry On Cowboy', 'Carry On Screaming', 'Carry On Follow That Camel', 'Carry On Doctor', 'Carry On Camping', 'Carry On Up the Khyber', 'Carry On Again Doctor', 'Carry On Loving', 'Carry On Henry', 'Carry On Dick', 'Carry On Behind', 'Carry On Don't Lose Your Head' and 'What a Carry On: Twice Round the Daffodils'.

Kenneth had a love-hate relationship with the 'Carry-On' films and their cast. He made no secret of his dislike for Sid James, which emanated in part from the fact that Tony Hancock ultimately retained the services of Sid James but not Kenneth Williams on 'Hancock's Half Hour.' The 'Carry On' films were a consistent source of income, although the daily rate was, in his own words "derisory." Initially he refused to be in 'Carry on Emmanuelle', saying it was too smutty and not funny but he later relented.

Answer: Stanley Baxter

Kenneth turned to Stanley Baxter during several periods of depression and disillusionment, although, as with most of his close friends, there were also times when he attacked him in his diaries for apparently not caring enough. Kenneth records in his diary that he gave Stanley and his wife, Moira, six gin glasses in 1953 as a belated wedding present.

Answer: Gyles Brandreth

His diary entries for this period indicate that Williams enjoyed the experience and got on well with Brandreth. The future editor of his posthumously-published diaries, the critic Russell Davies, didn't fare as well. He was described harshly in a number of diary entries by Williams, and on 12 December 1985 as "that fat slob Russell Davies."

Answer: Julian and Sandy

These two popular characters were camp homosexuals, using double entendres and gay code language at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in the UK. Kenneth Horne was the star of the show and well-liked by Williams. Horne's sudden death from a stroke in 1969 brought the show to an end after four series.

In 1976 Williams recorded a 'Jule and Sand' LP record with Hugh Paddick and Barry Took.

Answer: 43 years

His earliest diaries begin in 1942, at fifteen years old and only in the early years are they incomplete, with short entries of his views on life, books and the cinema. In later years he often threatened people with an entry in his diary and many of the entries about 'celebrities' of the time are caustic but also often very funny. From the earliest years he mentions suicide and this, together with his complaints about pain and illness continue as background to most years' entries. Combined with his lack of a serious romantic relationship, the diaries provide a roller coaster of amusement and sadness for the reader.

Answer: 'Just a Minute' (Radio)

His 'Just a Minute' performances dwarf the other appearances, running at over 300 in total. He was a surprisingly prolific performer and there are many other shows in which he made repeat performances: 'Round the Horne' (66), 'Countdown' (48), 'Carry On' films (26), 'Willo the Wisp' (voice as children's cartoon character):26, 'Jackanory' (16) and many more.

His diaries also sadly show a preoccupation with failure, unemployment and poverty which probably drove him on.