The Kenneth Williams Diaries

Russell Davies (ed)

Editions

Review

Johnny employed an unorthodox - but highly effective - technique for selling this book to me, in the days before I was his colleague: he rang me up and did an impression of Kenneth Williams, in order to tempt me into buying a copy of these diaries.  (Many of you will be regretting, as I have done at times, that it was not Shirley Bassey’s diaries which had just been published - that would have given new meaning to “sales pitch”.)  Had I already told Johnny that I knew the moment had come for me to resign from the bank where I worked, when I caught myself doing impersonations of Kenneth Williams in the lift?  I’m sure what made this great comedian seem even funnier at the time was the thought of how bewildering he would be to the not notoriously humorous Parisians around me…

From these diaries there emerges an intelligent, sensitive man who loved to show off, a depressive who was obsessed with his bodily functions, and - above all - a lonely person.  Born in 1926, Kenneth Williams wanted to be a serious actor, but found himself, rather against his will, diverted into comedy.  The saddest thing of all about these diaries is that he never thought that his ability to make people laugh, regardless of the material, counted for anything.  They begin in 1942, and end abruptly in 1988, just before his death (at the inquest the Coroner recorded an Open verdict).

But it would be wrong to suggest that all is tragic here: whilst there are very poignant moments, Kenneth Williams could not stop himself from being entertaining.  His style is pithy and elegant, his acquaintances were numerous, and his indiscretions spectacular.  These brilliantly edited diaries, with the excellent appendices and index, present not only an intimate portrait of the man, but also a lively survey of decades of British show business, featuring characters ranging from Joe Orton and Maggie Smith to Barbara Windsor and the rest of the Carry-On team. - review by Dan Fenton