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Frank Williams (actor)

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Frank Williams
Williams in 2011
Born
Frank John Williams

(1931-07-02)2 July 1931
Edgware,Middlesex,England
Died26 June 2022(2022-06-26)(aged 90)
London,England
OccupationActor
Years active1953–2022
Notable workThe Army Game,Dad's Army

Frank John Williams(2 July 1931 – 26 June 2022) was an English actor, best known for playing the ReverendTimothy Farthingin theBBCtelevisionsitcomDad's Army(1969–1977).

Often cast as a member of theclergy,Williams appeared in similar roles in sitcoms includingThe Worker,Vanity Fair,Hi-de-HiandYou Rang, M'Lord?and filmWhat's Up Nurse!.Williams reprised his role of the Reverend Mr. Farthing in the2016 film adaptationofDad's Army.[1]

Early life[edit]

Williams was born inEdgware,Middlesex,on 2 July 1931,[2]to William Williams, a Welshnonconformist,and his wife Alice (née Myles).[3][4]He was educated at a school which temporarily functioned in St Andrew's Church, Edgware, and two private schools before attendingArdingly College,West Sussex, andHendon School(then Hendon County School).[3]Williams was an only child and in 1956 bought a house one and a half miles away from his parents' house.[3]

Career[edit]

Williams started his acting career inrepertory theatreand worked with theWatford Palace Theatre,which was being run byJimmy Perry,the creator ofDad's Army,some years later. Williams also met many of his future co-stars, includingMichael Knowles,Colin Bean,Donald HewlettandMavis Pugh.[5]

At the time, television was in its infancy and it was this sector of the industry that Williams wished to enter. He made several television appearances throughout the 1950s; during series one ofThe Army Gamehe made various small appearances and in 1957 was invited back as a regular character, the commanding officer Captain Pocket. Williams continued to play the role until the series ended in 1960. In total, he appeared in 116 episodes ofThe Army Gamewhich were transmitted weekly.

His first film appearance was as an uncredited extra inThe Story of Gilbert and Sullivanin 1953, his first larger role came in 1956 with the filmThe Extra Dayin which he played the role of Sid. Williams went on to appear in three films withNorman Wisdomincluding:The Square Peg(1958),The Bulldog Breed(1960) andA Stitch In Time(1963). He then appeared in films such as:Inn for Trouble(1960),Just for Fun(1963),Hide and Seek(1964),Headline Hunters(1968),One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing(1975),Jabberwocky(1977),What's Up Nurse!(1977),The Human Factor(1979) andOh! Heavenly Dog(1980). He had a leading role in the BBC TV seriesDiary of a Young Man(1964), which was partly directed byKen Loach,in addition to small parts in numerous TV series of the 1950s and 1960s.

His best-known role was inDad's Armyas the vicar.[6]His first appearance on the show was in the episode "The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones",which was the first episode of series three. He had worked with producersDavid Croftbefore onHugh and I,and Jimmy Perry at the Watford Palace Theatre. He thought he had come to make a one-off appearance and did not realise that he would become a regular fixture of the show. He would go on to appear in half of the 80 episodes and both feature films. In 2021, Williams said of his time working onDad's Armythat "it was the happiest period of my professional life."[7]Coincidentally, while at Hendon County, Williams wrote in his memoir, he had played the lead in the school play of his final year,The Ghost Train,written nearly thirty years earlier byArnold Ridley,who would also appear inDad's Army.[8]

Williams featured withTessie O'Sheain the short-lived sitcomAs Good Cooks Go(1970). He appeared in an episode ofAll Gas and Gaitersas one of the vicars choral in episodes broadcast in 1967 and 1971. At the height of hisDad's Armyfame, he had a cameo role inMonty Python's Flying Circus(1972), and later appeared as a record producer in theRutlesmovieAll You Need Is Cash(1978). He appeared in the short-lived television sitcomHigh & Dry(1987) as a bank clerk, and he made a cameo appearance in 'Minder', playing a tobacconist. He had a recurring role inYou Rang, M'Lord?,[9]a later series written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft. Williams played Lord Bishop Charles appearing in 14 out of a total of 26 episodes.

Williams was a guest onThis Morningon Thursday 31 July 2008, talking aboutDad's Armywith fellow cast membersIan LavenderandBill Pertwee.He also appeared on BBC1'sJonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Armyshow on Sunday 3 August 2008.[10][11]

With other surviving members of theDad's Armycast he walked in the 100th Birthday parade forQueen Elizabeth The Queen Mother,becauseDad's Armywas her favourite programme. He was the author of several plays, includingThe Playing FieldsandMurder Weekend,some of which have been performed in the pro-amateur theatre. Hisautobiography,Vicar to Dad's Army: the Frank Williams story,was published in 2002.

In 1993, Williams co-founded withBill PertweetheDad's Army Appreciation Society.He was the society's vice president until the death of Bill Pertwee in 2013 when Williams became the President, attending many society events until his death.

Williams reprised his role of the vicar for the 2016 reboot ofDad's Army.He recalled his time on set of the new film: "It meant four days work, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The film was pretty successful but received a mixed reaction fromDad's Armyfans because seeing other people playing roles made famous by the likes of Arthur and John wasn't easy to accept. "[7]

Personal life[edit]

Williams lived in his hometown ofEdgware,Greater London.[12]A lifetime Christian, he was until 2000 a member of theHouse of Laityin theGeneral Synodof theChurch of England.[13]He opposed theordination of womenand attacks on gay people.[3]

Williams was the patron of Veneratio, a charity established to prevent the social isolation of the elderly.[14][citation needed]

In 2020, during theCOVID-19 pandemic,Williams reported that "I share the house with my good friend Ronald Grainge, who I met on theDad's Armystage show way back in 1975, so the two of us have been self-isolating and watching TV. We enjoy good dramas, and catch up with an old film occasionally. "He then went on to say that the programmes which he enjoyed the most are" older comedies, but programmes likeWould I Lie to You?are great fun. And chat programmes where comedy people get together. "[15]

In a 2017Daily Telegraphinterview, he answered a question on his best financial decision with "buying a house.... Initially, I rented out the downstairs rooms and it produced some money but there were problems, like tenants not paying the rent. So, about ten years ago, my great friend Ronnie Grainge, who was in theDad's Armystage show, moved in. "[16]

Death[edit]

Frank Williams gravestone
Frank Williams - Actor best known as the Vicar in TV series Dads Army, Devoted Christian 02.07.1931 - 26.06.2022 Son of William and Alice - St Margaret of Antioch, Edgware, London UK

Williams died on 26 June 2022, aged 90.[13][3]A statement was released onFacebooksaying "so sorry to say that our beloved friend, colleague and actor Frank Williams, passed away this morning."[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Frank Williams".IMDb.Retrieved11 January2017.
  2. ^"Frank Williams obituary".The Times.27 June 2022.ISSN0140-0460.Retrieved27 June2022.
  3. ^abcdeCoveney, Michael (26 June 2022)."Frank Williams obituary".The Guardian.Retrieved27 June2022.
  4. ^GRO Registers of Birth: SEP 1931 1a 774 HAMPSTEAD – Frank J. Williams, mmn = Myles
  5. ^Permission To Speak, Sir! Dads Army Appreciation Society Magazine.DAAS. 2013.
  6. ^Correspondent, Nicole Martin, Digital and Media (9 July 2008)."Original cast of Dad's Army reunited".Retrieved11 January2017.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^abWebber, Richard (6 July 2021)."Dad's Army star Frank Williams on life after the show that made him famous".Express.co.uk.Retrieved17 July2021.
  8. ^Williams, Frank; Sidney, Chris (2003) [2002].Vicar to Dad's Army: The Frank Williams Story.Norwich: Canterbury Press. pp. 50, 152.ISBN9781853115431.
  9. ^BBC Genome listing for 2 December 1990 episode
  10. ^"Don't panic – it's our Dad's Army gallery".The Guardian.30 July 2008.Retrieved3 March2016.
  11. ^"Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army (2008)".bfi.org.uk.BFI.Archived fromthe originalon 11 March 2016.Retrieved3 March2016.
  12. ^Stephenson, David (4 May 2014)."Frank Williams reveals his excitement for the big-screen version of Dad's Army".Retrieved11 January2017.
  13. ^ab"Frank Williams, actor best remembered as the vicar Timothy Farthing in Dad's Army – obituary".The Daily Telegraph.26 June 2022.Retrieved26 June2022.
  14. ^VeneratioArchived22 February 2012 at theWayback Machine;Veneratio.org.uk. Retrieved 6 July 2012
  15. ^Braxton, Mark (2020).Frank Williams on lockdown and laugh.DAAS. p. 26.
  16. ^Webber, Richard (30 April 2017)."Frank Williams: 'I earn more from Dad's Army now than when it was made'".The Daily Telegraph.
  17. ^"Dad's Army star Frank Williams has died aged 90".The Independent.26 June 2022.Retrieved27 June2022.

External links[edit]

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