Ben Williams (actor)
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Benjamin Percy Williams (1892 in Glamorgan,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
– December 1959 in
Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
,
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
) was a British character actor from the 1930s to the late 1950s. During his career he appeared in 137 films. In 1954 Williams acted in the
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...
play ''
Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. A film version, ''Under Milk Wood'' directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released in 1972, and another adaptation of ...
'' that won the
Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international Television, Radio-broadcasting and Web award. It was established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana (in 1948, RAI had the denomination RAI – Radio Audizioni Italiane) in Capri and is honoured with the ...
award for radio drama that year. Originally a miner in Swansea, Williams served in the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
in Palestine during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and he was an Air Raid Warden in London during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. Williams made his film debut in an uncredited role in the 1933 film '' The Good Companions''. Later appearances included roles in ''
Tiger Bay Tiger Bay ( cy, Bae Teigr) was the local name for an area of Cardiff which covered Butetown and Cardiff Docks. Following the building of the Cardiff Barrage, which dams the tidal rivers, Ely and Taff, to create a body of water, it is re ...
'' (1934), ''
Java Head Tanjung Layar, formerly Java's Eerste Punt in Dutch, and Java's First Point, or Java Head in English is a prominent cape at the extreme western end of Java, at the Indian Ocean entrance to the Sunda Strait. Java Head is a bluff at the sea's ed ...
'' (1934), '' Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor'' (1935), '' Boys Will Be Boys'' (1935), '' Flame in the Heather'' (1935), ''
The Man Without a Face ''The Man Without a Face'' is a 1993 American Drama (film and television), drama film starring and directed by Mel Gibson, in his directorial debut. The film is based on Isabelle Holland's 1972 novel of the same name. Gibson's direction received ...
'' (1935), ''
Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle ''Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle'' is a 1935 British crime film directed by Alex Bryce and starring George Curzon as Sexton Blake. Premise Blake must discover who has stolen from a wealthy financier – and discovers a mysterious woman be ...
'' (1935), ''
Gay Old Dog ''Gay Old Dog'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by George King and starring Edward Rigby, Moore Marriott and Ruby Miller. It was a quota quickie made at Walton Studios.Wood p.86 Cast * Edward Rigby as Tom Bliss * Moore Marriott as Ge ...
'' (1935), '' Blue Smoke'' (1935), and '' Find the Lady'' (1936.Williams
on the
Internet Movie Database IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
Other film appearances include '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' (1936), '' The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' (1936), ''
Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel'' is a 1937 British thriller film directed by Hanns Schwarz and starring Barry K. Barnes, Sophie Stewart, Margaretta Scott and James Mason. It is a sequel to the 1934 film ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' based on ...
'' (1937), '' The Gables Mystery'' (1938), '' The Saint in London'' (1939), ''
The Stars Look Down ''The Stars Look Down'' is a 1935 novel by A. J. Cronin which chronicles various injustices in an English coal mining community. A film version was released in 1940, and television adaptations include both Italian (1971) and British (1975) ve ...
'' (1940), ''
The Proud Valley ''The Proud Valley'' is a 1940 Ealing Studios film starring Paul Robeson. Filmed in the South Wales coalfield, the principal Welsh coal mining area, the film is about a seaman who joins a mining community. It includes their passion for singing ...
'' (1940), ''
Let George Do It! ''Let George Do It!'' (US: ''To Hell With Hitler'') is a 1940 British black-and-white comedy musical war film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring George Formby. It was produced by Michael Balcon for Associated Talking Pictures and its succes ...
'' (1940), ''
Old Mother Riley's Circus ''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Longden. Old Mother Riley takes over a struggling circus and makes a huge success of it. The trade ad poster ...
'' (1941), ''
Old Mother Riley's Ghosts ''Old Mother Riley's Ghosts'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by John Baxter and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Stuart. It was the 8th in the long-running Old Mother Riley series. Old Mother Riley inherits a castle in Scot ...
'' (1941), ''
Love on the Dole ''Love on the Dole'' is a novel by Walter Greenwood, about working-class poverty in 1930s Northern England. It has been made into both a play and a film. The novel Walter Greenwood's novel (1933) was written during the early 1930s as a respons ...
'' (1941), '' "Pimpernel" Smith'' (1941), '' Hi Gang!'' (1941), '' Uncensored'' (1942), ''
Undercover To go "undercover" (that is, to go on an undercover operation) is to avoid detection by the object of one's observation, and especially to disguise one's own identity (or use an assumed identity) for the purposes of gaining the trust of an ind ...
'' (1943), '' Get Cracking'' (1943), ''
The Saint Meets the Tiger ''The Saint Meets the Tiger'' is the title of a crime thriller produced by the British unit of RKO Pictures, produced in 1941, but not released until 1943. This was to be the last of the eight films in RKO's film series about the crimefighter ...
'' (1943), '' Murder in Reverse?'' (1945), '' Waterloo Road'' (1945), ''
Give Me the Stars Give may refer to: making someone get or receive something from someone Places * Give, Denmark, a small town ** Give Municipality, a former municipality Music * ''Give'' (Balkan Beat Box album), 2012 album by Balkan Beat Box * ''Give'' (The Bad ...
'' (1945), '' The Curse of the Wraydons'' (1946), '' Fame Is the Spur'' (1947), '' My Brother's Keeper'' (1948), ''
Don't Ever Leave Me ''Don't Ever Leave Me'' is a 1949 British comedy film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Petula Clark, Jimmy Hanley, Hugh Sinclair, Edward Rigby, and Anthony Newley. Produced by Betty Box during her stint at Gainsborough Pictures, it wa ...
'' (1949), and '' Boys in Brown'' (1949). During the 1950s his film and television work included ''
Sunday Night Theatre ''Sunday Night Theatre'' was a long-running series of televised live television plays screened by BBC Television from early 1950 until 1959. The productions for the first five years or so of the run were re-staged live the following Thursday, pa ...
'' (
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
) (1950), '' Dick Barton at Bay'' (1950), '' Mister Drake's Duck'' (1951), ''
Lilli Marlene ''Lilli Marlene'' is a 1950 British war film aimed for the US market and directed by Arthur Crabtree. It stars Lisa Daniely, Hugh McDermott, and Richard Murdoch. Stanley Baker is seen in one of his early support roles. Plot A French girl name ...
'' (1951), ''
Women of Twilight ''Women of Twilight'' is a 1951 play by Sylvia Rayman that became a 1952 film directed by Gordon Parry. The latter stars Freda Jackson, Rene Ray and Lois Maxwell, with a screenplay by Anatole de Grunwald. It was the first British film to receiv ...
'' (1952), '' Hindle Wakes'' (1952), '' Circumstantial Evidence'' (1952), '' Paul Temple Returns'' (1952), '' Face the Music'' (1954),Williams in filmandtv.com
'' Stryker of the Yard'' (TV series) (1957), '' Hell Drivers'' (1957), '' The One That Got Away'' (1957), and ''
Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...
'' (1958). In 1954 he played Mr. Pritchard in an all-Welsh cast
BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...
version of ''
Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. A film version, ''Under Milk Wood'' directed by Andrew Sinclair, was released in 1972, and another adaptation of ...
'' with
Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...
. During his later years he lived in Mitre House on
King's Road King's Road or Kings Road (or sometimes the King's Road, especially when it was the king's private road until 1830, or as a colloquialism by middle/upper class London residents), is a major street stretching through Chelsea and Fulham, both ...
, Chelsea. His hobbies were listed as 'most sports'.''The Picturegoer's Who's Who and Encyclopedia'' (1933) Williams died in
Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
in London aged 67. He was survived by a son, Philip Trigwell (born 1947) from a relationship with Etta Trigwell, and a daughter, Betty Hopkins (born 1917).


Selected filmography

* '' Blue Smoke'' (1935) * ''
Gay Old Dog ''Gay Old Dog'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by George King and starring Edward Rigby, Moore Marriott and Ruby Miller. It was a quota quickie made at Walton Studios.Wood p.86 Cast * Edward Rigby as Tom Bliss * Moore Marriott as Ge ...
'' (1935) * '' Flame in the Heather'' (1935) * ''
The Man Without a Face ''The Man Without a Face'' is a 1993 American Drama (film and television), drama film starring and directed by Mel Gibson, in his directorial debut. The film is based on Isabelle Holland's 1972 novel of the same name. Gibson's direction received ...
'' (1935) * '' The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' (1936) * '' Find the Lady'' (1936) * ''
Old Mother Riley's Circus ''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Longden. Old Mother Riley takes over a struggling circus and makes a huge success of it. The trade ad poster ...
'' (1941) * '' 'Pimpernel' Smith'' (1941) * '' Hi Gang!'' (1941) * ''
We'll Smile Again ''We'll Smile Again'' is a 1942 British musical comedy film directed by John Baxter and starring Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen and Meinhart Maur. Premise A ring of Nazi spies infiltrate a film studio planning to use it for sending coded messages ...
'' (1942) * ''
Gert and Daisy's Weekend ''Gert and Daisys Weekend'' is a 1942 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Elsie Waters, Doris Waters and Iris Vandeleur. It was shot at Welwyn Studios with sets designed by the art director William Hemsley. It was follo ...
'' (1942) * '' Front Line Kids'' (1942) * '' Theatre Royal'' (1943) * ''
Dual Alibi ''Dual Alibi'' is a 1947 British drama film directed by Alfred Travers and starring Herbert Lom, Phyllis Dixey and Terence De Marney. It is a film noir.Spicer p.442 It was made by British National Films at Elstree Studios. Synopsis A top Frenc ...
'' (1947) * ''
Nothing Venture ''Nothing Venture'' is a 1948 British comedy family film directed by John Baxter and starring The Artemus Boys, Terry Randall, Patric Curwen and Michael Aldridge.Murphy p.41 Cast * The Artemus Boys as Themselves * Terry Randall as Diana Chaice ...
'' (1948) * ''
A Boy, a Girl and a Bike ''A Boy, a Girl and a Bike'' is a 1949 British romantic comedy film directed by Ralph Smart and starring John McCallum, Honor Blackman and Patrick Holt. The film's art direction was by George Provis. The film concerns the romantic escapades an ...
'' (1949) * ''
The Girl Is Mine "The Girl Is Mine" is a song recorded by American singer Michael Jackson and English musician Paul McCartney. The track was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It was released as the first single for Jackson's sixth s ...
'' (1950) * ''
Something in the City ''Something in the City'' is a 1950 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Richard Hearne, Garry Marsh and Ellen Pollock. It includes an early uncredited performance by Stanley Baker as a police constable. Plot Mr Ningle h ...
'' (1950) * ''
Prelude to Fame ''Prelude to Fame'' is a 1950 British drama film set in Italy, directed by Fergus McDonell and starring Guy Rolfe, Kathleen Byron and Kathleen Ryan. It is based on the 1924 story "Young Archimides" by Aldous Huxley, about a mathematical prodi ...
'' (1950) * '' Files from Scotland Yard'' (1951) * ''
Night Was Our Friend ''Night Was Our Friend'' is a 1951 British drama film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Elizabeth Sellars, Michael Gough and Ronald Howard. The title references a line from Virgil's epic poem ''The Aeneid''. Plot A young woman is acq ...
'' (1951) * '' Marilyn'' (1953) * '' There Was a Young Lady'' (1953) * ''
You Pay Your Money ''You Pay Your Money'' is a 1957 British crime drama film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Hugh McDermott, Jane Hylton and Honor Blackman. The thriller was one of the Butcher's Film Service's 1950s B film genre.Chibnall and McFarlane 20 ...
'' (1957)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Ben 1892 births 1959 deaths Welsh male film actors Welsh male television actors 20th-century Welsh male actors Civil Defence Service personnel British Army personnel of World War I Royal Artillery personnel Welsh military personnel