Kenneth Williams

Actor Kenneth Williams is castaway by Michael Parkinson.

For 40 years he has occupied a unique place on stage, screen and radio.

Kenneth recalls his long career which has ranged from working on radio classics like Hancock's Half Hour and Round the Horne to being a regular member of the cast in the Carry On films.

DISC ONE: Gabriel Fauré’s Barcarolle No.1 in A minor, Op.26 - Paul Crossley
DISC TWO: Alfred Tennyson/Roger Quilter’s Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal - Kathleen Ferrier
DISC THREE: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 'Spring' - 1st movement - Itzhak Perlman, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy
DISC FOUR: Jaime Ovalle’s The Bluebird - Gérard Souzay
DISC FIVE: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C major - Academy of St Martin in the Fields, conducted by Neville Marriner
DISC SIX: Francisco Tárrega’s Adelita (from Three Mazurkas) - Julian Bream
DISC SEVEN: Franz Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat major – 2nd movement - Oistrakh Trio
DISC EIGHT: Johannes Brahms’s Wenn ich mit Menschen (from Four Serious Songs, Op.121) - Hermann Prey

CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 'Spring' - 1st movement - Itzhak Perlman, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy
BOOK CHOICE: The Golden Treasury - Francis Palgrave
LUXURY CHOICE: Crate of Cologne

Producer: Ray Abbott

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 1987.

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This programme is part of BBC Radio 4 Extra’s THE VERSATILE VOICE OF KENNETH WILLIAMS

This is our celebration marking what would have been the actor's 100th birthday on 22 February 2026.