A self-confessed hypochondriac, he was plagued by ill health, including ulcers, toward the end of his life. His death from an overdose of sleeping pills and painkillers remains a mystery as to whether it was accidental or deliberate.
Although his education was nothing special, he was a voracious reader throughout his life and in his interviews he could often quote entire poems or literary extracts purely from memory.
Close friends included Stanley Baxter, Gordon Jackson and his wife Rona Anderson, Sheila Hancock, Maggie Smith and her playwright husband Beverley Cross.
Favourite Carry On was Carry On... Up the Khyber (1968). Kenneth also thought that of all his Carry On appearances, The Khasi of Kalabar will be the one that the audience will never forget.
Had a stepsister named Pat. She grew up with him.
He and his family accompanied Barbara Windsor and her first husband Ronnie Knight on their honeymoon in Madeira.
His big break came about while playing a serious role on stage -- as the Dauphin in a production of "Saint Joan."
His relationship with his parents - he adored his supportive, theatrical mother, Louisa ("Lou" or "Louie"), but hated his homophobic, morose and selfish father - was key to his personality. Williams later claimed that all his acting and comedic talent came from his mother.
Kept falling asleep while filming Carry on Nurse (1959), due to the combination of warm studio lights and acting on a bed. When director Gerald Thomas woke him up, Kenny would swear blind that he wasn't asleep. So the next time it happened, Thomas put a sign around his neck, and took a photograph. When Kenny tried to wriggle his way out of it again with protestations of not being asleep, Gerald showed him the photograph - apparently Kenny's language became very colorful.
Of the 30 films in the "Carry On..." series Kenneth Williams appeared in 25, more than any other actor. For the record he did not appear in Carry on Cabby (1963) , Carry on Up the Jungle (1970) , Carry on Girls (1973) , Carry on England (1976) and Carry on Columbus (1992) .
Regarded as a brilliant raconteur, he made many guest appearances on the original run of the television series "Parkinson" (1971), eight in total. Ironically, Williams was initially reluctant to be interviewed by Michael Parkinson, whom he described in his diary as a "north country nit".
Son of a hairdresser.
Son of Charlie and Louisa (Lou) Williams.
The only actor in the "Carry On..." films to appear, along with Kenneth Connor and Eric Barker in the first (Carry on Sergeant (1958)) and last authentic "Carry On... films (Carry on Emmannuelle (1978)). This does not include the heavily criticised Carry on Columbus (1992).
Upon his sudden death, the coroner recorded an open verdict, saying it was possible (but unlikely) that Williams had taken an overdose of sleeping pills in addition to his regular pain killers that caused a lethal cocktail. To this day, views are still divided as to whether it was deliberate or not. On one hand, he mentioned many times in his diaries that suicide was the only option, but he always seemed to bounce back from his bouts of depression. Many seem to think that suicide is unlikely simply because he would never have entertained such ideas while his mother was alive (she was left nothing in his will, presumably because Ken was expecting to outlive her).
Was a big fan of Gilbert and Sullivan' operas. They wrote fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Mikado are among the best known.
Was in the Royal Engineers in 1945.
Was offered the part of Albright in Carry on Cabby (1963), but turned it down because he believed that it was an inferior script. The part was cut down and the best lines given to Charles Hawtrey. Norman Chappell played Albright.
Was originally trained as a draftsman.
Was very fond of the company of fellow "Carry On" regulars Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Hattie Jacques, Joan Sims and Bernard Bresslaw.