I recently watched the film Last Days of Dolwyn(1949)...only film directed by Williams...He co-wrote script and starred as the villain. The film was an outstanding melodrama with a clever semi-political script and dialogue. The montage and dark scenes were reminiscent of Welles and it a great shame he was not given opportunity to direct again
A really great video, mooncove! I have to admit that this is one actor that has completely escaped my notice, but I'll see if I can get my hands on one of his films. I like the song - the way the 1970s rock music is juxtaposed with old movie clips - it shouldn't work, but it does. And you're right - the song can be the most difficult part in making a video, but you excelled with that, which makes your video all the better for it.
Yes, Williams was fascinated by the darker psychopathic & criminal sides of human nature. His best plays often deal with these. He himself frequently played the villain. In 1937 - as shown in glimpses here - he portrayed Emperor Caligula in the uncompleted film 'I, Claudius'; the surviving footage (also featuring Charles Laughton & Robert Newton) shows Williams giving a stunning performance. Years later he worked with Alfred Hitchcock. ... And, yes, he had blue eyes!
I consider him even bolder for having revealed his attraction to men in his 1961 autobiography; even if he did not come out and say the words, "I am gay." And he was always close friends with John Geilgud even during the time of his arrest. But he also makes it clear that he was attracted to women as well, and, in reading a bio of John Gielgud, I got the impression that, being bi (married with children), he was somewhat excluded from full membership in that "club." I do love his candor.
Very cool! Hope you liked the video. You haven't by any chance seen the material he'd written for his THIRD autobiography that his son donated to the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth, by any chance, have you? Or know of any recording of him delivering the speech at the national Eisteddfod in ... 1953, I think it was? I wish we could've heard him speaking Welsh in a film somewhere, but he wrote, acted in, directed, and cast himself as the villain--the only Welshman with an English accent!--in 'The Last Days of Dolwyn'! It was his first autobiography, 'George,' in which he shared some of the Welsh language in the beginning and described what sounded like such an idyllic location to grow up in, apart from having to walk--or bike--something like four miles each way to school and back every day, that got me interested in learning Welsh! (The Northern dialect, of course!) I just love a Welsh accent as well.
@jamesjeffreypaul True ... maybe for my next tribute! But don't you love the way he replies to Robert Newton's surly curse with that stoic, "Thank you, Mr. Brodie"? Cracks me up every time. If you have a turntable, you can probably still buy his Dickens and Dylan Thomas LPs on eBay pretty cheap. I only wish I could find a recording of him performing Thomas's Fern Hill--or anything in Welsh!
Yes, he was famous for his Dickens readings, among other things, as stated in the video description. But for the record, he was bisexual, according to his two fairly detailed autobiographies. ("Of course"? Is there some obvious connection between doing readings from Dickens and being gay that I'm missing?)
Yes! I just loved the way Brodie is so nasty and how calm, cool, and collected Emlyn is, as if Brodie'd paid him a compliment. Although his character is a villain too. I take it you've seen it? (Sorry, I'm just getting around to exploring all the new dashboard features on UA-cam 11 years later and seeing all the comments and questions I never answered!)
None, what-so-ever. He was an interesting (now almost forgotten) stage and screen actor. In view of the multitude of gay actor greats of the 20th century, this must be considered a badge-of-honour, although it must have been played down by him in his autobiography, as even in the 70's, gays had not long been de-crimialised
I like your video clip and have rated it as awesome. Please check out my latest one on some 1930's movie star tobacco cards, including Robert Taylor, Joan Crawford, Bing Crosby, Johnny Davis, Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford...
![Hatter's Castle [4 of 11]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2a6Epl4RSRI/mqdefault.jpg)
I am related to Emlyn, thanks for posting he was a real character, I remember visiting him in Hawarden in my childhood.
He was my granddaddy, so sweet of you to make this ♥
He was a great actor and I like his plays. And I consider him handsome.
I recently watched the film Last Days of Dolwyn(1949)...only film directed by Williams...He co-wrote script and starred as the villain. The film was an outstanding melodrama with a clever semi-political script and dialogue. The montage and dark scenes were reminiscent of Welles and it a great shame he was not given opportunity to direct again
A really great video, mooncove! I have to admit that this is one actor that has completely escaped my notice, but I'll see if I can get my hands on one of his films.
I like the song - the way the 1970s rock music is juxtaposed with old movie clips - it shouldn't work, but it does. And you're right - the song can be the most difficult part in making a video, but you excelled with that, which makes your video all the better for it.
lovely actor. and my dear he is your granddaddy love and peace.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
@mooncove Thank you!!! My memory is better than I thought- I last saw that film about 40 years ago and loved it!!
Yes, Williams was fascinated by the darker psychopathic & criminal sides of human nature. His best plays often deal with these. He himself frequently played the villain. In 1937 - as shown in glimpses here - he portrayed Emperor Caligula in the uncompleted film 'I, Claudius'; the surviving footage (also featuring Charles Laughton & Robert Newton) shows Williams giving a stunning performance.
Years later he worked with Alfred Hitchcock.
... And, yes, he had blue eyes!
Thank you for this, its a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man. The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" fits perfectly too! x
Richest Burton's interview broght me here. The Who's Behind Blue Eyes is brilliant.
I consider him even bolder for having revealed his attraction to men in his 1961 autobiography; even if he did not come out and say the words, "I am gay." And he was always close friends with John Geilgud even during the time of his arrest. But he also makes it clear that he was attracted to women as well, and, in reading a bio of John Gielgud, I got the impression that, being bi (married with children), he was somewhat excluded from full membership in that "club." I do love his candor.
great tribute to a fine character actor, thanks!
love to see the whole film of last days of dolwyn...please up load it
It was lots of fun King. Thanks Luis
I'm related to him he's my great great grandmothers cousen
Very cool! Hope you liked the video. You haven't by any chance seen the material he'd written for his THIRD autobiography that his son donated to the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth, by any chance, have you? Or know of any recording of him delivering the speech at the national Eisteddfod in ... 1953, I think it was? I wish we could've heard him speaking Welsh in a film somewhere, but he wrote, acted in, directed, and cast himself as the villain--the only Welshman with an English accent!--in 'The Last Days of Dolwyn'! It was his first autobiography, 'George,' in which he shared some of the Welsh language in the beginning and described what sounded like such an idyllic location to grow up in, apart from having to walk--or bike--something like four miles each way to school and back every day, that got me interested in learning Welsh! (The Northern dialect, of course!) I just love a Welsh accent as well.
Thanks for your comment. I really enjoyed making it. So glad you like it!
Brilliant
@jamesjeffreypaul True ... maybe for my next tribute! But don't you love the way he replies to Robert Newton's surly curse with that stoic, "Thank you, Mr. Brodie"? Cracks me up every time. If you have a turntable, you can probably still buy his Dickens and Dylan Thomas LPs on eBay pretty cheap. I only wish I could find a recording of him performing Thomas's Fern Hill--or anything in Welsh!
Yes, he was famous for his Dickens readings, among other things, as stated in the video description. But for the record, he was bisexual, according to his two fairly detailed autobiographies. ("Of course"? Is there some obvious connection between doing readings from Dickens and being gay that I'm missing?)
@byrolinda We must be related, Emlyn was my Gran's first cousin
Was the first bit taken from "Hatter's castle"?
Yes! I just loved the way Brodie is so nasty and how calm, cool, and collected Emlyn is, as if Brodie'd paid him a compliment. Although his character is a villain too. I take it you've seen it? (Sorry, I'm just getting around to exploring all the new dashboard features on UA-cam 11 years later and seeing all the comments and questions I never answered!)
@coralarch Yes, it was. :)
None, what-so-ever. He was an interesting (now almost forgotten) stage and screen actor. In view of the multitude of gay actor greats of the 20th century, this must be considered a badge-of-honour, although it must have been played down by him in his autobiography, as even in the 70's, gays had not long been de-crimialised
If my memory serves me, Emlyn Williams was famous for his readings from Dickens. Simon Callow also did this sort of thing. Both gay of course
I like your video clip and have rated it as awesome. Please check out my latest one on some 1930's movie star tobacco cards, including Robert Taylor, Joan Crawford, Bing Crosby, Johnny Davis, Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Joan Crawford...