Kenneth Williams 'Fantabulousa!'- Starring Michael Sheen.

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Nichole ♥

New member
I remember seeing this when it originally aired but can't remember much of it! (was about 3/4 years ago now) but am going to get the DVD. With the rescent upcoming release of BBC4 drama 'Hattie', it got me interested in the lives of many of the 'carry on' cast.

Hattie Jacques, Barbara WinRABor & Kenneth have always been my top 3 favourites from the carry on's. And Kenneth lived a pretty sad life.

I'm going to buy the DVD to re-jog my memory of this good movie biopic. I remember the ending being very sad! :(

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fantabulosa...ef=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1284999677&sr=8-2
 
Its excellent - Michael Sheen is just superb as Kenneth, but then again when isn't Michael Sheen superb. He's my favourite actor :)

It was sad, but then I think Kenneth was a troubled soul, he hated the fact he was gay, he thought is was dirty, its a shame but back then it wasn't as accepted as nowadays. I can't believe its 22 years since he died.

I am really looking forward to Hattie as well.
 
That whole strand of films has been excellent........the Kenneth Williams one, Hancock, Pete N Dud..........

As an aside........if you remember the beginning of the Kenny one, he was leaning out of the window in his flat having 'banter' with the road diggers outside

That flat was just round the corner from me..........the building has been demolished in the last couple of years and a glass office block built on the site..........

Kenny would have been distraught. He lived there most of his life !
 
If you want sad I can provide pictures of it. :(

From the how did you find this file (it's easy if you know how)
a blog originally posted on Myspace by an actor called David Benson who does an one-man show about Kenneth as well as one about Frankie Howerd every so often.

A few weeks ago he even did an Kenneth William Walking Tour. If they do another I'm hoping to go on that. :D

But anyhow, the interesting and rather sad story because of the photos of

How We Got The Last Pictures from Inside Kenneth William's Flat

http://davidbenson.webs.com/apps/bl...t-pictures-from-inside-kenneth-william-s-flat
 
I watched Unthinkable the other night and then I watched Special Relationship. Well that prompted me to watch Rise of the Lycans again and then I was watching Fantabulosa again.

I hate that Michael Sheen does that to me I end up going on a Sheen spree :o
 
Anyone here read his diaries?

My mum regretted reading them as they spoiled her image of him. Others have sympathy with that view but say they provide a great insight into a troubled sole.
 
Yes I've read his diaries. A very good book he was a tortured soul
Never came to terms with his sexuality and always felt that he should
have been what he considered a proper actor. There's no doubt he could
be very savage in his treatment of certain people. I alway liked him so it's
sad to see how lonely he was most of the time and the pain he was in
Anyone who is a fan of Kenneth Williams should get hold of this book
 
As well as the diaries, you need to read the letters. The diaries are obviously very internal and personal, while the letters have Ken "on show". The pair of them togetehr give a far more rounded image of the great man.

I hated Fantabulosa. I didn't feel I ever wanted to see Kenneth Williams's knob. The focus on sex and sexuality did not give a fully rounded image of him, and I felt it sold him short.

The book "Kenneth Williams Unseen" is great, and there's a new "official biography" due out ion the next couple of weeks. They should do the job better.

Also, try to track down Cor Blimey: a film from ITV in approx 2000, based on a play that ran at the National Theatre. It explores life behind the scenes of the Carry Ons, focussing on the Sid-Babs relationship, and Ken. Beautifully done. I watch it every so often, and always have a tear in the eye at the end, when
the real Barbara WinRABor comes on for a poignant little scene with Ken, talking about Sid.

The Hattie film will be great! Read the biography it's based on: she had an amazing life.
 
Well said that poster. The books are excellent. He started out as a 'serious' actor and was a wonderful speaker. I watched an old 'Audience with Kenneth WillIams' recently and it was still captivating even though it was some years old. . We have lost performers of his calibre and the world is a sadder place without them.
 
I don't think Fantabulosa was anything like Kenneth Williams!

I think too much has been "read backwarRAB" from the posthumously published diaries.

In fact, he was a very good "straight" actor. You wouldn't know that from the comedy performances ...........

(ocasionally, BBC radio 7 re-runs the 3 hour Kenneth Williams special ........ worth catching!).

(added) the diaries are bitchy, but that's just showbusiness, not particularly Kenneth!
 
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