Welsh dramatist and actor, born 26 November 1905 in Mostyn, Flintshire, Wales, UK, died 25 September 1987 in London, England, UK.
From the 1950s until shortly before his death, he toured in several versions of his one-man show "Emlyn Williams as Charles Dickens", which he also recorded on LP and performed on television in two different versions. He also performed the show on Broadway.
Father of actor Brook Williams and novelist Alan Williams.
Was nominated for Broadways 1958 Tony Award as Best Actor for "A Boy Growing Up."
He was 12 when his family moved from the rural village of Pen-y-Fforddto to the English-speaking town of Connahs Quay. There, at Holywell County School, he caught the eye of his eccentric and forthright teacher Miss Sarah Grace Cooke. Cooke encouraged his literary talents and it was mainly through her efforts he won an open scholarship to go to Christ Church College Oxford.
Gave early encouragement to a young Richard Burton. In fact, Burtons stage debut, "The Druids Rest", and film debut, The Last Days of Dolwyn , were both written and directed by Williams. Later, his son Brook Williams , became a very close friend of Burton.
Was godfather of actress Kate Burton , daughter of Richard Burton.
He was awarded the CBE in the 1962 Queens Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.
His 1980 novel "Headlong" was loosely adapted as King Ralph , in which John Hurt played the role of Lord Percival Graves. Both Williams and Hurt played the Roman Emperor Caligula in adaptations of Robert Graves 1934 novel "I, Claudius": Williams in the unfinished film I, Claudius and Hurt in "I, Claudius" .
