Michael Williams (actor)

Williams was born on 9 July 1935 in Liverpool, Lancashire.

Williams married Judi Dench on 5 February 1971, the same year in which they co-starred in a stage production of John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi, and, as RSC actors, in Pack of Lies and Mr. and Mrs. Nobody.Senter, Al. A Brief Biography. Booklet accompanying 'The Judi Dench Collection'. BBC Worldwide, 6-DVD set, 2007. They had one daughter, Finty Williams, who is also an actress.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4710259/My-grandson-was-a-big-surprise.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126051611/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4710259/My-grandson-was-a-big-surprise.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 January 2015|title=My grandson was a big surprise|date=22 August 1997|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}} Williams was also godfather to the actor Rory Kinnear.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/rory-kinnear-good-show-sweet-prince-6541358.html|title=Rory Kinnear: Good show, sweet prince|date=10 April 2012 |publisher=standard.co.uk|access-date=2 November 2021}}

Williams was the President of the Roman Catholic Actors' Guild.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/459290.stm|title=Michael Williams: End of the fine romance|publisher=BBC|date=2001-01-16|quote = A devout Catholic, Michael Williams was a former President of the Roman Catholic Actors' Guild.|access-date=2010-09-13}}

File:Michael William's grave.jpg

Shortly before his death from lung cancer aged 65, Williams was appointed a Knight of St Gregory (KSG) by Pope John Paul II for his contribution to Catholic life in Britain. The honour was officially bestowed upon him at home on 10 January 2001. He died the next day,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1114233.stm |work=BBC News|date = 15 January 2001|access-date = 23 July 2021|title=Actor Michael Williams dies}} and was buried in the churchyard of St Leonard's, the Anglican parish church of Charlecote, Warwickshire. Williams was a fan of Everton FC.

Principal stage appearances; mostly with the Royal Shakespeare Company:{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/the-stage|title=The Stage in British Newspaper Archive|via=British Newspaper Archive}}

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• A Midsummer Night's Dream (1963)
• The Beggar's Opera (1963)
• The Representative (1963)
• King Lear (1964)
• The Comedy of Errors (1964)
• Marat/Sade (1964)
• The Jew of Malta (1964)
• Don't Make Me Laugh (1965)
• Timon of Athens (1965) - Painter
• Hamlet (1965)
• Tango (1966)
• The Taming of the Shrew (1967) - Petruchio
• As You Like It (1967)
• Troilus and Cressida (1968) - Troilus
• London Assurance (1970)
• The Merchant of Venice (1971)
• The Duchess of Malfi (1971)
• Henry V (1971) - Henry V
• Toad of Toad Hall (1972)
• Content to Whisper (1973)
• Jingo (1975)
• Too True to Be Good (1975)
• The Comedy of Errors (1976) - Dromio of Syracuse
• The Winter's Tale (1976)
• Schweik in the Second World War (1977)
• The Montrous Regiment (1978)
• A Village Wooing (1981)
• Quartermaine's Terms (1982)
• Pack of Lies (1983/4)
• Two into One (1984)
• Mr and Mrs Nobody (1986/7)
• Out of Order (1990)
• The Tempest (1995)
• The Round Dozen (1996)
• Brief Lives (1997/8)
• The Forest (1999)

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Also appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Theatre-Go-Round Festival, Round House Theatre, London, 1970.{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/63/Michael-Williams.html|title=Michael Williams Biography (1935-)|website=www.filmreference.com}}

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• {{IMDb name|id=0931302|name=Michael Williams}}
• [http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays_all?forename=Michael&surname=WILLIAMS&job=Actor&pid=4248&image_view=Yesamp;x=19amp;y=17 Performances listed in Theatre Archive, University of Bristol]

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Category:1935 births

Category:2001 deaths

Category:20th-century English male actors

Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Category:Deaths from lung cancer in England

Category:Dench family

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male radio actors

Category:English male stage actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:English male voice actors

Category:English Roman Catholics

Category:Male actors from Liverpool

Category:People educated at St Edward's College

Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members

Category:Knights of St. Gregory the Great

Category:Actors awarded knighthoods