Benjamin Percy Williams (6 October 1892 in

Glamorgan Glamorgan (), or sometimes Glamorganshire ( or ), was Historic counties of Wales, one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It is located in the South Wales, south of Wales. Originally an ea ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

– December 1959 in Chelsea,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

) was a British character actor from the 1930s to the late 1950s. During his career he appeared in 137 films. In 1954 Williams acted in the

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...

play ''

Under Milk Wood ''Under Milk Wood'' is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh people, Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. The BBC commissioned the play, which was later adapted for the stage. The first public reading was in New York City in 1953. A Under Milk Wood (1972 film), f ...

'' that won the

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award for radio drama that year. Originally a

miner A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, chalk, clay, or other minerals from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face (mining), face; cutt ...

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

, Williams served in the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and he was an Air Raid Warden in London during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Williams made his film debut in an uncredited role in the 1933 film ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a Concert Party (entertainment), concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established hi ...

''. Later appearances included roles in '' Tiger Bay'' (1934), '' Java Head'' (1934), '' Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor'' (1935), '' Boys Will Be Boys'' (1935), '' Flame in the Heather'' (1935), '' The Man Without a Face'' (1935), '' Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle'' (1935), '' Gay Old Dog'' (1935), '' Blue Smoke'' (1935), and '' Find the Lady'' (1936.Williams
on the

Internet Movie Database IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...

Other film appearances include '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' (1936), '' The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' (1936), '' Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel'' (1937), '' The Gables Mystery'' (1938), '' The Saint in London'' (1939), '' The Stars Look Down'' (1940), '' The Proud Valley'' (1940), '' Let George Do It!'' (1940), '' Old Mother Riley's Circus'' (1941), '' Old Mother Riley's Ghosts'' (1941), '' Love on the Dole'' (1941), '' "Pimpernel" Smith'' (1941), '' Hi Gang!'' (1941), '' Uncensored'' (1942), ''

Undercover A cover in foreign, military or police human intelligence or counterintelligence is the ostensible identity and role or position in an infiltrated organization assumed by a covert agent during a covert operation. Official cover In espionage, a ...

'' (1943), '' Get Cracking'' (1943), '' The Saint Meets the Tiger'' (1943), '' Murder in Reverse?'' (1945), '' Waterloo Road'' (1945), '' Give Me the Stars'' (1945), '' The Curse of the Wraydons'' (1946), '' Fame Is the Spur'' (1947), '' My Brother's Keeper'' (1948), '' Don't Ever Leave Me'' (1949), and '' Boys in Brown'' (1949). During the 1950s his film and television work included ''

Sunday Night Theatre ''Sunday Night Theatre'' was a long-running series of televised live television plays screened by BBC Television from early 1950 until 1959. The productions for the first five years or so of the run were re-staged live the following Thursday, ...

'' (

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) (1950), '' Dick Barton at Bay'' (1950), '' Mister Drake's Duck'' (1951), '' Lilli Marlene'' (1951), '' Women of Twilight'' (1952), '' Hindle Wakes'' (1952), '' Circumstantial Evidence'' (1952), '' Paul Temple Returns'' (1952), '' Face the Music'' (1954),Williams in filmandtv.com
'' Stryker of the Yard'' (TV series) (1957), '' Hell Drivers'' (1957), '' The One That Got Away'' (1957), and '' Armchair Theatre'' (1958). In 1954 he played Mr. Pritchard in an all-Welsh cast

version of ''

'' with

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s and gave a memor ...

. During his later years he lived in Mitre House on King's Road, Chelsea. His hobbies were listed as 'most sports'.''The Picturegoer's Who's Who and Encyclopedia'' (1933) Williams died in Chelsea in London aged 67. He was survived by a son, Philip Trigwell (born 1947) from a relationship with Etta Trigwell, and a daughter, Betty Hopkins (born 1917).

Selected filmography

* '' Blue Smoke'' (1935) * '' Gay Old Dog'' (1935) * '' Flame in the Heather'' (1935) * '' The Man Without a Face'' (1935) * '' The Crimes of Stephen Hawke'' (1936) * '' Find the Lady'' (1936) * '' Old Mother Riley's Circus'' (1941) * '' 'Pimpernel' Smith'' (1941) * '' Hi Gang!'' (1941) * '' We'll Smile Again'' (1942) * '' Gert and Daisy's Weekend'' (1942) * '' Front Line Kids'' (1942) * '' Theatre Royal'' (1943) * '' Dual Alibi'' (1947) * '' Nothing Venture'' (1948) * '' A Boy, a Girl and a Bike'' (1949) * '' The Girl Is Mine'' (1950) * '' Something in the City'' (1950) * '' Prelude to Fame'' (1950) * ''

Files from Scotland Yard ''Files from Scotland Yard'' is a 1951 British crime film directed by Anthony Squire and starring John Harvey (actor), John Harvey, Moira Lister and Louise Hampton. It was made as a second feature on a very low-budget, and the production company w ...

'' (1951) * '' Night Was Our Friend'' (1951) * '' Marilyn'' (1953) * '' There Was a Young Lady'' (1953) * '' You Pay Your Money'' (1957)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Ben 1892 births 1959 deaths Welsh male film actors Welsh male television actors 20th-century Welsh male actors Civil Defence Service personnel British Army personnel of World War I Royal Artillery soldiers Military personnel from Swansea