Kenneth Williams
4 Extra Debut. From Beethoven to Tchaikovsky. Actor Kenneth Williams shares his castaway music choices with Michael Parkinson. From 1987.
Actor Kenneth Williams is castaway by Michael Parkinson.
For 40 years he has occupied a unique place on stage, screen and radio.
Kenneth recalls his long career which has ranged from working on radio classics like Hancock's Half Hour and Round the Horne to being a regular member of the cast in the Carry On films.
DISC ONE: Gabriel Fauré’s Barcarolle No.1 in A minor, Op.26 - Paul Crossley
DISC TWO: Alfred Tennyson/Roger Quilter’s Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal - Kathleen Ferrier
DISC THREE: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 'Spring' - 1st movement - Itzhak Perlman, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy
DISC FOUR: Jaime Ovalle’s The Bluebird - Gérard Souzay
DISC FIVE: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C major - Academy of St Martin in the Fields, conducted by Neville Marriner
DISC SIX: Francisco Tárrega’s Adelita (from Three Mazurkas) - Julian Bream
DISC SEVEN: Franz Schubert’s Piano Trio No. 1 in B flat major – 2nd movement - Oistrakh Trio
DISC EIGHT: Johannes Brahms’s Wenn ich mit Menschen (from Four Serious Songs, Op.121) - Hermann Prey
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Ludwig van Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 'Spring' - 1st movement - Itzhak Perlman, conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy
BOOK CHOICE: The Golden Treasury - Francis Palgrave
LUXURY CHOICE: Crate of Cologne
Producer: Ray Abbott
First broadcast on Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 in July 1987.
***
This programme is part of Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra’s THE VERSATILE VOICE OF KENNETH WILLIAMS
This is our celebration marking what would have been the actor's 100th birthday on 22 February 2026.
Last on
Broadcast
- Sun 22 Feb 2026 06:00Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
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