Brook Williams

Actor Brook Williams appeared in several London stage shows and numerous films. He was the younger son of the famous actor and playwright Emlyn Williams and the brother of the novelist Alan Williams. Born in 1938, he was educated at Stowe School. As a child, he was befriended by the actor Richard Burton. In later years, he became Burton's personal assistant, advisor and collaborator. After serving in the RAF, he worked in repertory theatre and made his West End debut in 1958. In 1960, he appeared with Sir Donald Sinden in Terence Rattigan's ill-fated musical version of his play "French Without Tears, Joie de Vivre". He won critical acclaim for his role in his father's classic play, "The Corn is Green" (1964) and he later toured South Africa in Peter Shaffer's "Five Finger Exercise". He appeared with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in The V.I.P.S and went on to act in more than 100 films in cameo roles. Among his credits were The Sea Wolves (1980), Absolution (1978), The Medusa Touch (1978), The Heroes of Telemark (1965) and Richard Burton's last film, Wagner (1983). When Burton died in 1984, aged 58, Williams read at his funeral in Switzerland. "Burton as a lifelong friend was the concern, for a while the central occupation, of Brook Williams, the actor whose help was unstinted", said broadcaster and writer Melvyn Bragg. "It is easy to see why Rich found him to be such fine company and the quality of Brook's friendship speaks very highly for the man who greatly valued male friendships". Brook Williams's marriage to Liz Holloway was dissolved after ten years.