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Autobiography #2
Emlyn
From an excerpt on the back "Emlyn is one of the best books on theatrical life". The story of a lonely Welsh boy who comes to London and persues a life in the theatre.
424 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 1974
24 people want to read
About the author
Emlyn Williams
116 books13 followersBorn George Emlyn Williams in Pen-y-Ffordd, Mostyn, Flintshire in northeast Wales on November 1905, he lived in a rural village in which Welsh was spoken until he was 12 years old, when his family moved to an English-speaking town, Connah's Quay. It changed the course of his life as it was there that the teacher Sarah Grace Cooke, recognizing his literary talent, encouraged him and helped him win a scholarship to Oxford, where he attended the college of Christ Church. She is immortalized in the character of Miss Moffat in his play, "The Corn is Green."
Williams' plays "Yesterday's Magic," "The Morning Star" and "Someone Waiting" were also performed on Broadway, and he had a success on the Great White Way as an actor himself in a solo performance as Charles Dickens, which he revived twice. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for 'A Boy Growing Up' (1958), an adaptation of a work by fellow Welshman 'Dylan Thomas'. The tribal Williams also nurtured the young Welshman Richard Burton, whom he directed in his first lead film role in 'The Last Days of Dolwyn' (1949). (Burton's professional stage debut had been in Williams' play "Druid's Rest," and Emyln Williams' son 'Brook Williams' became one of his life-long friends.) Williams was the godfather to his first daughter, 'Kate Burton', who is also an actress.
In addition to directing and acting in film, Emlyn Williams famously collaborated with the great director Alfred Hitchcock. Williams acted in and wrote additional dialog for both the original The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) and Jamaica Inn (1939).
Emlyn Williams wrote two memoirs, "George, An Early Autobiography" (1961), and "'Emlyn: An Early Autography, 1927-1935" (1974), as well as a 1967 non-fiction account of the Moors Murders entitled "Beyond Belief." His 1980 novel "Headlong" was adapted by David S. Ward into the movie "King Ralph" (1991). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1962.
When he died in 1987, Emlyn Williams had written or co-written 20 screenplays in addition to his 20 plays. As an actor, he had appeared in 41 films and teleplays, plus made numerous appearances on stage.
Williams' plays "Yesterday's Magic," "The Morning Star" and "Someone Waiting" were also performed on Broadway, and he had a success on the Great White Way as an actor himself in a solo performance as Charles Dickens, which he revived twice. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for 'A Boy Growing Up' (1958), an adaptation of a work by fellow Welshman 'Dylan Thomas'. The tribal Williams also nurtured the young Welshman Richard Burton, whom he directed in his first lead film role in 'The Last Days of Dolwyn' (1949). (Burton's professional stage debut had been in Williams' play "Druid's Rest," and Emyln Williams' son 'Brook Williams' became one of his life-long friends.) Williams was the godfather to his first daughter, 'Kate Burton', who is also an actress.
In addition to directing and acting in film, Emlyn Williams famously collaborated with the great director Alfred Hitchcock. Williams acted in and wrote additional dialog for both the original The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) and Jamaica Inn (1939).
Emlyn Williams wrote two memoirs, "George, An Early Autobiography" (1961), and "'Emlyn: An Early Autography, 1927-1935" (1974), as well as a 1967 non-fiction account of the Moors Murders entitled "Beyond Belief." His 1980 novel "Headlong" was adapted by David S. Ward into the movie "King Ralph" (1991). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1962.
When he died in 1987, Emlyn Williams had written or co-written 20 screenplays in addition to his 20 plays. As an actor, he had appeared in 41 films and teleplays, plus made numerous appearances on stage.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 3, 2019
A really fantastic memoir. Although most of the popular culture references went over my head, the emphasis on these parts of Emlyn's life are intriguing even to someone uninitiated. Regardless, the texture of London in the 1920s and 1930s shines through in a profoundly vivid way.
May 10, 2023
The author is excellent when it comes to expressing himself. There are some questionable private "behind-the-scenes" revelations which I would have been better off not reading.
Emlyn Wms. was obviously talented and brilliant though he over-shares in his book.
However, there is a major upswing toward the end which is worth all the discomfort I felt through the middle of the story. Though the author's revelations about himself are delicate and distasteful there is a pleasant surprise.
This author has so many dimensions to his writing I became progressively and happily astonished by the way he expresses himself. I would go so far as to say this particular writer's talent is unparalleld.
Emlyn Wms. was obviously talented and brilliant though he over-shares in his book.
However, there is a major upswing toward the end which is worth all the discomfort I felt through the middle of the story. Though the author's revelations about himself are delicate and distasteful there is a pleasant surprise.
This author has so many dimensions to his writing I became progressively and happily astonished by the way he expresses himself. I would go so far as to say this particular writer's talent is unparalleld.
March 17, 2022
I love it when a book I had little knowledge of turns out to be a delight!
Never having seen his plays or movies, I was unaware of Emlyn Williams’ story. The handsome photo of the Welshman on the cover of his autobiography caught my eye so I had to check it out on GR (4+). After a while I was drawn in to the exciting theatrical atmosphere of the 1920s/30s, the entertainment business in America and London, the creation of his plays - where his ideas came from, the actual writing process. More interesting though was his personal life, his happy relationship with his loveable parents, the demi-monde of the London gay theatrical world, his personal struggles with finding and keeping relationships - he delves into two important gay ones. He’s very forthright here, allowing us to follow him into the bedroom - and his discovery of a particular fetish. He’s also forthright when assessing his fellow actors, but never cruelly.
All round, it’s a picture of great warmth and honesty with some humour too. Williams is never pretentious, a downfall of many a successful artiste’s memoir. He comes across as being a good person - helping out his parents and alcoholic first lover and maintaining gratitude for an old schoolteacher who set him on the path to success. He doesn’t shy away from the darker moments when professional setbacks or personal events bring him to despair. His uninhibited writing on his gay life was incredibly daring for the early 1970s.
As for his actual writing, you know he is the smartest person in the room, certainly the most interesting with the ability to understand people and recreate them vividly on stage or as here in books. His great talent and prodigious energy led to his directing and acting in his own play before he was 30.
Published in 1973, it’s a pity Williams didn’t carry on with later autobiographical volumes (‘Emlyn’ was the second) - his life would have continued to make fascinating reading.
Not a five-star read because I had to skip over some of the details of performances - important for Williams but not now, 90 years later. Also, I think he omits some parts of his life - probably because they would have cast a poor light on others - but I believe he’s honest about himself, within reason!
Never having seen his plays or movies, I was unaware of Emlyn Williams’ story. The handsome photo of the Welshman on the cover of his autobiography caught my eye so I had to check it out on GR (4+). After a while I was drawn in to the exciting theatrical atmosphere of the 1920s/30s, the entertainment business in America and London, the creation of his plays - where his ideas came from, the actual writing process. More interesting though was his personal life, his happy relationship with his loveable parents, the demi-monde of the London gay theatrical world, his personal struggles with finding and keeping relationships - he delves into two important gay ones. He’s very forthright here, allowing us to follow him into the bedroom - and his discovery of a particular fetish. He’s also forthright when assessing his fellow actors, but never cruelly.
All round, it’s a picture of great warmth and honesty with some humour too. Williams is never pretentious, a downfall of many a successful artiste’s memoir. He comes across as being a good person - helping out his parents and alcoholic first lover and maintaining gratitude for an old schoolteacher who set him on the path to success. He doesn’t shy away from the darker moments when professional setbacks or personal events bring him to despair. His uninhibited writing on his gay life was incredibly daring for the early 1970s.
As for his actual writing, you know he is the smartest person in the room, certainly the most interesting with the ability to understand people and recreate them vividly on stage or as here in books. His great talent and prodigious energy led to his directing and acting in his own play before he was 30.
Published in 1973, it’s a pity Williams didn’t carry on with later autobiographical volumes (‘Emlyn’ was the second) - his life would have continued to make fascinating reading.
Not a five-star read because I had to skip over some of the details of performances - important for Williams but not now, 90 years later. Also, I think he omits some parts of his life - probably because they would have cast a poor light on others - but I believe he’s honest about himself, within reason!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews