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vampyrate
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Introductions
Here's a place to tell us a little bit about yourself ... and what made you a fan of Emlyn Williams.
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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10/17/2006, 1:59 pm
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vampyrate
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Re: Introductions
I guess I'll get things started ... I'm the administrator of this board and, at present, still working on the biography section of the fansite that goes with this forum. I've been running a website on another favorite actor, Robert Newton (www.robertnewton.net) since 1999, and it was he who "introduced" me to the work of Emlyn Williams. I first saw Jamaica Inn back in 1978 looking to see another performance by the charismatic actor who had beguiled me as the unforgettable villain in both Treasure Island (1950) and Oliver Twist (1948). However, in 1939's Jamaica Inn I found myself beguiled by another unforgettable villain--Harry the Pedlar. In fact, during that viewing (in the age before VCRs!), I never did recognize Robert Newton as the sanitized, soft-spoken romantic hero ... because I couldn't take my eyes off the charismatic Harry. (I barely even noticed Charles Laughton as the over-the-top evil squire, if you can believe that!) Twenty-one years later, Williams's performance was still the only thing I remembered about the film, although somehow it never occurred to me to find out the name of the actor--I suppose it never occurred to me that there was an actor behind the character; in my mind he really was Harry!
It was while captioning photos for my Robert Newton site that I finally found out Emlyn Williams's name (indeed, encountered the name "Emlyn" for the first time!) ... and learned, to my surprise, that he was the esteemed author of another film I had seen, The Corn Is Green, starring Bette Davis. I then realized that he had appeared in four other films with Robert Newton: (Hatter's Castle, Major Barbara, and the uncompleted I, Claudius). But it was thanks to the documentary about the making of I, Claudius--The Epic That Never Was--in which we are treated to his charmingly dry wit in a series of interview segments (contrasted with his outrageously wicked performance as Caligula) that I became a full-fledged fan of Emlyn Williams and started actively seeking out his films.
Other than the aforementioned, I've since seen him in Evensong, The Citadel, The Stars Look Down, Last Days of Dolwyn, Another Man's Poison, Ivanhoe, I Accuse, The Wreck of the Mary Deare, Eye of the Devil, and David Copperfield, and am always impressed by his versatility and scene-stealing charisma, even in the smallest character parts. He's also held me spellbound with his non-fiction book Beyond Belief and charmed me with his novel Headlong. I'm still savoring his lyrical prose as I learn about his life through his two autobiographies, George and Emlyn.
Discovering the unfortunate absence of a comprehensive fansite about him, I figured it was high time somebody made one. I hope my site and this forum will provide a place for Emlyn Williams fans to meet, chat, and learn more about him, as well as to introduce him to new fans.
Susan
Last edited by vampyrate, 10/21/2006, 8:13 pm
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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10/21/2006, 8:01 pm
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Kat1121
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Re: Introductions
I stumbled on this site by accident, but glad to see that Emlyn Williams is not forgotten! If I had the time, I would have loved to put together a site like this. Sorry to see there are not more people here.
I have written about Williams from the film/theatre history perspective. I became interested in his work at different times. When I was in my early 20's and was involved in theatre work, I saw him onstage in New York with his one-man show on ****ens. At that point, I went out and read "The Corn is Green" and "Night Must Fall" and didn't think too much more about him.
Fast forward some 20 years and my now-husband is teaching a university history course and using the text of Ivanhoe to teach romanticism. Naturally, he had to get the DVD; we watched it, I saw Williams's name in the credits, remarked I had seen him on stage and thought he was better known as a playwright and didn't think too much more about him.
Then about two years ago, we picked up the knockoff DVD, Pirates of the Seven Seas, which includes a version of Jamaica Inn with minimal cuts. Like Susan and some other people I've since spoken with, I, too, was seduced by Harry the Pedlar. It must speak to our characters that we could find charm in such a devious little psychopath!
Anyway, when I realized that Harry the Pedlar and Wamba the Fool were the same actor, plus being a playwright, it finally clicked that this was someone worth studying and I never looked back. Even the newest edition to the resident cat tribe is named "Emlyn."
So, I will try to make some posts, time allowing. I have a fair amount of theatrical material and have seen a number of movies not cited here. Also, Susan, I have photos which I would be happy to share if you are looking for more for your gallery.
Regards,
Kat in New Jersey
PS: My husband and I are Robert Newton fans, as well. We are convinced that pirates did not say "aarrgghh" until Newton did, and that saying "aarrgghh" actually grew out of the voice for James Brodie in Hatter's Castle.
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1/27/2007, 12:57 pm
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vampyrate
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Re: Introductions
Hi, Kat,
I'm so glad you found this site and also to meet another fan! (And also one who was seduced by Emlyn's Harry the Pedlar.) Thanks for sharing your story. I've been surprised all this time that no one had ever made a fansite about him and was afraid he was all but forgotten except in serious theatre circles. (As you can see by the unfinished biography, time has been my problem too!) You're so lucky to have gotten to seen him. Had I but thought to learn more about him earlier, I might have had the opportunity as well. BTW, weren't you (and your husband) disappointed in the differences between the book and movie versions of Ivanhoe? But then maybe that's a question for the Ivanhoe topic ...
Thank you for the offer of photographs. I'd sure love to see them, but if I add them to the site, I should probably start a second gallery, since the current one's already getting a little unwieldy. But knowing that there are other fans out there who want to see them (are there any others lurking out there???), I'll be glad to post them. Thanks!!!
Arr, glad to hear you're both Robert Newton fans as well!
Susan
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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1/27/2007, 4:44 pm
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htrm
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Re: Introductions
I am very glad to have found this site!
I too was introduced by chance when watching "Jamaica Inn". A few months ago I moved to a place where I only get PBS, so my live-in boyfriend decided that I needed to start buying us $1 DVDs from the dollar store and Wal-Mart. Last week while standing in line at Wal-Mart, probably around 2AM, I noticed a $1 DVD bin, rumaged through it, and pulled out several movies, including a 4 movie Alfred Hitch**** DVD. A few nights ago we got around to watching "Jamaica Inn" and I instantly thought that the man playing Harry must be somebody. Since my boyfriend fell asleep during it, I got to watch it again the next night and to really pay attention to his character. His character was so amusingly devious and the actor seemed so talented and intelligent that this movie has been on my mind ever since.
It wasn't until the next day when I was able to look up the movie and its actors online that I really became enthralled. He was such a lucky man to be so multi-talented and to get to make use of his talents. We, in turn, are so lucky that he was. Such gifted people always amaze me.
I don't want to have to wait to see more of his acting, but unfortunately I must, at least until I am able to find more of his films. I am also greatly looking forward to reading his novels, plays and biography, my three favorite forms of writing.
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8/10/2007, 7:36 pm
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vampyrate
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Re: Introductions
Greetings! I'm glad you found this site too. Welcome!
I hope you're able to find more of Emlyn Williams's movies in short order. The only one I ever found in the $1 bin at Wal-Mart was David Copperfield though; I haven't seen it there in a while, but you might get lucky. Ironically, considering all the shows he performed as Charles ****ens, he only speaks one line in the film, but if you watch carefully (his hair had all gone white by that time), you'll see him throughout--whenever Aunt Betsy's on the scene, so is he--usually in the background doing some great mugging.
Have you tried your local library? I found that's a great source for videos; that's where I found one of his earliest films, Evensong. Another likely possibility is Major Barbara (although he's only in the first half of that, but he's really funny as Snobby Price). The Epic That Never Was documentary, which includes the completed scenes of Emlyn as Caligula in I, Claudius (an awesome, just-over-the-top performance) as well as later interviews with him, which are all priceless (you're perception is correct; he was very intelligent, with a very dry, often biting, wit), can be found at the end of the last volume of the BBC/Masterpiece Theatre version of I, Claudius from the 1970s--also probably available at most libraries. You might find Ivanhoe as well; it's shown fairly frequently on TCM. (So are I Accuse and The Wreck of the Mary Deare, with Eye of the Devil, The Citadel, and Another Man's Poison showing up occasionally too, although I don't know their status on video.) Hatter's Castle is a tough one ... unless you know somebody. ;-) Some others show up on eBay, but they're usually not cheap. I've probably only managed to track down about half his movies myself. (The books are much easier.)
Let us know how your quest is coming along, and let us know what you think of the films/performances, as well as his writings! It's always great to meet other Emlyn Williams fans. :-) He really should be much better known!
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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8/10/2007, 8:41 pm
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RICKY RICARDO
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Re: Introductions
Hi, thought I'd join in on Emlyn too!
It's me Elizabeth, most of you already know who I am, if not, my name's Elizabeth, I'm 17 years old, I was born in the wonderful, fab, London, England and I currently live on the East coast in Florida.
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11/12/2007, 8:36 pm
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vampyrate
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Re: Introductions
Welcome, Elizabeth. Glad you found your way over here. Looking forward to some good discussion. (Sorry I haven't been posting much--I've just been too tired to come up with anything intelligent to say!)
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"It's all rather stylish and pretty and rather worrying" --Timothy Spall on his costume in Sweeney Todd
"He must have been fun." --Emlyn Williams (liner notes from "Emlyn Williams as Dylan Thomas in 'A Boy Growing Up'")
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11/13/2007, 11:44 pm
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RICKY RICARDO
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Re: Introductions
I know how that is Susan!
did you see the avatar Eva made of Bob? it's on the RN forum, it's great.
I like mine better though! haha!!
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11/15/2007, 8:05 pm
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Spev
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Re: Introductions
Oh how wonderful I don't need to bother signing into a new place or thinking up a username or anything - what a genius of an idea!!!
Marvellous!!!
(see, Susan, I did promise I would make a point of dropping by - shall now go and peruse a few threads and see what's what!!)
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I never understood the invention of water - it ain't fit to touch and it ain't fit to drink neither!!
Soldier's Three
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7/13/2008, 5:14 pm
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