A service of thanksgiving for the life of Michael Williams, actor, was held yesterday at St Paul’s, Covent Garden. The Rev Mark Oakley officiated, assisted by Canon John McDonald.Mr Richard Henders read Sonnet No 116 by William Shakespeare and Mr Kenneth Branagh gave a reading. Mr Trevor Nunn gave an address and Mr John Moffatt and Mr Ned Sherrin paid tribute. Music by Patrick Doyle was played during the service. Among others present were:
Dame Judi Dench (widow), Miss Finty Williams (daughter), Mr and Mrs Paul Williams (brother and sister-in-law), Dr and Mrs Peter Dench (brother-in-law and sister-in-law), Mr and Mrs Paul Latham, Tom Latham, Matthew Latham, Mr and Mrs Declan Williams, Mr James Williams, Mr and Mrs Bernard Williams and other members of the family.
Sir Richard Eyre, Dame Maggie Smith, Sir Michael Parker, Sir Nigel Hawthorne, Sir Ian Holm, Sir Donald Sinden, Sir Peter and Lady Marychurch, Sir Brian Smedley, Lady Hall, Miss Celia Imrie, Miss Sue Jennings, Miss Geraldine James, Mr Charles Kay, Mr Jack Rosenthal and Miss Maureen Lipman, Mr Kevin Spacey, Mr Derek Gibney, Mr Sheridan Morley, Mr Richard E. Grant, Miss Elizabeth Bell.
Miss June Whitfield, Miss Samantha Bond, Mr Hugh Wooldridge, the Rev Phil Tate, Mr Timothy West, Mr Bryan Pringle, Miss Wendy Toye, Mrs Babs Powell, Mr and Mrs Patrick Allen, the Rev Patrick Moloney, Mrs Gordon Jackson, Miss Julia Mackenzie, Mr Bernard Cribbins, Mr Alan Plater, Mr David Rymer, Mr Keith Jeffery, Mr Alan Bennett.
The Rev Mr Jeremy Goossens, Miss Wanda Ventham, Mrs Jane Rodway, Mrs Louise Smale, Miss Mary Lloyd-Owen, Miss Anna Wing, Mr Frederick Treves, Mr Patrick Garland, Mr Marc Sinden, Ms Ruth Lidyard, Miss Virginia Denham, the Rev Robin Buchanan-Smith, Dr Robin and Dr Barbara Bonner-Morgan, Mr Christopher Biggins, Miss Polly Adams, Miss Anna Massey, Miss Jenny Funnell, Mr Keith Waterhouse, Miss Charlotte Bishop, Mrs Carmel Kinnear, Mr Rupert Belfridge, Mr Harry Towb, Mr and Mrs Tony Meehan, Mr Moray Watson.
Mr Robert Spooner (chairman, The Story of Christmas Appeal) with Mr Nicholas Hall (deputy chairman), Mr Nicholas Maclean (vice-chairman) and the Hon Deon Steyn (vice-chairman); Mr Adrian Noble (Royal Shakespeare Company), Miss Barbara Broccoli and Miss Ann Bennett (Eon Productions), Mr Charles Pemberton (vice-president of the Catholic Stage Guild) with Mrs Molly Steele and Mr Michael Slater; Mr Ian McGarry (General Secretary, Equity) with Mr Freddie Pyne (president); Mr Richard Price (chairman, Home Farm Trust) with other members; Mr Terence Duffy (St Edward’s College, Liverpool), Mr Ken Sephton (Gallery First Nighters Club).
Mr Paul Gane, Mr Henry McGee, Mr Eric Shorter, Ms Roslyn Foster and Ms Sharon Lomas (Royal Theatrical Fund), Mr Rodney West (director, London Arts Discovery), Mr James Penstone (vice-president, The Vic-Wells Association), Monsignor Vladimir Felzman (Chaplain, Knights of St Gregory).
Mr David Chivers with Mr John de Lannoy (Actors Church Union), Miss Enyd Williams (BBC), Mr Gordon House with Ms Janet Whitaker (BBC Radio Drama), Mr John Stirling (Michael Elliott Trust), Mr John Slocombe with Mr Kevin Dicker (Bournemouth Shakespeare Players), Mr Leo Simmonds (Association of Papal Knights), Mr John Bartlett, Mr Richard Porter with Mr Keith Murray (Theatre of Comedy and DLT Entertainment), Ms Sylvia Armstrong (Kidsactive), Mr Graham Desmond (Christians in Entertainment), Mr Clive Graham (The Duck), Mr James Simpson (Movie Memories magazine), Mrs Pat Baron (Help the Aged), representatives of the Royal Naval Reserves and many other friends and former colleagues.
Thanks to Mike Kennedy for sending this article which appeared in The Times on July 10, 2001