Bransby Williams

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's archive. For rights reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen fifty seven.

Presenter0:23

Desert Island Dimension.

Presenter0:32

Each week, a well-known person is asked the question, if you were to be cast away alone on a desert island, which eight gramophone records would you choose to have with you? Assuming, of course, that you also had a gramophone.

Presenter0:44

As usual, the week's castaway is introduced by Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:48

How do you do, ladies and gentlemen?

Presenter0:50

On our desert island this week is a famous actor and variety star who began his career back in the early 1890s and he's still hard at it. In fact, he's recently finished a new television series. It's Bransby Williams.

Presenter1:03

Well, Mr. Williams, I believe you've played in most parts of the world, but have you ever been on a desert island before?

Bransby Williams1:08

Oh, not that I know.

Presenter1:10

You know, it's strange to think that in your childhood there was no grammar phone at all. There wasn't even a a phonograph that played cylinders, wasn't it?

Bransby Williams1:17

Oh, well, my first memory is when Gladstone spoke.

Bransby Williams1:21

and they got his voice on a little cylinder.

Bransby Williams1:24

Well, in those days

Bransby Williams1:27

I began as a mona logo artist and they got me to do a mona logo on a cylinder.

Presenter1:32

Yeah.

Presenter1:33

Do you play the gramophone a lot nowadays?

Bransby Williams1:35

Mm-hmm.

Presenter1:35

Oh, M got one. Em told the PP's he's going to give you one now to take to your desert island. Oh.

Bransby Williams1:41

Yeah.

Presenter1:41

Did you find it a hard job to choose just eight records to take with you?

Bransby Williams1:45

Well, no. At first I looked through and I remembered all those I'd heard and

Bransby Williams1:51

Worried by some of the noises. I thought they were having conglomerations, but once you say it's by Mozart or it's by Beethoven, it's good.

Bransby Williams2:02

So

Bransby Williams2:03

I've thought

Bransby Williams2:05

How I should

Bransby Williams2:07

Two zoom

Bransby Williams2:09

And

Bransby Williams2:10

I'm choosing my records as a little memory of the person.

Bransby Williams2:14

Or something about it that brings it to life in this show.

Presenter2:18

For what's the first memory?

Bransby Williams2:19

Yeah.

Bransby Williams2:21

Well the first one I'm doing is

Bransby Williams2:23

Won by The Kentucky Minstrels.

Bransby Williams2:26

I I was fascinated at the time by carry me back to green pastures because it was accepted as a genuine old spiritual.

Bransby Williams2:38

And to everybody's surprise, it was written by dear old Harry Pepper.

Bransby Williams2:43

Well and I spent some happy times with Harry Pepper up at Bangum when we were all banished during the war.

Bransby Williams2:50

And I just want to add this record to remind me of those happy days.

Speaker 33:01

Mustard that long going to be carrying back the green musters that are the place for me.

Speaker 13:02

Fair enough to

Speaker 13:08

Happy Bright to free

Speaker 33:20

Oh lovely check and kings of the rock and before

Presenter3:46

The Kentucky Minstrel.

Presenter3:48

What's your second choice, mister Williams?

Bransby Williams3:50

My second choice is List's second Hungarian Rhapsody.

Presenter3:55

Uh

Bransby Williams3:55

Why?

Bransby Williams3:55

Because in my early days with the girls, my daughters and their friends, one of them was very fond of playing

Bransby Williams4:03

This um

Bransby Williams4:05

Number on the piano?

Bransby Williams4:07

And one day I said, Very, very good, but

Bransby Williams4:11

You know.

Bransby Williams4:12

You apply much better when you

Bransby Williams4:15

had a sorrow or some tragic experience.

Bransby Williams4:19

I lived to remember that, and so did she, for she had the sad

Bransby Williams4:23

He experienced a new life.

Bransby Williams4:26

And some years afterwards

Bransby Williams4:29

She sat there as a grown woman and played it and I said, There you are.

Bransby Williams4:34

It tells.

Bransby Williams4:35

There's m emotion in it and there's finish that you hadn't got before.

Bransby Williams4:40

And so

Bransby Williams4:42

I'd like to hear it all over again. Yeah.

Presenter5:43

The beginning of Liszt's second Hungarian Rhapsody played by Louis Kentner.

Presenter5:48

Mr. Williams, what brought you into the theatre? Was it in the family?

Bransby Williams5:52

Oh no, no, it was just boyish inclination, I suppose. I started

Bransby Williams5:58

Like all boys do when they want to disguise themselves in those days, they blacked up.

Bransby Williams6:03

I was a boy minstrel. But before all this

Presenter6:05

Bye.

Speaker 36:05

Yeah.

Bransby Williams6:07

I was intended to be a a parson.

Bransby Williams6:11

In fact, I was well known as the boy preacher of the Doctor Harry Grattan Guinness Mission. That surprises you.

Bransby Williams6:19

Then came the time when I

Bransby Williams6:22

Wanted to act.

Bransby Williams6:25

And so I played little parts in a little amateur dramatic company.

Bransby Williams6:30

And then I played better parts and the little company went round and played in working men's clubs.

Bransby Williams6:37

Uh

Presenter6:37

Uh

Bransby Williams6:37

What was it?

Presenter6:37

Your first professional engagement.

Bransby Williams6:40

Well, I suppose my first professional engagement was when I was engaged to go down to Brighton.

Bransby Williams6:46

In those days there was a theatre in the old aquarium.

Bransby Williams6:51

I remember I dressed among the seals and sea lions.

Bransby Williams6:56

What do you play?

Bransby Williams6:57

Oh, I was general.

Bransby Williams7:00

Dealer and bottle washer. I played anything and everything.

Bransby Williams7:05

Old men this week, young men next week.

Presenter7:07

How much money were you getting?

Bransby Williams7:09

Thirty bubble wave

Bransby Williams7:11

Well paid. What was your next job after that season of Brighton?

Bransby Williams7:15

After that season at Brighton

Bransby Williams7:20

Hi, Joinda.

Bransby Williams7:21

A melodramatic company.

Bransby Williams7:24

Went out in the smalls, the number twos and number threes, if you like. We played the old-fashioned

Bransby Williams7:32

Remember what I tell you.

Presenter7:35

Did you ever get stranded?

Bransby Williams7:36

Did I ever get stranded?

Presenter7:36

Did it?

Bransby Williams7:38

We did at Sittingbourne and it was at Christmas.

Bransby Williams7:43

We played a matinee, we played a night show.

Bransby Williams7:47

Played boxing day.

Bransby Williams7:49

and the next day

Bransby Williams7:51

The bloke runnin' the show had done a guy, and there we were left at Sittingbourne.

Presenter7:56

How did you get back to London?

Bransby Williams7:57

I walked it.

Presenter7:59

Oh dear.

Bransby Williams8:00

Yes, those were the days, my boy.

Bransby Williams8:04

I will

Presenter8:04

Interviewing a man with with such long and rich experience in a in a very limited time is rather frustrating and I'm afraid the next question I've got to ask is what's the next record you're going to choose?

Bransby Williams8:14

The next record

Bransby Williams8:17

Shall have been singing the song of the flea.

Bransby Williams8:21

You asked me why.

Bransby Williams8:23

Well, because

Bransby Williams8:26

I met Shaliapin in one of his recitals at Dublin.

Bransby Williams8:31

and he took a great fancy to me, and called me the greatest artist, etcetera. etcetera.

Bransby Williams8:37

and when he found I was going to be in Belfast the following week,

Bransby Williams8:41

And he was

Bransby Williams8:43

He invited me to meet him at supper after the show.

Bransby Williams8:47

So at Belfast after the show I

Bransby Williams8:50

went to his hotel

Bransby Williams8:53

And his season had ended. His manager was nearly

Bransby Williams8:58

mad with his worries of Shalepin during a tour showing so much temperamental

Bransby Williams9:05

But Chalepin now is finished. He came into the room, he threw off his dress coat, tore off his collar and ties, and said, I am finished now I am a man.

Bransby Williams9:18

Mm-hmm.

Bransby Williams9:19

And we had a wonderful evening, wonderful night.

Speaker 39:19

Uh

Presenter9:19

Yeah. Uh

Speaker 39:19

Yeah.

Presenter9:22

Well, to remind you of it, On Your Island hears the song of the flea.

Speaker 39:52

But come the boy to the key!

Presenter9:58

As well as the straight theatre, a great part of your career has been spent in the music hall, hasn't it? How did all that start?

Bransby Williams10:03

How did

Bransby Williams10:05

Oh, well when I was left stranded, something had got to be done.

Bransby Williams10:10

And so I thought, well now if I could get an audition to

Bransby Williams10:15

Be a mimic.

Bransby Williams10:17

So I got an audition of the London Shore District.

Bransby Williams10:21

I gave some invitations there, and they were a success.

Bransby Williams10:26

So big a success I was engaged to open properly on the Monday.

Bransby Williams10:31

On the Wednesday night I was hustled away from the

Bransby Williams10:34

the London shortage to the Tibolin

Bransby Williams10:37

and found there that Dan Lina, who was the greatest comedian of his day, was indisposed and they wanted a deputy, and I was put on as the deputy.

Presenter10:45

And not

Presenter10:48

After only three days in the music hall

Bransby Williams10:50

Three days in the musical and of course.

Bransby Williams10:53

Well, I was lucky enough to make a very big success and I stayed at the Turboli then for 12 weeks.

Bransby Williams11:00

Yeah.

Presenter11:00

Yeah.

Bransby Williams11:01

What you were as a mimic, uh who

Presenter11:02

Yeah.

Bransby Williams11:03

You were imitating. Come on. Comedians or actors? Oh, I did all the big comedians and then

Bransby Williams11:08

I did actors as well.

Presenter11:11

When did you start with your famous Dickens characterization?

Bransby Williams11:14

Well, when I was well established in variety I asked to be able to do Dickens' characters and in well in the end they

Bransby Williams11:23

Said yes, all right. Well, I made such a success with Dickens' characters that I've

Speaker 111:28

Yeah.

Bransby Williams11:29

Been called the Dickens man.

Bransby Williams11:32

and played Dickens' characters all over the world.

Presenter11:35

Yeah.

Presenter11:36

When did you start meeting?

Bransby Williams11:37

Yeah.

Presenter11:37

Mm-hmm.

Bransby Williams11:39

Ooh, I started making films in the very ancient days when they made

Bransby Williams11:44

Silent filmers in two or three weeks and

Bransby Williams11:49

We did it with all canvas scenery. Now, of course, it's all wonderful built stuff.

Presenter11:56

And since those days you've made many pictures.

Bransby Williams11:59

Yes

Bransby Williams12:00

Memories of some very happy times with John Baxter as my producer. We were playing The Common Touch, which is a very popular picture.

Bransby Williams12:10

Die played an old toy, Silla.

Bransby Williams12:13

And Mark Hamburg played him.

Bransby Williams12:15

An itinerant musician.

Bransby Williams12:18

He was in ragged clothes and on the piano he played.

Bransby Williams12:23

My next record, which is Tchaikovsky's Pianofort Concerto No. 1. This is played by Solomon.

Bransby Williams12:31

Well let's hear it.

Presenter13:29

Uh

Bransby Williams13:29

That's the way I'm

Presenter13:29

How do you enjoy working?

Bransby Williams13:31

In television.

Bransby Williams13:32

Oh, well, I've got used to television now. I mean, they laugh because they all say I'm so natural.

Presenter13:37

Yeah.

Bransby Williams13:39

You were a pioneer in television, too.

Presenter13:40

What

Bransby Williams13:41

But

Presenter13:41

Yeah.

Bransby Williams13:41

Well, I was such a pioneer in television that it was Baird who came to me and asked me if I would recite a verse of the

Bransby Williams13:50

We now the god.

Bransby Williams13:53

and they uh put me in a sort of telephone box.

Bransby Williams13:58

And there I stood and recited until I nearly went mad seeing red and black lines in front of me.

Bransby Williams14:05

But Bear came round excited and said it was a success. We saw you in the next room.

Bransby Williams14:11

Yeah.

Presenter14:11

Ha ha ha ha.

Presenter14:13

Oh let's have another record. What's number five?

Bransby Williams14:16

I've been thinking that, um

Bransby Williams14:19

There would come a time when I'd like a peaceful half an hour.

Bransby Williams14:23

But some of the people who I listen to on this desert island, they always have some damn noisy thing.

Bransby Williams14:30

Rattling away bow But if it's called Beethoven or Rachmaninoff

Bransby Williams14:37

Marvellous. It's music.

Bransby Williams14:39

So I thought I'd like a rest for

Bransby Williams14:42

few minutes and so I I've chosen the

Bransby Williams14:46

Cavaliery rusty corner.

Bransby Williams14:49

The intermediate.

Presenter14:49

There

Bransby Williams14:51

I should be nice and peaceful for a little while then.

Bransby Williams14:56

I could hear that there was a a monkey growling behind me.

Presenter15:56

The Intomezo from Cavalier de Rusticana. What's your next choice?

Bransby Williams16:02

Well the next joint is um bit of pump and circumstance by

Bransby Williams16:07

There we go.

Bransby Williams16:09

Oh, I've forgotten the year when

Bransby Williams16:12

There was the big exhibition at Wembley.

Presenter16:15

Twenty-three, wasn't it?

Bransby Williams16:16

Or twenty-four?

Bransby Williams16:18

It must have been somewhere about that time, anyway.

Bransby Williams16:22

I know I was lucky enough to get a seat among about twenty thousand people.

Bransby Williams16:27

King George the Fifth and Queen Mary drove round the arena.

Bransby Williams16:31

took their seats.

Bransby Williams16:33

And uh after

Bransby Williams16:36

A lot of pomp and ceremony.

Bransby Williams16:38

The orchestras were already in.

Bransby Williams16:41

I had the pleasure of seeing old Ilgo.

Bransby Williams16:45

Very round shouldered. Mount the rostum.

Bransby Williams16:48

and he conducted pomp and circumstance.

Bransby Williams16:52

And I just thought, well, that's a memory.

Presenter16:56

There it is.

Presenter18:03

Elgar's fourth pomp and circumstance march.

Presenter18:06

Now, Mr. Williams, we're we're dumping you on this island. How do you think you'd face your exile? Would would the solitude worry you?

Bransby Williams18:13

No.

Bransby Williams18:15

Wouldn't matter to you or anybody else if you did, would you?

Presenter18:18

Certainly not. No, we'll see you're rescued in pretty good time. Don't worry about it.

Bransby Williams18:19

Uh

Bransby Williams18:22

Oh, it says for life.

Bransby Williams18:26

I was imagining their finding their poor old bones and saying, Who was this guy?

Presenter18:26

How do you

Presenter18:32

Don't worry, we will see that you rescue someone. But during this this short time that you're on this island, could you look after yourself? Do do you like fishing, for instance?

Bransby Williams18:34

But during the

Bransby Williams18:41

Mm no, what's the good of saying all

Bransby Williams18:44

Oh, I do.

Bransby Williams18:45

But I'd have to do something.

Presenter18:48

Uh

Bransby Williams18:48

Mm-hmm.

Presenter18:48

So you've caught a fish, but you've got to get away from it.

Bransby Williams18:49

Why ever caught try a bunch of tiddlers and call them sprets?

Presenter18:54

Can you cook?

Bransby Williams18:57

No, I'm

Bransby Williams18:58

Boil an egg and cook a rasher of bacon.

Presenter19:01

Well, that's all right. That's good enough. You do very nicely on this island.

Bransby Williams19:04

Where's the button coming from?

Presenter19:06

I hadn't thought, but I'm sure it'll be there somehow.

Bransby Williams19:10

Well, you are you know more about it before I go, don't you?

Presenter19:14

The

Presenter19:14

You've never even contemplated for a minute retiring, have you?

Bransby Williams19:19

Not really retiring. I think a man's a fool if he gets if his mind's active.

Bransby Williams19:25

And I'm told that my mind is pretty active for my age, for I every day I get some new idea.

Presenter19:31

That's what keeps you so young.

Bransby Williams19:33

Very lightning.

Presenter19:34

Well, let's have your seventh record. What's that?

Bransby Williams19:37

By seven

Bransby Williams19:39

Andrew's Largo.

Bransby Williams19:42

Why? Because I was always fascinated with it as a youngster.

Bransby Williams19:46

I'm having Gladys Replace singing you.

Bransby Williams19:49

And I'm sure

Bransby Williams19:51

That'll always be fascinating, it'll always be restful, as I say again.

Bransby Williams19:57

Melody

Bransby Williams19:58

Beautiful melody.

Bransby Williams20:00

No skiffle.

Speaker 320:18

One of while never find shadow.

Speaker 320:28

Old and coin the

Speaker 320:31

What dear to me oh lovely

Presenter21:02

Now what's your last one, mister Williams? The last of your eight.

Bransby Williams21:04

No.

Presenter21:06

Uh

Bransby Williams21:06

And the last one

Bransby Williams21:08

It's going to be the only big noisy one that I've got.

Bransby Williams21:12

And that's the right of the Valkyries.

Bransby Williams21:16

I've listened to so many of them, having those noises all the way through.

Bransby Williams21:21

I thought myself well, I don't know.

Bransby Williams21:24

Poor old bloke sitting alone on a desert island sometimes

Bransby Williams21:28

I I shall want to feel that there is some life round me, so let's have the

Bransby Williams21:33

Ride of the Valkyrie Stan

Bransby Williams21:35

Stir things up a bit.

Presenter22:35

One more question, mister Williams.

Presenter22:37

As well as your aid records, you can take to the island a luxury while if you're chosen.

Bransby Williams22:43

Large enough it'll allow her to have reams and reams of paper.

Bransby Williams22:48

with enough pencils

Bransby Williams22:50

to be able to write diaries or thoughts.

Bransby Williams22:55

And they find it and they say

Bransby Williams22:57

I don't get rescued at all, mind you. They'll find the old man's bones in these manuscripts and say, Ah

Bransby Williams23:05

More dead sea fruit.

Presenter23:07

Don't worry, we're going to see that you're rescued. You shall have your paper and as many pencils as we can manage. And thank you, Bransby Williams, for letting us hear your choice of Desert Island discs, and we look forward to you entertaining us for many years to come.

Bransby Williams23:21

Thank you for asking me, and more so for putting up with me. All I hope is that I don't offend anybody.

Bransby Williams23:29

And please others as I try to please myself. So bye-bye, everybody. Goodbye, everyone. See you when I'm 90.

Presenter23:56

The guest in today's recorded programme was Bransby Williams and the interviewer Roy Plumley.

Speaker 124:05

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio four.