Born Brian Williams, he trained for the stage at RADA (Royal Academy
of Dramatic Art) and began his professional stage career at age 17,
after appearing in many plays over several years he developed into a
popular leading man with the Liverpool Repertory and on the West End.
Williams made his film debut in Charley's Aunt (1930) in the US where
he was additionally appearing on stage.
He landed some excellent leading roles in British films of the 1930s,
including Conrad Veidt’s partner in
Walter Forde’s archetypal
train thriller Rome
Express (1932), the caddish Gerald in The
Last Journey (1936), the redundant boyfriend in Bank
Holiday (1938) and the Scotland Yard detective in The
Dark Eyes of London (1939). In the course of WWII service he squeezed
in appearances in Ships
with Wings (1941), The
Day Will Dawn (1942) and One
of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942). After the war he settled into
character roles such as the blackmailed cabinet minister in An
Ideal Husband (1947), the avuncular Richard in The Holly and the
Ivy (1952) and Jack Hawkins golfing partner
in The Intruder (1953).
