Frank Williams (actor)

Frank Williams (actor)

Frank Williams (born 2 July 1931) is an English actor.

Born in London, Williams was educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex. He appeared regularly in the TV series The Army Game (1957-60) as Captain Pocket. His film roles include Norman Wisdom films: The Square Peg (1958), The Bulldog Breed (1960), and A Stitch In Time (1963). He had a leading role in the BBC TV series Diary of a Young Man (1964), which was partly directed by Ken Loach, in addition to small parts in numerous popular TV series of the 1950s and 1960s. It is for his role in Dad's Army though, as the Reverend Timothy Farthing, that Williams is best known.

In 1970, he starred with Tessie O'Shea in the short-lived sitcom As Good Cooks Go. In 1967 and again in 1971, Williams appeared in an episode of All Gas and Gaiters as one of the vicars choral. In 1972, at the height of his Dad's Army fame, he had a cameo role in Monty Python's Flying Circus. He also had an occasional role as a Bishop in You Rang, M'Lord?.

He has lived for many years in Edgware, Middlesex. Until 2000, he was a lay member of the General Synod of the Church of England. Williams was a guest on This Morning on Thursday 31 July 2008, talking about Dad's Army with fellow cast members, Ian Lavender and Bill Pertwee. He also appeared on BBC1's Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army show on Sunday 3 August 2008.

He is the author of several plays, including 'The Playing Fields' and 'Murder Weekend', some of which have been performed in the pro-amateur theatre.

His autobiography, Vicar to Dad's Army - the Frank Williams story, was published in 2002.

Williams is the patron of Veneratio, a charity established to counter the social isolation of the elderly.