Ronnie Williams
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Williams (29 March 1939
- 28 December 1997
) was a Welsh
actor and comedian.
Williams struggled with his choice of an acting career, making an isolated television appearance in The Wednesday Play
in 1966. He worked as a bus conductor before finding fame with his appearances on Welsh language
television
, working as a continuity announcer and newsreader for BBC Wales
. In 1970 he teamed up with Ryan Davies
, and they enjoyed a successful comedy series, Ryan & Ronnie, first on BBC Wales
and later, in English, on BBC1. Although Davies was seen as the more talented member of the duo, Williams made a major contribution to the writing of the series. The break-up of the partnership in 1975 was put down to Ronnie's ill-health (he was suffering from severe depression
), but it was Davies who died suddenly in 1977. In the 1970s, Williams also owned the White Lion pub at Cerrigydrudion
, Clwyd
.
He continued to appear on Welsh-language TV and was one of the stars of the film, Twin Town
(1997). He also starred in Crime Pays (Mae'n Talu Withe), a bilingual S4C film, directed by Christopher Monger. Ronnie took his own life in 1997 at Cardigan Bridge in the county of Ceredigion
.
1939 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1939 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - vacant*Princess of Wales - vacant*Archbishop of Wales - Charles Alfred Howell Green...
- 28 December 1997
1997 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1997 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - Charles, Prince of Wales*Princess of Wales - vacant*Secretary of State for Wales - Ron Davies...
) was a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
actor and comedian.
Williams struggled with his choice of an acting career, making an isolated television appearance in The Wednesday Play
The Wednesday Play
The Wednesday Play was an anthology series of British television plays which ran on BBC1 from October 1964 to May 1970. Every week's play was usually written for television, although adaptations from other sources also featured...
in 1966. He worked as a bus conductor before finding fame with his appearances on Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, working as a continuity announcer and newsreader for BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
. In 1970 he teamed up with Ryan Davies
Ryan Davies
Ryan Davies was a popular Welsh entertainer of the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in the Carmarthenshire village of Glanamman in the Black Mountain, Wales, and was educated in Bangor and at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His first professional appearance was in the National Eisteddfod of...
, and they enjoyed a successful comedy series, Ryan & Ronnie, first on BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
and later, in English, on BBC1. Although Davies was seen as the more talented member of the duo, Williams made a major contribution to the writing of the series. The break-up of the partnership in 1975 was put down to Ronnie's ill-health (he was suffering from severe depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
), but it was Davies who died suddenly in 1977. In the 1970s, Williams also owned the White Lion pub at Cerrigydrudion
Cerrigydrudion
Cerrigydrudion is a village and its surrounding parish in Conwy County Borough, north Wales. Previously it was part of the historic county of Denbighshire and then Clwyd. The village formerly lay on the A5, but a short by-pass now takes the road along the south-western edge of the village...
, Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...
.
He continued to appear on Welsh-language TV and was one of the stars of the film, Twin Town
Twin Town
Twin Town is a 1997 revenge comedy film made and set in South West Wales. It was directed by Kevin Allen and had a working title of Hot Dog; a hot dog van features in a number of scenes in the film. It stars real-life brothers Rhys Ifans and Llŷr Ifans and also features Dougray Scott...
(1997). He also starred in Crime Pays (Mae'n Talu Withe), a bilingual S4C film, directed by Christopher Monger. Ronnie took his own life in 1997 at Cardigan Bridge in the county of Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
.