Actors pay last respects to gentle Catholic star

BY HON JOHNSTONE
Chasms the actors church, Corpus Christi, Covent Garden, nine photographers loitered. Inside, a packed congregation celebrated a Requiem Mass for Michael Williams, one of Britain's best loved actors.
The Mass, in the presence of Mr Williams's widow, Dame Judi Dench, was concelebrated by Mgr Vladimir Felzmann, Fr Paul Jennings, Canon John McDonald, Fr Pat Moloney and Canon Daniel Cronin.
Mr Williams. who died in January aged 65, was a Knight of St Gregory, as well as the vice-president of the Catholic Stage Guild.
Covert journalists scrib bled as Richard O'Callaghan, stage guild chairman, read the first prayer.
Then 34 fresh-faced members of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Singers led the congrega
tion in a rendition of "Guide me, 0 thou great Redeemer".
Actors Bryan Murray and Penny Ryder stepped up for the readings. The choir sang Elgar. Charlotte Williams was the soloist in Mendelssohn's Elijah, as was Evelyn Nicholson for Faure's Pie Jesu Domine.
Proceeds from the Offertory were donated to the cancer charity Marie Curie Cancer CARE.
During Holy Communion, Reginald Eppey, who has performed at the Royal Opera House, sang Cesar Franck's Panus Angelicus.
Famous names abounded: Frank Finlay. in Garrick Club tie, received Holy Communion as did Brian Murphy, Milo O'Shea and Barry Foster.
A sun-tanned Geoffrey Palmer chuckled as Russ Abbot (Michael's co-star in TV's September Song) gave an amusing and emotionally articulate eulogy on a gentle man known for his probity as much as for his perceptive acting. Toby Stephens offered the actor's prayer.
The congregation were then asked to wait till Dame Judi left, as she had to rush to the Haymarket Theatre for a matinee performance of The Royal Family.
As the organist played excerpts from Handel's Messiah, she thanked the resplendent papal knights and the concelebrants, before heading off to work.
Dame Judi Dench was joined at the Requiem Mass by her daughter Finty Williams, as well as numerous friends and colleagues.