I . Williams
the common name for WilliamsF1 (‘Williams Formula One’), a British company that makes racing cars and organizes teams of drivers, mechanics (= people skilled in working on engines), etc. to enter competitions. It was established in 1977 by Frank Williams (1942– ) and Patrick Head (1946– ), and has been one of the most successful teams in motor racing.
II . Andy Williams
(1930– )
a US popular singer. His hits include Moon River (1963) and Born Free (1967). He had his own television series, The Andy Williams Show (1970–1), on which the Osmonds first became famous.
III . Hank Williams
(1923–53)
the most important early singer and writer of US country music . His sad voice and simple songs influenced many later singers. His best-known songs include Lovesick Blues (1949), Your Cheatin’ Heart (1953) and Take These Chains from My Heart (1953). Williams drank too much alcohol and died young. He was chosen for the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961. In a film about his life, Your Cheatin’ Heart (1964), his songs were sung by his son Hank Williams, Junior (1949– ).
IV . J P R Williams
( John Peter Rhys Williams 1949– )
a famous Welsh Rugby Union player. He was a skilful defensive player, and played 55 times for Wales between 1969 and 1981, more than any other player in the history of Welsh Rugby. He also played eight times for the British Lions .
V . Kenneth Williams
(1926–88)
an English actor, well known for his funny, exaggerated way of speaking. He appeared in several popular radio comedy programmes, but is perhaps best remembered for acting in the Carry On films .
VI . Robbie Williams
(1974– )
a British pop singer. He began his career as a member of the group Take That but left them in 1995 to perform on his own. His successful records have included Angels (1997) and Rock DJ (2000), and the albums Life Thru a Lens (1997), Sing When You’re Winning (2000) and Escapology (2002).
VII . Robin Williams
(1952– )
a US actor known for his energy and wild humour. He began his career on the television comedy series Mork and Mindy (1978–82). He has won an Oscar for Good Will Hunting (1998) and Golden Globe Awards for Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), The Fisher King (1991) and Mrs Doubtfire (1993). His other films include Dead Poets Society (1989), The Bird Cage (1996), Flubber (1997) and Insomnia (2002).
VIII . Rowan Williams
(1950– )
the Archbishop of Canterbury since 2003. He was born in Wales and was Archbishop of Wales before becoming leader of the Anglican Communion .
IX . Serena Williams
(1981– )
a US tennis player who has won several singles grand slam titles and a number of doubles titles with her sister, Venus Williams .
X . Shirley Williams
(1930– )
an English politician. She began her career in the Labour Party and was a member of the Cabinet in the 1970s. In 1981 she left Labour to help set up the SDP . She was made a life peer in 1993.
XI . Tennessee Williams
(1914–83)
a major US writer of plays. These were often set in the South and about people with emotional and sexual problems, which many people found shocking when the plays were first performed. Two of his 24 plays, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), won Pulitzer Prizes . Others included The Glass Menagerie (1945), Sweet Bird of Youth (1959) and Night of the Iguana (1961). There were film versions of many of them.
XII . Venus Williams
(1980– )
a US tennis player, the older of the Williams Sisters , who has won several singles grand slam titles, as well as a number of doubles titles with her sister, Serena Williams .