- The adopted son of Jack and Hannah Graham, William, whose given name was Edward, was born in Darlington, Co. Durham. He studied dancing from an early age and later performed with Don Sorrento's Accordion Band and a concert party. Aged 13 he entered and won a Carroll Levis talent show at the Darlington Hippodrome. He then toured with the Levis show for a year. He was one of a thousand boys to audition for the title role in "Just William's Luck" and then played the part again in "William Comes to Town". He also played William on stage. After National Service (in the Medical Corps in 1950) William worked as a dancer and choreographer at London's Windmill Theatre until its closure in 1964. He then appeared in the Sandy Wilson musical, "Divorce Me, Darling", at the Players and Globe Theatres, London, and in TV commercials for Omo washing powder. His last show business work was as one half of dance act Graham and Shack, who appeared on TV's "Opportunity Knocks" and later at the Crazy Horse in Paris and in pantomime with Bruce Forsyth. He retired in 1970 and after running several small businesses, including a post office in Kensington, London for 7 years and a sweet shop in Taplow, Bucks., William retired to Exmouth, Devon. His wife, Brenda, died after 54 years of marriage. The couple had three sons and ten grandchildren. In 2013 William was filmed for the BECTU History Project and interviewed by me for the industry journal "The Veteran".- IMDb Mini Biography By: David McGillivray
- Wiliam Graham sprang to fame as the mischievious schoolboy William Graham in the two films based on the childrens novels by Richmal Crompton, Just Wiliam's Luck and William Comes to Town, The son of a railway blacksmith he'd been seen by a talent spotter doing a song and dance routine in a talent show at the Darlington Hippodrome (now the Darlington Civic Theatre} resulting in the films but his career came to a halt when he was called up for army service in 1950. By 1954he was back on stage as a song and dance man at London's Windmill Theatre in Piccadilly where he was in residence for 9 years followed by 9 years advertising soap powder before he retired in 1970. He and his wife :Brenda. who have 3 sons, then ran a post office in Kensington,. West London for 7 years then after various jobs he jumped at the chance to run convenience store.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- SpouseBrenda (her death, 3 children)
- When Val Guest started interviewing for the role of William in the William films Carrol Levis recommended William.
- His dog Jumble, in the William films, was rescued from Battersea Dogs Home.
- His father was a blacksmith.
- He was picked from over 1,000 boys to play the part of William.
- Lived at Lansdowne Street in Darlington. and learnt to dance at 4 by improvising steps while listening to the radio.
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