Errol John
Errol John (20 December 1924 – 10 July 1988) was a Trinidad and Tobago actor and playwright who emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1951. Biography. Early years in Trinidad. John was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on 20 December 1924, the son of professional cricketer George John, who as a fast bowler with the West Indian team toured England in 1923. Errol was home-schooled, before beginning his career as an artist and journalist. After deciding to pursue a career in acting, he joined the Whitehall Theatre Group in Trinidad. Move to Britain. Following the Second World  War, John moved to Britain in 1951 and continued to work in the theatre, appearing on the London stage in productions including "Salome" (1954), Carson McCullers' play "The Member of the Wedding" at the Royal Court Theatre (directed by Tony Richardson, 1957), "The Merchant of Venice" (1962), "Measure for Measure" (1963) and "Othello" (at the Old Vic, with Leo McKern and Adrienne Corri in the cast). He had several small roles in films such as "The African Queen" (1951), "The Heart of the Matter" (1953), "The Emperor Jones" (1953), "Simba" (1955), "The Nun's Story" (1959) and "Guns at Batasi  (1964). He gained a major role in the BBC's A Man from the Sun" (1956), alongside Cy Grant, Nadia Cattouse and Colin Douglas, and later had a significant role in the television series "No Hiding Place" (ITV, 1961) and in the six-part series "Rainbow City", written for him by John Elliot in collaboration with Horace James, who was cast in one of the other lead roles. Frustration at how few roles were available for black actors led John to playwriting. His first play was "The Tout" (1949), then in 1957 his "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl" won "The  Observer"s Play of the Year award. It was produced at the Royal Court in 1958, and in 1962 in New York City. In the UK there have been revivals at the Almeida Theatre (1988, directed by Maya Angelou), at Stratford East, and most recently at the Cottesloe Theatre, Royal National Theatre (2012) in an acclaimed production directed by Michael Buffong. Kate Kellaway in "The Observer" wrote: "It is marvellous to report that, 55 years on, this play, in its original version, holds its own and seems fresh as the day it was written." On 27 May 1958, John's adapted  version of the play for radio, entitled "Small Island Moon", was broadcast on the BBC's Third Programme. It was produced by Donald McWhinnie and Robin Midgley, with a cast led by John himself and including Barbara Assoon, Sylvia Wynter, Lionel Ngakane, Andrew Salkey, Robert Adams, and Sheila Clarke (Boscoe Holder's wife and lead dancer). Errol John's other writing included "Force Majeure", "The Dispossessed" and "Hasta Luego: Three Screenplays" (1967). For television he wrote "Teleclub" (1954) and "Dawn" (1963), and was also the author of "The Exiles", part of the BBC "Wednesday Play" series. He attempted to work  in the American film industry, but was limited to minor roles in "Assault on a Queen" (1966) and "Buck and the Preacher" (1972). John died in Camden, North London, 10 July 1988, at the age of 63. He was posthumously awarded the Trinidad & Tobago Chaconia Medal (Silver), for Drama, in 1988.