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Errol John began his professional career as a journalist and commercial artist in his native Trinidad. In 1946, he co-founded an amateur theatre group with Errol Hill called the Whitehall Players (also known as the Company of Players). While there, John worked in a number of different capacities including as a playwright. In 1950, he relocated to Britain, where he began acting in local stage productions. Work in film and television productions soon followed, but mostly in bit parts. A career breakthrough occurred when he was cast in a major role A Man from the Sun (1956) for the BBC in 1956.
The following year, his play, "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl," won the Observer Drama Competition. It was subsequently adapted for radio as "Small Island Moon," then staged as a play starring Earle Hyman at the Royal Court Theatre. While the initial stage production was not well-received, the television adaptation with John in the role was. It appeared as a segment of ITV Play of the Week (1955) in 1960. "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl" was brought to the United States in an off-Broadway production that was directed by George Roy Hill. This production featured James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, and Vinnette Carroll in the cast and received favorable reviews.
Meanwhile, John continued to work as an actor in television, film, and theatre. At London's Old Vic, John appeared as the Prince of Morocco in "The Merchant of Venice" and "Othello" in the title role.
On television, he wrote and appeared in "The Dawn," as an episode of the BBC series, First Night (1963). John did the same thing with "The Exiles" for BBC1's The Wednesday Play (1964) in 1969.
In the 1960s and 1970s, John appeared in supporting and bit roles in Hollywood films such as Assault on a Queen (1966) and Buck and the Preacher (1972). Previously, he had appeared in the critically acclaimed The Nun's Story (1959).
While Errol John achieved some recognition during his career, in his later years, he became increasingly frustrated by the entertainment industry and the lack of opportunities for him as an actor, director and writer.
Shortly, after the closing of a production of "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl" that was staged by Maya Angelou, Errol John was found dead in his London home on July 10, 1988.
