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Errol John began his career as a journalist and commercial artist in Trinidad. In 1946, he co-founded an amateur theatre group called the Whitehall Players (also known as the Company of Players) with Errol Hill. There, John took on various roles, including playwright. In 1950, he moved to Britain and started acting in local stage productions. He soon appeared in film and television, mostly in minor roles. His breakthrough came in 1956 when he landed a major role in the BBC production A Man from the Sun.
In 1957, his play "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl" won the Observer Drama Competition. It was later adapted for radio as "Small Island Moon" and then staged at the Royal Court Theatre, starring Earle Hyman. Although the initial stage production received a lukewarm response, the television adaptation featuring John was well-received. It aired as part of ITV Play of the Week in 1960. The play was also brought to the United States in an off-Broadway production directed by George Roy Hill, featuring James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, and Vinnette Carroll, garnering positive reviews.
John continued acting in television, film, and theatre. At London's Old Vic, he portrayed the Prince of Morocco in The Merchant of Venice and played the title role in Othello.
On television, he wrote and starred in "The Dawn," an episode of the BBC series First Night (1963), and did the same with "The Exiles" for BBC1's The Wednesday Play (1964).
During the 1960s and 1970s, John appeared in supporting roles in Hollywood films such as Assault on a Queen (1966) and Buck and the Preacher (1972). Earlier, he was featured in the acclaimed The Nun's Story (1959).
Although John gained some recognition during his career, he grew increasingly frustrated in later years with the entertainment industry and the limited opportunities available to him as an actor, director, and writer.
Shortly after a production of "Moon on a Rainbow Shawl" staged by Maya Angelou closed, Errol John was found dead in his London home on July 10, 1988.
