Paul Danquah, born Joseph Paul Walcott (25 May 1925 â€" 13 August
2015), was a British film actor, known particularly for his role in
the film A Taste of Honey (1961), adapted from the 1958 play of the
same name written by Shelagh Delaney. He later became a barrister and
a bank consultant. His father was the Ghanaian statesman J. B.
Danquah.He was born Joseph Paul Walcott in London, England, where he
grew up. His mother, Bertha May Walcott, was English, and his father
Joseph Boakye "J.B." Danquah was a Ghanaian politician and traditional
aristocrat; Paul was the eldest of his many children from two
marriages and various relationships.Danquah studied law and was called
to the Bar at the Inner Temple, as well as in Ghana and in Washington,
D.C. He subsequently worked as a consultant with the World Bank until
his retirement in 1986, and while living in Washington befriended
African-American arts practitioners including Maya Angelou, James
Baldwin, Roberta Flack and Nina Simone.While still a student, Danquah
made his acting debut in the British film A Taste of Honey (1961),
featuring in the role of Jimmy. He shared a kiss with his co-star Rita
Tushingham, which she claims was the first interracial kiss on Screen.
A review in The New York Times noted: "Paul Danquah in his movie debut
as the Negro sailor, is gentle and subtle in a small but demanding
role". He presented the BBC Two television series Play School in 1966
and is reported to have been the first black presenter of a children's
programme in the UK.
2015), was a British film actor, known particularly for his role in
the film A Taste of Honey (1961), adapted from the 1958 play of the
same name written by Shelagh Delaney. He later became a barrister and
a bank consultant. His father was the Ghanaian statesman J. B.
Danquah.He was born Joseph Paul Walcott in London, England, where he
grew up. His mother, Bertha May Walcott, was English, and his father
Joseph Boakye "J.B." Danquah was a Ghanaian politician and traditional
aristocrat; Paul was the eldest of his many children from two
marriages and various relationships.Danquah studied law and was called
to the Bar at the Inner Temple, as well as in Ghana and in Washington,
D.C. He subsequently worked as a consultant with the World Bank until
his retirement in 1986, and while living in Washington befriended
African-American arts practitioners including Maya Angelou, James
Baldwin, Roberta Flack and Nina Simone.While still a student, Danquah
made his acting debut in the British film A Taste of Honey (1961),
featuring in the role of Jimmy. He shared a kiss with his co-star Rita
Tushingham, which she claims was the first interracial kiss on Screen.
A review in The New York Times noted: "Paul Danquah in his movie debut
as the Negro sailor, is gentle and subtle in a small but demanding
role". He presented the BBC Two television series Play School in 1966
and is reported to have been the first black presenter of a children's
programme in the UK.
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