Edric Connor
Encyclopedia
Edric Connor was a pioneering calypso
singer, folklorist and actor who was born in Mayaro
, Trinidad
in 1913. He migrated in 1944 to the United Kingdom, where he chiefly lived and worked until his death from a stroke in London, England, at the age of 55.
In 1951 Connor was responsible for bringing the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra - TASPO
- to the Festival of Britain
. In 1956, he recorded the first Manchester United Football Club song, "The Manchester United Calypso".
That same year, he and his wife Pearl (1924-2005) set up the Edric Connor Agency, representing black actors, dancers, writers and musicians, which later, in the 1970s, she ran under the name of the Afro-Asian-Caribbean Agency. In 1963 they set up the Negro Theatre Workshop, one of the UK's first black theatre groups.
Connor appeared on stage in "Summer Song" at London's Princess Theatre in 1956. In 1958 he became the first black actor to perform for the Royal Shakespeare Company
in Stratford, playing Gower in Pericles. Connor acted in a total of 18 films and was best noted for his role as Daggoo in Moby Dick (1956). He has a prestigious annual award named after him, "The Edric Connor Inspiration Award" is made annually in his honour. It was won in 2011 by Sir Trevor MacDonald OBE, other previous winners being Moira Stuart
and Lenny Henry
. Connor's name is also associated with the "Trailblazers Award", of which a notable winner in 2003 was Rudolph Walker
who, coincidentally, in 1989, like Connor before him also played Gower in Shakespeare's Pericles.
In 1952, he and his band "Edric Connor and the Caribbeans" recorded the album Songs from Jamaica. This included the song "Day Dah Light", which portrayed the hard life of Caribbean field workers. The song was later recorded by Jamaican folk singer Louise Bennett in 1954, and was later rewritten by Irving Burgie and William Attaway in 1955. The version performed by legendary singer Harry Belafonte
became popularly known as "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", reaching number five on the Billboard charts in 1957, and was even featured in the popular film directed by Tim Burton
, "Beetlejuice", in 1988.
His acting for television included roles in the espionage series Danger Man
: as the character Thompson in "Deadline" (1962, the final episode of the first series, which unusually featured an almost all-black cast), and memorably as opposition leader Dr Manudu in the series 2 episode entitled "The Galloping Major" (first aired on 3 November 1964).
His daughter Geraldine Connor (1952-2011) - herself a singer and ethnomusicologist - was instrumental in bringing to light her father's autobiography, which was written in the mid-1960s and only finally published in 2006. In 2005, Geraldine accepted an award on behalf of the Connor family from the British Association of Steelbands, in celebration of her family’s contribution to the Promotion of Steelband Music, Caribbean Art, Culture and Heritage throughout the United Kingdom. The Edric and Pearl Connor Papers, 1941-1978 were donated to the Alma Jordan Library at the University of the West Indies
, St Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, and additional material on them is housed in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Calypso
Calypso is the name of one of the Nereids in Greek mythology. The word may also refer to:- In fiction :*Calypso , songs from The Books of Bokonon from Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle...
singer, folklorist and actor who was born in Mayaro
Mayaro, Trinidad
Mayaro is a town in Mayaro County on the island of Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago. The Rio Claro-Mayaro Regional Corporation is headquartered in Mayaro.-See also:* List of cities and towns in Trinidad and Tobago* Rio Claro, Trinidad and Tobago...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
in 1913. He migrated in 1944 to the United Kingdom, where he chiefly lived and worked until his death from a stroke in London, England, at the age of 55.
In 1951 Connor was responsible for bringing the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra - TASPO
TASPO (Steelband)
The Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra was formed to participate in the Festival of Britain in 1951. The group presented the newly invented Steelpan to an international audience.-Members of TASPO:...
- to the Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
. In 1956, he recorded the first Manchester United Football Club song, "The Manchester United Calypso".
That same year, he and his wife Pearl (1924-2005) set up the Edric Connor Agency, representing black actors, dancers, writers and musicians, which later, in the 1970s, she ran under the name of the Afro-Asian-Caribbean Agency. In 1963 they set up the Negro Theatre Workshop, one of the UK's first black theatre groups.
Connor appeared on stage in "Summer Song" at London's Princess Theatre in 1956. In 1958 he became the first black actor to perform for the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
in Stratford, playing Gower in Pericles. Connor acted in a total of 18 films and was best noted for his role as Daggoo in Moby Dick (1956). He has a prestigious annual award named after him, "The Edric Connor Inspiration Award" is made annually in his honour. It was won in 2011 by Sir Trevor MacDonald OBE, other previous winners being Moira Stuart
Moira Stuart
Moira Clare Ruby Stuart OBE is a British journalist who was the first African-Caribbean female newsreader on British television...
and Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry
Lenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
. Connor's name is also associated with the "Trailblazers Award", of which a notable winner in 2003 was Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
who, coincidentally, in 1989, like Connor before him also played Gower in Shakespeare's Pericles.
In 1952, he and his band "Edric Connor and the Caribbeans" recorded the album Songs from Jamaica. This included the song "Day Dah Light", which portrayed the hard life of Caribbean field workers. The song was later recorded by Jamaican folk singer Louise Bennett in 1954, and was later rewritten by Irving Burgie and William Attaway in 1955. The version performed by legendary singer Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
became popularly known as "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", reaching number five on the Billboard charts in 1957, and was even featured in the popular film directed by Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
, "Beetlejuice", in 1988.
His acting for television included roles in the espionage series Danger Man
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
: as the character Thompson in "Deadline" (1962, the final episode of the first series, which unusually featured an almost all-black cast), and memorably as opposition leader Dr Manudu in the series 2 episode entitled "The Galloping Major" (first aired on 3 November 1964).
His daughter Geraldine Connor (1952-2011) - herself a singer and ethnomusicologist - was instrumental in bringing to light her father's autobiography, which was written in the mid-1960s and only finally published in 2006. In 2005, Geraldine accepted an award on behalf of the Connor family from the British Association of Steelbands, in celebration of her family’s contribution to the Promotion of Steelband Music, Caribbean Art, Culture and Heritage throughout the United Kingdom. The Edric and Pearl Connor Papers, 1941-1978 were donated to the Alma Jordan Library at the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
, St Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, and additional material on them is housed in the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Selected filmography
- Cry, the Beloved CountryCry, the Beloved Country (1951 film)Cry, the Beloved Country is a 1951 British drama film directed by Zoltán Korda. Based on the novel of the same name by Alan Paton, it stars Canada Lee and Charles Carson.-Selected cast:*Canada Lee as Stephen Kumalo*Charles Carson as James Jarvis...
(1951) - West of ZanzibarWest of Zanzibar (1954 film)West of Zanzibar is a 1954 British adventure film directed by Harry Watt and starring Anthony Steel, Sheila Sim and Edric Connor.-Cast:* Anthony Steel - Bob Payton* Sheila Sim - Mary Payton* Edric Connor - Ushington* Orlando Martins - M'Kwongi...
(1954) - Moby DickMoby Dick (1956 film)Moby Dick is a 1956 film adaptation of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick. It was directed by John Huston with a screenplay by Ray Bradbury and the director. The film starred Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, and Leo Genn...
(1956) - Virgin IslandVirgin Island (film)Virgin Island is a 1959 British drama film directed by Pat Jackson and starring John Cassavetes, Virginia Maskell and Sidney Poitier. It is an adaptation of the novel Our Virgin Island by Robb White...
(1958) - The Vikings (1958)
- Roots of Heaven (1958)