Rainbow City (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Rainbow City is a British
television
series made by the BBC
and shown in 1967.
The series is notable for being the first British TV series to feature a black actor, Errol John
, playing the lead character. John starred as John Steele, a black solicitor and the series dealt with his personal and professional problems living and working in the multi-ethnic community of Birmingham
. Also highly significant was the fact that Steele's marriage was inter-racial. Steele's white wife Mary was played by Gemma Jones
, who would go on to star in the BBC's 1970s period drama The Duchess of Duke Street
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series made by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and shown in 1967.
The series is notable for being the first British TV series to feature a black actor, Errol John
Errol John
Errol John was a Trinidadian actor and playwright.Born in Trinidad, he was home schooled then began his career as an artist and journalist. Deciding to pursue a career in acting, he joined the Whitehall Theatre Group...
, playing the lead character. John starred as John Steele, a black solicitor and the series dealt with his personal and professional problems living and working in the multi-ethnic community of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. Also highly significant was the fact that Steele's marriage was inter-racial. Steele's white wife Mary was played by Gemma Jones
Gemma Jones
Gemma Jones is an English character actress on both stage and screen.-Early life:Jones was born in London, England, the daughter of Irene and Griffith Jones, an actor. Her brother, Nicholas Jones, is also an actor...
, who would go on to star in the BBC's 1970s period drama The Duchess of Duke Street
The Duchess of Duke Street
The Duchess Of Duke Street is a BBC television drama series set in London between 1900 and 1935. It was created by John Hawkesworth, the former producer of the highly successful ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs...
.