Johnny Sekka
Encyclopedia
Johnny Sekka was a British film and television actor
.
Born Lamine Sekka in Dakar, Senegal, the youngest of five siblings, his Gambian
father died shortly after his birth. When he was still young, his Senegalese mother sent him to live with an aunt in Georgetown (now Janjanbureh
) in the Gambia
, but he ran away to live on the streets in the capital, then known as Bathurst (now Banjul
). In the Second World War, he worked as an interpreter at an American air base in Dakar.
He then worked on the docks. When he was 20, he stowed away
on a ship to Marseilles, and lived for three years in Paris
. He arrived in the UK in 1952, and served in the RAF for two years, but then West Indian actor Earl Cameron
persuaded him to become an actor, and he attended RADA
. He became a stagehand
at the Royal Court Theatre
, and appeared on stage in various plays from 1958. He had a small part in the 1958 film version of Look Back in Anger
, directed by Tony Richardson
, who had seen him on stage. He took a leading role in the 1961 film Flame in the Streets
, playing the Jamaica
n boyfriend of the (white) daughter (played by Sylvia Syms
) of a liberal working-class trades unionist (played by John Mills
). He lived for a period in Paris, where he met his wife, Cecilia Enger.
He continued in British films during the 1960s, portraying stereotypical roles, such as a butler
in the film Woman of Straw
(1964), and in other films, such as East of Sudan
(1964), Khartoum
(1966) and The Last Safari
(1967). He also appeared on television, in programmes such as Z-Cars
, Dixon of Dock Green
, Gideon's Way
, and a 1968 episode of The Avengers
. In 1968, he also played the lead role in a West End
production of Night of Fame. According to his obituary in The Times, this was the first time that a black actor had played a role written for a white man in English theatre. He was seen as a British equivalent to Sidney Poitier
, and was frustrated that actors who started out at around the same time as him - such as Sean Connery
, Terence Stamp
, Michael Caine
, Tom Courtenay
and John Hurt
- had become stars, and he had not.
Sekka eventually moved to the United States
with the aim of getting better roles. He had a minor part in the films A Warm December
(1972) and Uptown Saturday Night
(1974), both directed by Poitier. The first also featured Earl Cameron
and the second Bill Cosby
and Richard Pryor
. These roles led to a more memorable role in the sitcom Good Times
, where he portrayed Ibe, Thelma's (BernNadette Stanis) African love interest. In 1976, he starred in the movie Mohammad, Messenger of God (also known as The Message) about the origin of Islam
and the message of Muhammad, in which he played Muhammad's Ethiopia
n disciple Bilal
. He appeared in the 1982 film Hanky Panky
.
He was not cast in Roots
(1977), being considered insufficiently American, but secured a role in the sequel, Roots: The Next Generations
(1979), playing an African interpreter. Sekka is widely known among science fiction
fans for his role as Dr. Benjamin Kyle
in the television series Babylon 5's
pilot movie, The Gathering
(1993). Recurring health problems forced him to decline a future role in the series.
at his ranch in Agua Dulce, California
, aged 72, survived by his wife Cecilia and son Lamine.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Born Lamine Sekka in Dakar, Senegal, the youngest of five siblings, his Gambian
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
father died shortly after his birth. When he was still young, his Senegalese mother sent him to live with an aunt in Georgetown (now Janjanbureh
Janjanbureh
Janjanbureh or Jangjangbureh is a town, founded in 1832, on Janjanbureh Island in the Gambia River in eastern Gambia. It was formerly known as Georgetown and was the second largest in the country. It is now the capital of the Central River Division and is best known as home to Gambia's main prison...
) in the Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
, but he ran away to live on the streets in the capital, then known as Bathurst (now Banjul
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
). In the Second World War, he worked as an interpreter at an American air base in Dakar.
He then worked on the docks. When he was 20, he stowed away
Stowaway
A stowaway is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as an aircraft, bus, ship, cargo truck or train, to travel without paying and without being detected....
on a ship to Marseilles, and lived for three years in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He arrived in the UK in 1952, and served in the RAF for two years, but then West Indian actor Earl Cameron
Earl Cameron (actor)
Earl Cameron, CBE is a Bermudian actor. He is known as one of the first black actors to break the "colour bar" in the United Kingdom, along with Cy Grant...
persuaded him to become an actor, and he attended RADA
Rada
Rada is the term for "council" or "assembly"borrowed by Polish from the Low Franconian "Rad" and later passed into the Czech, Ukrainian, and Belarusian languages....
. He became a stagehand
Stagehand
A stagehand is a person who works backstage or behind the scenes in theatres, film, television, or location performance. Their duties include setting up the scenery, lights, sound, props, rigging, and special effects for a production.-Types of stagehand:...
at the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
, and appeared on stage in various plays from 1958. He had a small part in the 1958 film version of Look Back in Anger
Look Back in Anger (film)
Look Back in Anger is a 1959 British film starring Richard Burton, Claire Bloom and Mary Ure and directed by Tony Richardson.It is based on John Osborne's play of the same name about a love triangle involving an intelligent but disaffected young man , his upper-middle-class, impassive wife , and...
, directed by Tony Richardson
Tony Richardson
Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson was an English theatre and film director and producer.-Early life:Richardson was born in Shipley, Yorkshire in 1928, the son of Elsie Evans and Clarence Albert Richardson, a chemist...
, who had seen him on stage. He took a leading role in the 1961 film Flame in the Streets
Flame in the Streets
Flame in the Streets is a 1961 British drama film directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring John Mills, Sylvia Syms, Brenda De Banzie, Earl Cameron and Johnny Sekka.-Synopsis:...
, playing the Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n boyfriend of the (white) daughter (played by Sylvia Syms
Sylvia Syms
Sylvia M. L. Syms OBE is a British actress. She is probably best known for her roles in the films Woman in a Dressing Gown , Ice-Cold in Alex , No Trees in the Street , Victim and The Tamarind Seed...
) of a liberal working-class trades unionist (played by John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
). He lived for a period in Paris, where he met his wife, Cecilia Enger.
He continued in British films during the 1960s, portraying stereotypical roles, such as a butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
in the film Woman of Straw
Woman of Straw
Woman of Straw is a 1964 British crime thriller starring Gina Lollobrigida and Sean Connery. It was directed by Basil Dearden and written by Robert Muller and Stanley Mann, adapted from the 1964 novel by Catherine Arley.- Plot :...
(1964), and in other films, such as East of Sudan
East of Sudan
East of Sudan is a 1964 British action film directed by Nathan Juran and featuring Anthony Quayle, Sylvia Syms and Derek Fowlds. All of the action scenes were taken from the 1939 film The Four Feathers, and the 1956 films Odongo and Safari....
(1964), Khartoum
Khartoum (film)
Khartoum is a 1966 film written by Robert Ardrey and directed by Basil Dearden. It stars Charlton Heston as General Gordon and Laurence Olivier as the Mahdi and is based on Gordon's defence of the Sudanese city of Khartoum from the forces of the Mahdist army during the Siege of Khartoum.Khartoum...
(1966) and The Last Safari
The Last Safari
The Last Safari is a 1967 British adventure film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars Kaz Garas and Stewart Granger.-Cast:*Kaz Garas as Casey*Stewart Granger as Miles Gilchrist*Gabriella Licudi as Grant*Johnny Sekka as Jama...
(1967). He also appeared on television, in programmes such as Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
, Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
, Gideon's Way
Gideon's Way
Gideon's Way is a British television crime series made by ITC Entertainment in 1964/65, based on the novels by John Creasey . The series was made at Elstree in twin production with The Saint TV series...
, and a 1968 episode of The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
. In 1968, he also played the lead role in a West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
production of Night of Fame. According to his obituary in The Times, this was the first time that a black actor had played a role written for a white man in English theatre. He was seen as a British equivalent to Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier
Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE is a Bahamian American actor, film director, author, and diplomat.In 1963, Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field...
, and was frustrated that actors who started out at around the same time as him - such as Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
, Terence Stamp
Terence Stamp
Terence Henry Stamp is an English actor. Since starting his career in 1962 he has appeared in over 60 films. His title role as Billy Budd in his film debut earned Stamp an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer.His other major roles include...
, Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
, Tom Courtenay
Tom Courtenay
Sir Thomas Daniel "Tom" Courtenay is an English actor who came to prominence in the early 1960s with a succession of films including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner , Billy Liar , and Dr. Zhivago . Since the mid-1960s he has been known primarily for his work in the theatre...
and John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
- had become stars, and he had not.
Sekka eventually moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with the aim of getting better roles. He had a minor part in the films A Warm December
A Warm December
A Warm December is a 1974 film directed by and starring Sidney Poitier....
(1972) and Uptown Saturday Night
Uptown Saturday Night
Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 comedy film written by Richard Wesley, and directed by Sidney Poitier. Poitier also stars in this film, along with Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte. Cosby and Poitier teamed up again for Let's Do It Again and A Piece of the Action...
(1974), both directed by Poitier. The first also featured Earl Cameron
Earl Cameron (actor)
Earl Cameron, CBE is a Bermudian actor. He is known as one of the first black actors to break the "colour bar" in the United Kingdom, along with Cy Grant...
and the second Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
and Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
. These roles led to a more memorable role in the sitcom Good Times
Good Times
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
, where he portrayed Ibe, Thelma's (BernNadette Stanis) African love interest. In 1976, he starred in the movie Mohammad, Messenger of God (also known as The Message) about the origin of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and the message of Muhammad, in which he played Muhammad's Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n disciple Bilal
Bilal ibn Ribah
Bilal ibn Rabah or Bilal al-Habashi was an Ethiopian born in Mecca in the late 6th century, sometime between 578 and 582.The Islamic prophet Muhammad chose a former African slave Bilal as his muezzin, effectively making him the first muezzin of the Islamic faith...
. He appeared in the 1982 film Hanky Panky
Hanky Panky (film)
Hanky Panky is a 1982 comedy film that stars Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner. The film is directed by Sidney Poitier. Wilder first met Radner during filming of this movie; the two later married.-Plot:...
.
He was not cast in Roots
Roots (TV miniseries)
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still...
(1977), being considered insufficiently American, but secured a role in the sequel, Roots: The Next Generations
Roots: The Next Generations
Roots: The Next Generations is a 1979 television miniseries that continues the story of the family of Alex Haley from the 1880s, and their life in Henning, Tennessee, to the 1960s, with Haley researching his family history and his travels to Africa to learn of his ancestor, Kunta Kinte...
(1979), playing an African interpreter. Sekka is widely known among science fiction
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
fans for his role as Dr. Benjamin Kyle
Benjamin Kyle
Doctor Benjamin Kyle is a fictional character from the universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, portrayed by Johnny Sekka. His only appearance was in the Babylon 5 pilot movie The Gathering.-Character background:...
in the television series Babylon 5's
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
pilot movie, The Gathering
Babylon 5: The Gathering
Babylon 5: The Gathering is the pilot movie of the science fiction television series Babylon 5. The telefilm aired on February 22, 1993...
(1993). Recurring health problems forced him to decline a future role in the series.
Death
Ultimately, his health issues were the reason he retired from acting altogether. He died of lung cancerLung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
at his ranch in Agua Dulce, California
Agua Dulce, California
Agua Dulce is a census-designated place located in Los Angeles County, California. It lies at an elevation of 2,526 feet . Agua Dulce is located just north of Santa Clarita. The town has a population of about 4,000. It is located at and covers a geographic area of about...
, aged 72, survived by his wife Cecilia and son Lamine.
External links
- Obituary at Variety.com (subscription required)
- Obituary, The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 29 September 2006 - Obituary, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 29 September 2006 - Obituary, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 5 October 2006