| Paul Danquah | |
| Birth Name: | Joseph Paul Walcott |
| Birth Date: | 25 May 1925 |
| Birth Place: | London, England |
| Death Place: | Tangier, Morocco |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Actor, barrister |
| Alma Mater: | Inner Temple |
| Parents: | Bertha May Walcott and J. B. Danquah |
| Relatives: | Nana-Ama Danquah (niece) |
| Notable Works: | A Taste of Honey (1961) |
Paul Danquah, born Joseph Paul Walcott[1] (25 May 1925 - 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.[2] His father was the Ghanaian statesman J. B. Danquah.[3] [4]
He was born Joseph Paul Walcott in London, England, where he grew up.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7]
While still a student, Danquah made his acting debut in the British film A Taste of Honey (1961), featuring in the role of Jimmy.[8] He shared a kiss with his co-star Rita Tushingham, which she claims was the first interracial kiss on screen.[9] 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".[10] He presented the BBC Two television series Play School in 1965 and is reported to have been the first black presenter of a children's programme in the UK.[11]
Painter Francis Bacon lived with Danquah and Danquah's partner Peter Pollock (19 November 1919 – 18 July 2001) in their Battersea flat from 1956 to 1961.[12] During this period, in late 1961, Danquah arranged for Don Bachardy to draw Bacon.[13] Danquah moved with Pollock to Tangier, Morocco, in the late 1970s. In the late 1990s, Danquah and Pollock discovered a suitcase containing drawings by Bacon; these drawings were acquired by the Tate in 1996 and exhibited in 1999.[14] [15] [16]
Danquah died in Tangier on 13 August 2015 at the age of 90; according to his niece Meri Nana-Ama Danquah, he was buried in Boubana Cemetery, beside Peter Pollock, as he had requested in his will.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | A Taste of Honey | Jimmy | Directed by Tony Richardson | |
| 1966 | That Riviera Touch | Hassim | Morecambe and Wise comedy directed by Cliff Owen Uncredited | |
| 1967 | Maroc 7 | Police Officer | Directed by Gerry O'Hara | |
| 1967 | Smashing Time | 2nd Exquisite | Directed by Desmond Davis (final film role) |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Armchair Theatre | Flecker | Series 5, episode 17: "A Voice in the Sky" |
| 1965 | Danger Man | James Owen | Series 2, episode 22: "Parallel Lines Sometimes Meet" |
| 1965 | Play School | Himself | Presenter |
| 1966 | Danger Man | Cleaner | Series 3, episode 6: "The Mercenaries" |
| 1966 | Danger Man | Barman | Series 3, episode 12: "The Man on the Beach" |
| 1966 | The Avengers | Lieutenant Razafi | Series 4, episode 16: "Small Game for Big Hunters" |