Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent

Overlooked black actor may have been most prolific in early British cinema

A close-up of a wide-faced black man in small round glasses reacting severely to something off-camera
Lucius Blake as ‘African Prince’ in the 1944 British film fantasia Dreaming. Photograph: none

Look up the actor Lucius Blake on IMDb and you’ll find just two official credits to his name. Google him, and his presence is practically nonexistent. But over the course of a 25-year career as a self-described “film artist” Blake appeared in more than 30 British films – making him possibly the most prolific black actor in early British cinema.

Now, Blake’s life and career have come to light after extensive research by a film historian who says the story of his erasure is far from unique.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.