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Horace James began acting at
the age of 7, but it was as a student at the Teachers' Training College
that his passion for the theatre grew. Upon his graduation, he founded
the San Fernando Drama Guild, where he directed several productions before
accepting a British Council scholarship to study theatre production at
the Oxford Playhouse in England.
In 1960 his reading of Afa in
Derek Walcott's Sea Dolphin, earned him a place in the Royal Academy
of Dramatic Art, which he took, thanks to a scholarship from the Trinidad
and Tobago government.
He stayed in England for close
to 13 years, broadening his acting experience on radio, screen and stage.
On the urging of Prime Minister Dr. Eric Williams, he returned to Trinidad
in 1973 and took up the post of drama producer at Trinidad and Tobago
Television, the country's first television station.
Those who worked with him during
the 70s and 80s when he brought local drama to the country's only television
station, recall him as a man who could do plenty with almost no money.
Productions like The Hibiscus Club, Play of the Month, Play
Your Cards Right and No Boundaries, were produced on shoestring
budgets. Over the years he was also part of several theatre groups, including
the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, Light Operatic Society, Three's a Crowd
and Company of Players. He made no apologies for his sometimes lax memory
and the need to consult the prompt corner at times when his mind went
blank. In fact it was his concern about forgetting lines that prompted
him to stop doing productions in 1985. He continued writing for comedy
productions and lent a hand to schools preparing dramatic productions.
In 1971 he was presented with
the Hummingbird Silver for his work in theatre. In 1998 he was presented
with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to local drama.
Hectic schedules spelt early
heart trouble for the talented actor, playwright, producer and comedian.
In spite of three bypass operations in the space of a decade, Horace James
succumbed to heart failure on June 17, 2000.
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