Obscurity of Lucius Blake emblematic of erasure of minorities from early British film history, says researcher
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.
One of the significant factors behind Blake’s invisibility, Jacobs said, was the neglect of early British sound films. The period is often remembered through the lens of a handful of well-known stars, rather than for its many rich ensemble casts. He travelled on to the UK in the 1920s, where he made his film debut, seemingly with no previous acting experience. His personal life was equally fascinating, taking him from a sensational trial for his attempted murder to serving in his fifties as a stretcher-bearer during the London blitz.
“While the problem is one shared by numerous character actors of the period , actors of colour appeared predominantly in these smaller or more obscure roles, so their absence from most histories of the period is more keenly felt,” he said.
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