City To Host Theatre Renaming Ceremony
The City of Hamilton formally confirmed that City Hall Theatre will be renamed the Earl Cameron Theatre in honour of veteran Bermudian actor Earl Cameron, and said the renaming ceremony will take place on Monday November 5 at City Hall. Mr. Cameron arrives on the island this weekend with his wife Barbara to participate in the formal ceremony.
Mr Cameron is a legendary figure who broke down many racial barriers as a black actor in the British film scene during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Born in Bermuda in 1917, his career has spanned several decades and over sixty films and television programs.
He moved to Britain prior to World War Two and after a career on London’s West End stage made his film debut in the well-received thriller “Pool of London” in 1950 — becoming one of the first black actors to star in a British movie.
By the mid-1950s Mr. Cameron was an established star in the UK and he worked steadily in movies, the theatre and in television. He appeared in dozens of films and episodic TV shows and starred with Sean Connery in the 1965 ‘Thunderball’ playing Pinder, the British secret service’s Head of Station in the Bahamas. He also portrayed African dictator Edmond Zuwanie in the 2005 movie ‘The Interpreter‘ alongside Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn.
In 2007 the Bermuda International Film Festival presented Mr Cameron with its Prospero Award for lifetime achievement in cinema, and in 2009 he was named as a Commander of the British Empire for services to the dramatic arts.
Now in his mid 90s, Mr Cameron continues to work as an actor.
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Bravo!!
Earl was great in his latest role in the film INCEPTION!
Sorry. Not another re-naming. It’s beyond crazy.
Is it just me that thinks too many things have been renamed , I liked Bermuda International Airport , Warwick sec , Sandys sec ect. I’m all for honoring our heros but there should be a better way.
I agree not a big fan of the renaming stuff I am more focused on the success of Earl Cameron’s career as an artist.
But I do feel that Bda has to do something for Earl whether you respect art or not you have to respect what he has done in his career.
Maybe instead of renaming they could have done something ORIGINAL for Earl and as time goes on I am sure people will do more original stuff for him.
@dreamwithin a dream—-I agree with your comments, I think people that bought their own buildings have a right to name them eveything else should be generic so that we don’t have as much confusion..Like Sir John Swan, He was owner, CEO, Boss, Gibbons Co..Family, Ardie Blacks,A.S.Coopers—So if you own the business, bought the building, employed people , then I am all for you..Being black is not an achievement, doing a good job is expected and also compensated through wages, ..it takes a lot to make an impression on the World stage because that means you become a global entity, like Clarence who has the only Bronze medal from the Olympics, you can look him up and find his name globally.. he could have been given more consideration,… We really need to think seriously about all of the renaming,tourist will eventually forget to come here because there is no WOW! factor..We need to be a bit more consistent with our names and they should be enshrined for at least a hundred years, for the purpose of history as well..If a person founded a school that name should remain but just being a good teacher , principal or person no matter how exceptional is not good enough to be changing names over! congrtulations Mr. Cameron, I do love those Bond movies and they will go on forever!
Very well put, honoring his achievments as a “black” man, in my opinion, dishonors his achievments as a person. Its 2012, the color of his skin doesn’t matter, his personal achievments do. I really don’t care if they honor him this way or make a statue, I will remember him for what he is, kinda like I just left Dismonts.
It’s still City Hall. Still a Theatre.
Next.
And the AG Show is still the AG Show. The airport is still the airport. It can’t be anything else but INTERNATIONAL!
Another PLP accomplishment. Silly renaming.
Throughout history there has always been the naming and renaming down through the centuries and it will never change and I agree with the renaming of the Theatre and must remember that there are those like Mr Earl Cameron that has a legacy that we all should be proud of in Bermuda and if the truth be told many may look at it as a black and white thing but before the P.L.P came into power there was nothing in this country named after a black person in the public sector.
Everything was named after a white person and most of whom we can not even identify with then or now and the majority was after english royalties that never lived here or done much or anything at all fopr this country,so I say well done to a born Bermudian who lives in the U.K but still proud to be Bermudian and where proud to reconize him for his great achievements,especially the fact that he had to come up against alot of opposition in his begining of his career and he was not readily accepted and had to fight to be accepted and his hard work and preserverance paid off in the end and hopefully before he passes on they will honor him by giving him the title Sir Earl Cameron
Why? That would be colonial. The plp is getting rid of all that crap/history.
If you really knew Mr Cameron you would understand his love for his native Bermuda but equally loves the United Kingdom.which has been his home for decades
I know what he did for himself and for blacks actors internationally. He moved to the UK in the 1930s. What has he done for Bermuda?
Um.
A couple of things:
1. As to the renaming of things. The City Hall (and it’s theatre) are owned by the Corporation of Hamilton. If they so choose to rename the theatre after the most successful Bermudian actor, then that is their prerogative. I think it’s fitting.
2. Secondly, notwithstanding perceptions on Mr. Cameron’s accomplishments as a “black” actor, the reality is that in the 1960′s Mr. Cameron broke through a very significant colour barrier. His accomplishments as a black man are even more significant (not diminished by that fact) because of the racial climate of that era.
Kudos to the Corporation of Hamilton for bestowing this honour on a great and deserving Bermudian. Thank you to Mr. Cameron for paving the way for other young black actors who have come behind you.
So the PLP/CoH have plenty of time to arrange a renaming ceremony but can’t seem to sign an existing Code of Conduct commitment. What will they rename next? Front Street? Reid Street?
PLP – Standing strong for themselves at the expense of the electorate since 1998.
As has been mentionned in the past, the CoH is – in fact – a PLP marionette, so this renaming should not surprise anyone.
The fact that they chose Mr. Cameron is a VERY GOOD thing! He is a good man, who has flown the BDA flag from afar & in the Entertainment world for many years. Good for him – what an honor!
You people in this country are really starting to disgust me!
The Corporation of Hamilton is a non-government entity, thus they can do whatever they would like with their theatre.
Yes, Mr. Cameron is black and broke many barriers for blacks in the 1960s in the UK – especially for black actors – but that is not why he is being honoured.
Yes, Mr. Cameron has been living in the UK for many years, but he is a very proud Bermudian who returns to the island regularly – but that is not why he is being honoured.
The reasons Mr. Earl Cameron is being honoured? Here’s a list:
Filmography
Pool of London (1951)
Emergency Call (1952)
“Heart of the Matter” (1953)
Simba (1955)
The Woman for Joe (1955)
Safari (1955
The Buccaneers (1956)
Odongo (1956)
The Heart Within (1957)
The Mark of the Hawk (1957)
Sapphire (1959)
Flame in the Streets (1961)
Guns at Batasi (1964)
Thunderball (1965)
Mohammad, Messenger of God (1976)
Cuba (1979)
The Interpreter (2005)
As a Bermudian actor (who shared the stage with Mr. Cameron recently), I am so pleased that Mr. Cameron is being honoured in this way – his contribution to our society is well documented and well deserved. I would also like to indicate that we are blessed that he is alive, well, and able to see this honour – - we have a habit of waiting for people to pass away before they are rightly honoured.
Mr. Cameron – thank you for your dedication to your craft, your family, your art, and our country – we are blessed because of you!
Yng Black Mind
(those who know understand)
Nowadays closet doors have lots of ventilation and are often see through. Some closets dont even have doors. So all the closet racists are fooling no one when they say that “the color of his skin doesn’t matter”. Ta HELL it doesn’t! Because if he were white there would be no objections. Ya dont fool me.
Not sure why everyone got on the race topic.
I thought we were talking about the changing the name of the theatre.
If you know Earl the last thing he cares about is race even thou he went through challenges, the same with Sidney Poitier they dont care about race. That is one of the reasons they became succeful and wanted actors.
These guys worked with some of the greatest directors in the world do you think if they thought in black this, and white this, every second they would be hired who the hell wants to work with someone like that.If you want to be succesful in that business you have to know how to get along with everyone ,or forget about being an artist/actor.
If you take it as people are acknowledging his achievements because of the color of his skin then that is a reflection on you and not on him.
@ real talk , We are not celebrating Earl Cameron because he is a black actor we are celebrating him because he is an actor. We are not celebrating him because he made accomplishments as a black man we are celebrating him because he made accomplishments as a man.
A friend of Earl Camerons
Just like 4 Star stayed 4 Star not Uppercrust, City Hall theater will still be called “CITY HALL THEATER” name change or not
Mr. Cameron may not care about race but any Bermudian looking at our society where the real wealth lies in the hands of the white Community and the poor and incacerated are almost all black we know that those who laid the foundation of our society cared very much about race and the long term impact of their racism is still with us, no matter how much some Blacks (and most Whites) want us to pretend that “race” no longer matters. It matters because the disparity created by racism is still with us as is the very obvious social divide!!
@ Eva N. Hodgson consider that your Rorschach test.