Edmund James Cambridge Jr. (September 18, 1920 – August 18, 2001) was an American actor and director who was a founding member of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) and the Kilpatrick-Cambridge Theater Arts School."Edmund J. Cambridge, 80, Stage Director", The New York Times, September 25, 2001. Accessed November 26, 2009.
Biography Cambridge was born on September 18, 1920 in Harlem, New York.
At age 15, Cambridge began his professional career at Swan's Paradise in Harlem as a chorus boy. This assignment ended when his mother discovered that he was sneaking out of bed to do the job. Edmund was the President of the Original Cambridge Players, who took a Los Angeles premiere of The Amen Corner to Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in April 1965. Founding member Juanita Moore was friends with Marlon Brando and James Baldwin. It was Moore who asked Brando to lend funds ($75) for Baldwin to write The Amen Corner.
In 1968, Cambridge joined Robert Hooks, Douglas Turner Ward and several other actors to start the Negro Ensemble Company. He staged Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, as one of the company's first productions. This Lonne Elder III play went on to win many awards, including a Drama Desk Award for the author. Other productions Cambridge directed at NEC include Steve Carter's critically acclaimed drama, Eden.
Cambridge was a longtime resident of Los Angeles. He died as a result of injuries sustained from a fall on August 18, 2001, in New York, New York.
Selected credits
Acting Theatre roles Year Production Role Theatre(s) Notes1978One Crack OutEarlMarymount Manhattan Theatre1951The Taming of the ShrewServant/OfficerCity Center1947Our Lan'ChesterRoyale Theatre
Television / Film roles Year Title Role Notes 1970 Bracken's World Benjamin Bishop Episode: Will Freddy's Real Father Please Stand Up?"" 1971 The Bold Ones: The Lawyers (TV series) Charles Mobley Episode: "Hall of Justice" 1972 Evil Roy Slade Smith TV movie Love, American Style Mr. Dickerson (segment "Love and Happy Days") Episode: "Love and the Happy Days/Love and the Newscasters" Cool Breeze The Bus Driver credited as Edmund Cambridge Emergency! Paul Episode: "Crash" (as Edmund Cambridge) The Final Comedown Dr. Smalls credited as Edmund Cambridge Melinda Detective credited as Edmund Cambridge The Sandy Duncan Show George Episode: "The Importance of Being Ernestine" Trouble Man Sam film role The Limit Police captain film role Hit Man Theatis Oliver film role 1974 Good Times Leroy Jackson Episode: "Junior Gets a Patron" (as Edmund Cambridge) Kojak Waverly Episode: "Loser Takes All" (as Edmund Cambridge) Adam-12 Don Hendricks Episode: "Christmas" (as Edmund Cambridge) 1975 Sanford and Son Mr. Cambridge Episode: "Strange Bedfellows" (as Edmund Cambridge) Mannix Scrapiron Episode: "Edge of the Web" (as Edmund Cambridge) Starsky and Hutch Roy Jones Episode: "Kill Huggy Bear" Friday Foster Jake Wayne film role 1974–1976 Harry O Joseph "Hotwire" Jackson / Benjy 2 episodes, (as Edmund Cambridge) 1976 The Jeffersons Curt Randall Episode: "Tom the Hero" (as Edmund Cambridge) Rich Man, Poor Man Book II Funeral director Episode: "Chapter XII" (as Edmund Cambridge) 1977 Serpico Lucius Episode: "One Long Tomorrow" (as Edmund Cambridge) 1980 The Further Adventures of Wally Brown Stockley Brown TV movie 1985 The Atlanta Child Murders Mr. Cobb 2 episodes 1987 The Spirit small role TV movie, Uncredited 1989 Tour of Duty Preacher Episode: "Promised Land" 1990 True Colors Episode: "Young at Heart" 1991 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey George Washington Carver feature film role 1992 Deep Cover Crackhead #2 feature film role The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Lou Episode: "Mommy Nearest" (as Ed Cambridge Jr.) 1993 The Gifted minor role feature film 1994 One Woman's Courage Commander TV movie ER Victor Episode: "Day One" Jack Reed: A Search for Justice Minister TV movie Inferno on US 17 Andrew TV movie 1996 Soul of the Game Bellhop TV movie Living Single Carriage Driver Episode: "The Engagement: Part 1" 1997 The Beautician and the Beast Elderly Man film role The Good News Associate Pastor Blake Episode: "Pilot" Sister, Sister Mr. Knox Episode: "It's My Party" 1998 Veronica's Closet Elderly Man #3 Episode: "Veronica's Mole" 2000 Waking the Dead Old Man from Letter film role City of Angels Bertram Episode: "Unhand Me" 2001 The Bernie Mac Show Grandfather at Airport Episode: "Pilot", (final appearance)
Directing
Country Cousins (1988) — Far from the Tree (1987) Year Production Theatre(s) Notes1981Nevis Mountain DewLos Angeles Actors Theatre1980EdenLos Angeles Actors TheatreLos Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award1976Eden St. Mark's Playhouse1971Behold! Cometh the VanderkellansTheatre de Lys1969Ceremonies in Dark Old MenSt. Mark's Playhouse
Awards and nominations
Awards 1980 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle AwardDirection, Eden
References
External links