Earl Cameron, black actor who challenged prejudice over a career lasting six decades – obituary

• Earl Cameron, who has died aged 102, was one of the first black actors to win leading roles in British screen dramas, featuring in films such as Simba (1955), Guns at Batasi (1964) and Thunderball (1965), as well as in episodes of Emergency – Ward 10 and Doctor Who. Cameron strove to bring dignity and decency to the parts which came his way, in an era when those that did were often stereotyped or superficial, despite their good intentions. The one which made most impact was probably his cinematic debut, Pool of London (1951). A workaday crime thriller set in the Docklands, directed for Ealing Studios by The Blue Lamp’s Basil Dearden, Pool of London is of interest now chiefly for its sets, which show the capital still scarred by bombing.