Cy Grant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cy Grant Has a career spanning over six decades. Known by many for his topical calypso on BBCTonight in the 1950'S and also as the voice of Lieutenant Green in Cult TV series Captain Scarlet

Born in Guyana (then British Guiana), Cy Grant has lived an extremely varied life. He served as a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force during World War II and was shot down and subsequently spent two years as a prisoner of war. After the war he qualified as a Barrister at Law, but went on to be an actor on stage and in film, as well as a singer in concert and cabaret and films. His was the first black face to be regularly seen on British Television, singing the news calpso style on television on the BBC Tonight programme.

He has also appeared in the following films.

1976 At the Earth's Core

1973 Shaft in Africa

1958 Calypso

1957 Sea Wife

1956 Safari

He was the Chairman/Co-founder of DRUM, the London based Black arts centre in the 1970's and Director of Concord Multicultural Festivals in the 1980's.

Author of: RING OF STEEL, Pan Sound and Symbol Published by Macmillan Caribbean (1999) is a wonderful story of of 'Pan', Kaiso' and 'Mas'. The book takes an in depth look into the history and evolution of this Caribbean musical tradition, complimented by myth and magic. Photographs, quotes and a rich perspective add extra flavour and understanding to the world of 'Pan', and 'Pan yard' culture.

Cy's WW 2 memoirs A Member of the Royal Air Force of Indeterminate Race Published by Woodfield Publishing(2006) A telling account of his experiences as a prisoner of war during the Second World War

And his most recent book Blackness and the Dreaming Soul Published by Shoving Leopard (2007) ISBN: 978190556508 5 Is an account of a long journey of self-discovery involving an ever deepening awareness of the causes of our current alienation from each other and the natural primordial world. It is an alchemical venture, exploring the darkness of the human psyche: being black and trapped in a white culture, as well as being white and caught in an ambush of denial. Written without bitterness and recrimination. It is neither pure biography nor philosophical manifesto, but grows out of the author’s childhood as the great grandson of a slave in British Guiana.

External Links and Sources

• Cy Grant's Website
• Cy Grant's Blog Spot