Norman Beaton in London's West End. In 1970 he played the role of Ariel in Shakespeare's "The Tempest", which he described in his autobiography as "the most important role of my acting career", and also played a small role in the Frankie Howerd comedy film "Up the Chastity Belt" the following year. In 1975, he helped to establish the Black Theatre of Brixton. In 1975 Beaton played Nanki-Poo in "The Black Mikado", a modern version of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado". In 1976, Beaton broke into television in the series "The Fosters", which also featured a young Lenny Henry, and the following
Black sitcom Black sitcom A black sitcom is a sitcom in American culture that features a primarily or entirely African American cast or in the lead role. Although sitcoms with primarily black characters have been present since the earliest days of network television (and indeed predate network television, as popular radio sitcoms included "Beulah" and "Amos 'n' Andy"), this genre rose to prominence in the 1990s. The favorite programs of television audiences tend to reflect their different ethnic origins and affinities. The exposure of the black community on US TV has been greater than that of other minorities but continues to reflect