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
Norman Beaton He played the lead role of Willie Boy in the 1987 TV comedy "Playing Away" (directed by Horace Ové, from a screenplay by Caryl Phillips), about a West Indian cricket team invited to play a rural white team. Beaton also appeared in several movies, including "The Mighty Quinn" (1989). He appeared as a guest on "The Cosby Show" in 1991 (episode: "There's Still No Joy in Mudville"), and in the 1994 television serial "Little Napoleons". His autobiography, "Beaton But Unbowed", was published in 1986. After years of hard living began taking its toll on his health, in 1994 Beaton retired