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.[1][2][3]

Edmund Cambridge
Born
Edmund James Cambridge, Jr.

(1920-09-18)September 18, 1920
DiedAugust 18, 2001(2001-08-18) (aged 80)
New York City, U.S.
Other namesEd Cambridge
Edmund J. Cambridge
Years active1936–2001
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)

Biography

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Cambridge was born on September 18, 1920[4][5] in Harlem, New York.[5]

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.[1] 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.[1] 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.[6]

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.[1][4]

Selected credits

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Acting

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Theatre roles
Year Production Role Theatre(s) Notes
1978 One Crack Out[7] Earl Marymount Manhattan Theatre
1951 The Taming of the Shrew[8] Servant/
Officer
City Center
1947 Our Lan'[9] Chester Royale 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

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Country Cousins (1988) — Far from the Tree (1987)

Year Production Theatre(s) Notes
1981 Nevis Mountain Dew Los Angeles Actors Theatre
1980 Eden Los Angeles Actors Theatre Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award[10]
1976 Eden[6] St. Mark's Playhouse
1971 Behold! Cometh the Vanderkellans[11] Theatre de Lys
1969 Ceremonies in Dark Old Men[12] St. Mark's Playhouse

Awards and nominations

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Awards

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  • 1980 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award – Direction, Eden[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Edmund J. Cambridge, 80, Stage Director", The New York Times, September 25, 2001. Accessed November 26, 2009.
  2. ^ "Edmund J. Cambridge, 80; Veteran of Theater Started Troupe, Acting School". Los Angeles Times. September 22, 2001. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  3. ^ Times, Dennis McLellan Los Angeles (September 24, 2001). "EDMUND J. CAMBRIDGE, ACTOR-DIRECTOR". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Edmund J. Cambridge (2009). "Social Security Death Index [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  5. ^ a b Edmund J. Cambridge (November 11, 1942). "U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records: 1938-1946 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Eden". New York, New York: Lortel Archives:Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on April 15, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  7. ^ "One Crack Out". United States: Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on September 10, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  8. ^ "The Taming of the Shrew". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  9. ^ "Our Lan'". New York, New York: Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved November 25, 2009.
  10. ^ a b "1980-1989 Awards". United States: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  11. ^ "Behold! Cometh the Vanderkellans". New York, New York: Lortel Archives:Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
  12. ^ "Ceremonies in Dark Old Men". New York, New York: Lortel Archives:Internet off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2009.
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