Would James Edwards be the first Black performer to have a substantial role on a soap? Sadly, he had a fatal heart attack in 1970 aged 51.
THE NEW COURIER — FEB. 15, 1969
HOLLYWOOD — When Victor Vicas wondered what actor should play the lead role in "Color Me German',' his filmed-in Munich production for "NBC Experiment in Television,*' he didn't have long to look, author Manya Starr had the answer ready for him — James Edwards, actor, writer, former boxer and Olympic runner (Berlin, 1936). "Color Me German," will be colorcast Sunday, Feb. 16 (4:30 NBC)
It was actually Edwards who had given her the germ of an idea for the original television play about an American Negro teacher and his German-born nephew. Edwards' late brother had had a son by a Swiss-German wife and the young man is now living in Switzerland. Edwards had brought his nephew to the United States for a visit and took an interest in him. He mentioned this to Manya Starr at a friendly luncheon several years ago and told her about the thousands of "Mischlings" (children of mixed racial parentage) living in Germany and other European countries. Manya filed the information in back of her head and, as so many writers do, forgot it for awhile. Last year, while she was in Prague with Victor Vicas working on "Passport to Prague" Arthur Gardner and Arnold La-1 which they co-authored for "NBC Experiment," they talked one day of the Negro situation in Europe. Manya remembered Edwards' story of his nephew and they decided it would make a good subject for an original television drama.
While the circumstances of the drama "Color Me German" are fictional, it was the original conversation with Edwards that set off her train of creative though
Manya Starr's first contacts with Edwards took place some years earlier when she was author of the TV series "The Clear Horizon" In which Edwards played a principal role. She had written in a part of an Air Force corporal and, remembering Edwards performance in "Home of the Brave," suggested him for the part. But Edwards had given up acting for writing and directing.
Manya urged him to read a scene. There was no mention that the part of the corporal was a Negro. In the audition scene there were two parts, a colonel and the corporal. Edwards asked Miss Starr which part was his. And she replied he was too young for the colonel. When he read the scene, he immediately accepted the role, because it was "written for a man." Had it been a part calling for a Negro he would have turned it down. The series gathered many prizes as well as critical praise from the press. Miss Starr is perhaps best known to television viewers as author of the series based on "The Egg and I" and of many episodes of "The Doctors." She wrote the off-Broadway drama "Whisper to Me" and is president of the International Writers Guild. Edwards starred this season in episodes of "The Virginian" and "The Outcasts." When Manya Starr phoned Edwards in Hollywood about the show, she asked if he wanted to see the script first. "If you wrote it and think I'm right for it, I'll do it, without seeing any script," he replied.
By
Paul Raven ·
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