Black And White Minstrel Show Lenny Henry Lenny henry discusses being a young comedian on the black and white minstrel show and that he was a political football for starring in it.

Black and white minstrel show lenny henry. The black and white minstrel show which ran from 1958 to 1978 was arguably the bbc s most glaring failure to understand the damage it could do when it traded in out dated stereotypes. Other than the brief opening title this is a complete off air recording broadcast on bbc 1 friday july 21st 1978. A short film on bbc entertainment in the 1970 s. The black and white minstrel show was a popular british light entertainment show that ran for twenty years on bbc prime time television. It was also a successful stage show which ran for ten years from 1962 to 1972 at. Express star photographer at the time graham gough took the. H owever his deepest regret remains the part he played in legitimising the black and white minstrel show in the late. The lenny henry birthday show is on tonight at 8pm on bbc1. The photo shows sir lenny painting his face before appearing in the controversial black and white minstrel show in the late 1970s.