Johnny Sekka
- Born
- 1934-07-21 (age 72)
- Died
- 2006-09-14 (aged 72) · 19 years ago
- Birthplace
- Dakar, Senegal
- Occupation
- Stagehand
- Active
- 1993 - 1993
- Spouse
- Cecilia Enger
- Alma Mater
- Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
- AKA
- Lamine Secka, Johnny
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Born Lamine Secka on July 21, 1934, in Dakar, Senegal, the youngest of five children to a Wolof family. His Gambian father died shortly after his birth. His Senegalese mother sent him to live with an aunt in Georgetown (now Janjanbureh) in The Gambia, but he ran away to live on the streets in Bathurst (now Banjul). During WWII, he worked as an interpreter at an American air base in Dakar and then on the docks. At 20, he stowed away on a ship to Marseille, France, living for three years in Paris. He arrived in London, England in 1952, served two years in the Royal Air Force, where he received the nickname 'Johnny'. Bermudian actor Earl Cameron persuaded him to become an actor, and he attended RADA.
CAREER
Sekka began his professional theater career in Britain in 1958. He had a small part in the 1958 film Look Back in Anger and a leading role in the 1961 film Flame in the Streets. He also starred in the 1961 ITV film The Big Pride. During the 1960s, he appeared in British films like Woman of Straw (1964), East of Sudan (1964), Khartoum (1966), and The Last Safari (1967), and on television in shows such as The Human Jungle, Z-Cars, Dixon of Dock Green, Gideon's Way, Danger Man, and The Avengers. In 1968, he played a lead role in the West End production of Night of Fame, notable as the first time a black actor played a role written for a white man in English theatre. In 1970, he starred in the film adaptation of Things Fall Apart. He moved to the United States in the early 1970s, appearing in films directed by Sidney Poitier, A Warm December (1972) and Uptown Saturday Night (1974). He gained a memorable role as Ibe in the sitcom Good Times and starred as Bilal al-Habashi in Mohammad, Messenger of God (1976). Other roles included Hanky Panky (1982) and the miniseries Master of the Game (1984). He appeared in Roots: The Next Generations (1979) and is known among science fiction fans for his role as Dr. Benjamin Kyle in the Babylon 5 pilot movie, The Gathering (1993). Recurring health problems led to his retirement from acting after this role.
PERSONAL LIFE
Johnny Sekka married Swedish actress Cecilia Enger in 1964, whom he met in Paris. They adopted one son, Lamine Sekka. He resided primarily at his ranch in Agua Dulce, California, in his later years. He died of lung cancer on September 14, 2006, at the age of 72, at his home in Agua Dulce, California. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles County, California.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
Weekly Top Grossing3 Cold Dishes
₦5,331,351.00
Gingerrr
₦12,727,775.00
Gingerrr
₦21,139,500.00
The Herd
₦16,977,673.00
3 Cold Dishes
₦15,261,240.00
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Popularity Score
Top 100% of African actors
