Orlando Martins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orlando Martins
Born	Emmanuel Alhandu Martins (1899-12-08)8 December 1899 Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Died	25 September 1985(1985-09-25) (aged 85) Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria
Other names	Pa Orlando Martins (Epega family great-uncle)
Years active	1931–71

Orlando Martins (born December 8, 1899 – died September 25, 1985) was a very important actor from Nigeria. He was one of the first Yoruba actors to become famous on stage and in films. In the late 1940s, he was one of the most well-known black actors in Britain. People even voted him one of Britain's top 15 favorite actors in 1947!

Early Life and Beginnings

Orlando Martins was born Emmanuel Alhandu Martins in Lagos, Nigeria. His father was a civil servant with family roots in Brazil. His mother was Nigerian. He was related to the Benjamin Epega family.

In 1913, he started at Eko Boys High School but left early. During World War I, he worked on a big ship called the RMS Mauretania. After the war, in 1919, he moved to London, England.

When he first arrived in London, he needed to find work. The Lyceum Theatre was looking for "supers," which are like extra actors, and paid a small amount each day. Martins joined the theatre and took on different jobs to make a living. In 1923, he even worked for Sanger's Circus, where he displayed pythons. He also became a wrestler, known as "Black Butcher Johnson."

Becoming an Actor

In 1920, Martins started as an extra with the Diaghilev ballet company. He also toured with a British show called Show Boat as a professional singer. He appeared as an extra in silent films, with his first role in If Youth But Knew (1926).

Stage and Screen Roles

In the 1930s, Orlando Martins began acting on the London stage. He played a character named Boukman in a 1936 play called Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History. In this play, he acted alongside the famous Paul Robeson. Martins had also been in a film with Robeson in 1935, called Sanders of the River.

After World War II, Martins got more film roles. These included The Man from Morocco (1945) and Men of Two Worlds (1946). He became a popular character actor. A writer named Peter Noble described him in 1948 as "a tall, powerful figure of a man with a deep bass voice, friendly, hospitable and with a grand sense of humour." Noble also mentioned that Martins was very interested in starting a Black Theatre in London. Martins believed this would help show the world the amazing talent of Black actors and give them steady work.

In 1949, he appeared in the film The Hasty Heart with Ronald Reagan. Martins played an African warrior named Blossom, a role he had also played on stage.

Later Career and Return to Nigeria

In the 1950s, he continued to act on the London stage. He was in plays like Cry, the Beloved Country (1954) and The Member of the Wedding (1957). In 1959, he moved back to Lagos, Nigeria.

After returning home, he continued to act in films. Some of his later movies include Killers of Kilimanjaro (1960), Call Me Bwana (1963), and Mister Moses (1965). His last film was Kongi's Harvest in 1970, which was based on a play by Wole Soyinka.

His Legacy

Orlando Martins passed away in 1985 at the age of 85 in Lagos, Nigeria. He was buried at Ikoyi Cemetery.

A book about his life was written in 1983 by Takiu Folami. It is called Orlando Martins, the Legend: an intimate biography of the first world acclaimed African film actor. His great-niece, Ros Martin, who is a playwright, has also been researching his life and work.

Films He Was In