Remembering Trini actor Sullivan Walker
By Keino Swamber keino.swamber@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Feb 24, 2012 at 10:58 PM ECT
LOCAL theatre practitioners are mourning the death of Trinidad-born Hollywood actor, Sullivan Walker who passed away on Monday after suffering a massive heart attack in California, USA.
His funeral is tentatively set for March 2, in San Fernando.
Walker, who started his acting career as a member of the San Fernando Drama Guild, under the direction of James Lee Wah, had migrated to New York in 1969 to pursue his dream.
He was a regular on The Cosby Show during the 1980s portraying Heathcliff Huxtable's Trinidadian friend, Dr James Harmon.
Walker also appeared in the sitcoms, The Jamie Foxx Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air while his movie credits include Get Rich or Die Trying with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Paul Hogan's Crocodile Dundee, The Exterminator, The Firm and The Sentinel.
He was a main character in the series titled, Where I Live with Doug E Doug and Flex Alexander.
Walker was also a Broadway actor, acting in August Wilson's Two Trains Running.
Actor and former government minister, Ralph Maraj, described Walker as his dear brother and a remarkable person who came from humble beginnings.
"We grew up together in the theatre in San Fernando," Maraj said.
"Sullivan and I played many parts together on stage. I remember us alternating in Edward Albee's The Zoo Story and in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet where I was Romeo and he was the aggressive Tybalt."
Maraj said Walker was a courageous man who was full of determination and committed to the theatre and arts in general.
"He always wanted to come home and do something more than he had done while he was here. I am really very sad. Losing Sullivan is like losing part of my life."
Artistic director of the Trinidad Theatre Workshop (TTW), Albert Laveau, also expressed sadness at Walker's passing.
"He was a dear friend and a supporter of local theatre. I worked with him in the past and I can attest that he was very committed to the theatre movement in general. We will miss him."
Torrance Mohammed, chairman of the San Fernando Arts Council and founder of the Arawaks Dance Company, remembers Walker as an ambitious, enthusiastic young man.
"I knew him as a primary school teacher, Mohammed said.
"He always wanted to become an actor and people thought he was crazy. I had the pleasure of working with him in a French play called Marat at Palms Club and it was directed by James Lee Wah."
Mohammed said although Walker left these shores seeking greener pastures, he never forgot his roots.
"He was always very humble and modest. Last year, at the official launch of Sanfest, we gave him an award for his contribution to theatre arts and his work over the years."
Mohammed said Walker was not in the best of health then.
The observation was also shared by Louris Martin-Lee Sing, president of the National Drama Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NDATT).
Martin-Lee Sing said she met Walker when he was in Trinidad last year directing the play Caribbean Women, which is based on a book of poems he wrote.
"Physically he seemed weak, and he was lying down a lot during his directing process," Martin-Lee Sing said.
"We at NDATT are very saddened at his passing. This is particularly in light of the fact that he had made a renewed commitment to do work here and to help develop local talent."
Actor and co-founder of television station Gayelle the Channel, Errol Fabien, said he never worked with Walker but they spoke about doing projects together.
"We had a great mutual professional respect for each other and we had many long conversations. When he came to Trinidad he would visit Gayelle and we would sit and talk and look at footage.
"He always tried also to get me out of here because he was always telling me what is out there for me but he never quite understood why I never really wanted to leave here and go because our experiences were so different.
"He made the move and he did well but I am very anchored here. I would tell him I didn't mind going out there to do a fixed thing but I could not go out there to live and try to make it happen."
Fabien said Walker's death reminds him of the importance of doing what needed to be done and doing it to the best of his ability.
"It is important because when you open the papers next week it could be me."
