Produced by BBC Birmingham, Rainbow City was the first British drama production to feature a black actor in the leading role and was largely populated by an ethnic supporting cast.
The series starred lawyer John Steele (Errol John), a Jamaican resident of Birmingham who fought for justice for the multiracial community. He was married to Mary (Gemma Jones), a Brummie, and their mixed marriage wrought tension from the local Anglo members of the community.
The six 25-minute episodes portrayed the conflict in Steele’s personal and professional lives, and each episode dealt with an issue close to his heart as he strove to ensure that the other immigrants living around him were protected from prejudice and injustice.
But while his marital home was a happy one, Mary’s father – a middle-aged bank manager who considered himself as liberal as the next man – could not reconcile his doubts over whether or not their union would prove lasting amidst the pressures imposed by his white neighbours.
John Steele
Errol John Dennis Jackson
Horace James Mary Steele
Gemma Jones
Episodes
What Sort of a Boy? | Why You Marry? | A Better Fortune | Beards and Turbans | A House – A Home | Always on Sunday
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