John Wesley Holder (born 1934), known professionally as Ram John Holder, is a Guyanese-British

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

and

musician A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wri ...

, who began his professional career as a singer in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, before moving to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1962. He has performed on stage, in both film and television and, is best known for playing Augustus "Porkpie" Grant in the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

television series ''

Desmond's ''Desmond's'' is a British television situation comedy broadcast by Channel 4 from 1989 to 1994. Conceived and co-written by Trix Worrell, and produced by Charlie Hanson and Humphrey Barclay, ''Desmond's'' stars Norman Beaton as barber Desmond ...

''.

Background

Holder's parents were devout members of the USA-based

Pilgrim Holiness Church Pilgrim Holiness Church (PHC) or International Apostolic Holiness Church (IAHC) is a Christian denomination associated with the holiness movement that split from the Methodist Episcopal Church through the efforts of Martin Wells Knapp in 1897. It ...

. He grew up in

Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown is the capital (political), capital and largest city of Guyana. It is situated in Demerara-Mahaica, region 4, on the Atlantic Ocean coast, at the mouth of the Demerara River. It is nicknamed the "Garden City of the Caribbean." It is t ...

, during the 1940s and 1950s. Influenced by the church and the musical talents of his parents, he became quite accomplished playing the guitar. During the early '50s, the strict, strait-laced church membership was scandalised when he broke away and changed his name to "Ram" John. Holder began to perform as a

folk singer Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be c ...

Acting career

In 1962, Holder arrived in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and worked with Pearl Connor's

Negro Theatre Workshop The Negro Theatre Workshop (NTW) was set up in London, England, in 1961, becoming one of the first Black British theatre companies. It aimed to produce dramas, revues and musicals, giving writers a chance to see their work performed as well as cre ...

initially as a

, and later as an actor. Holder performed at several London theatres including the National Theatre, the

Donmar Warehouse The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat, not-for-profit theatre in Covent Garden, London, England. It first opened on 18 July 1977. Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage and Josie Rourke have all served as artistic director, a post held since 2019 by Micha ...

and

Bristol Old Vic Bristol Old Vic is a British theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, Bristol. The present company was established in 1946 as an offshoot of the Old Vic in London. It is associated with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which became a fin ...

. His first major film role was as the effeminate dancer Marcus in

Ted Kotcheff William Theodore Kotcheff (born April 7, 1931) is a Bulgarian-Canadian film and television director, writer and producer, known primarily for his work on British and American television productions such as ''Armchair Theatre'' and '' Law & Order ...

's film ''

Two Gentlemen Sharing ''Two Gentlemen Sharing'' is a 1969 British drama film directed by Ted Kotcheff, written by Evan Jones, and starring Robin Phillips, Judy Geeson, Esther Anderson (Jamaican actress), Esther Anderson, Hal Frederick, Norman Rossington and Rachel ...

'' (1969), which told the story of interracial relations in

swinging London The Swinging Sixties was a youth-driven cultural revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-to-late 1960s, emphasising modernity and fun-loving hedonism, with Swinging London as its centre. It saw a flourishing in art, mus ...

John Boorman Sir John Boorman (; born 18 January 1933) is a British film director, best known for feature films such as ''Point Blank'' (1967), ''Hell in the Pacific'' (1968), ''Deliverance'' (1972), ''Zardoz'' (1974), '' Exorcist II: The Heretic'' (1977), ...

then cast him as the black preacher in the comedy film ''

Leo the Last ''Leo the Last'' is a 1970 British drama film co-written and directed by John Boorman, based on the play ''The Prince'' by George Tabori, starring Marcello Mastroianni and Billie Whitelaw. Plot The ennui-afflicted heir to a deposed European th ...

'' (1970), also about race relations, which was set in a

Notting Hill Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road M ...

slum in West London. Holder also sang the songs in the film. He again played a preacher in the

Horace Ové Sir Horace Shango Ové (born 1936) is a Trinidad and Tobago-born British filmmaker, photographer, painter and writer. One of the leading black independent filmmakers to emerge in Britain in the post-war period, Ové holds the ''Guinness World R ...

-directed film ''

Pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and e ...

'' (1975), made a cameo performance in ''

My Beautiful Laundrette ''My Beautiful Laundrette'' is a 1985 British romantic comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears from a screenplay by Hanif Kureishi. The film was also one of the first films released by Working Title Films. The story is set in London during ...

'' (1985) as a poet, and appeared in

Sankofa Film and Video Sankofa Film and Video Collective was founded in 1983 by Isaac Julien, Martina Attille, Maureen Blackwood,Carol Brennan"Blackwood, Maureen 1960–" Contemporary Black Biography. 2003. Encyclopedia.com; accessed 22 February 2015. Nadine Marsh-Edwar ...

's debut feature ''The Passion of Remembrance'' (1986). His other film roles included appearances in ''

Britannia Hospital ''Britannia Hospital'' is a 1982 British black comedy film, directed by Lindsay Anderson, which targets the National Health Service and contemporary British society. It was entered into the 1982 Cannes Film Festival and Fantasporto. ''Britannia ...

'' (1982), '' Half Moon Street'' (1986), ''

Playing Away Infidelity (synonyms include cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair) is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, sexual jealousy, and riv ...

'' (1987), ''

Virtual Sexuality ''Virtual Sexuality'' is a 1999 film directed by Nick Hurran and starring Laura Fraser, Rupert Penry-Jones, Luke de Lacey, and Kieran O'Brien. The screenplay concerns a young woman who designs the perfect man at a virtual reality convention, but ...

'' (1999), '' Lucky Break'' (2001) and as a Jamaican barber in ''

The Calcium Kid ''The Calcium Kid'' is a British mockumentary comedy film which was released in 2004. It stars Orlando Bloom as a milkman and amateur boxer. Billie Piper and Michael Peña are also featured. It is directed by Alex De Rakoff and produced by Workin ...

'' (2004). Holder played the role of Augustus "Porkpie" Grant in the

situation comedy A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

'', which was written by

Trix Worrell Trix Worrell (born 1959) is a St Lucia-born writer, composer and director best known as the creator and writer of television sitcoms ''Desmond's'' and '' Porkpie'' for Channel 4. His son is actor Elliot Barnes-Worrell. Biography Worrell started ...

, and broadcast on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

from 1989 until 1994. He later had his own short-lived spin-off series '' Porkpie''. Porkpie was considered one of the most popular characters in ''Desmond's'', and although the spinoff series was short-lived, it was credited with extending the black British presence in the comedy genre. Holder joined the cast of ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'' in late September 2006, playing Cedric Lucas. His last stage performance to date was as Slow Drag in the 2006 revival of

August Wilson August Wilson ( Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called ' (or ...

's ''

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' is a 1982 play – one of the ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle by August Wilson, and the only one not set in Pittsburgh – that chronicles the 20th-century African-American experience. The play is set in a recording stu ...

'' at the

Royal Exchange Theatre The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. In 2017, he appeared in an episode of '' Death in Paradise'' as Nelson Myers, the estranged father of main character PC Dwayne Myers (played by

Danny John-Jules Daniel John-Jules (born 16 September 1960) is a British actor, singer and dancer. He is best known for playing Milton Wordsworth in The Story Makers and ''Red Dwarf'', Barrington which are both children's series. Also he played in ''Maid Maria ...

). Holder reprised his role for three episodes the following year. He has also appeared as 'Flying' Freddie Mercer in episodes of the

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

children's programme ''

The Story of Tracy Beaker ''The Story of Tracy Beaker'' is a British children's book first published in 1991, written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Background The book is told from the point of view of Tracy Beaker, a troubled ten-year-old gi ...

''. In May 2008 he appeared in an episode of the BBC drama ''

The Invisibles ''The Invisibles'' is a comic book series published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics from 1994 to 2000. It was created and scripted by Scottish writer Grant Morrison, and drawn by various artists throughout its publication. The series loosel ...

''. He is seen in an ensemble part in ''

Song for Marion ''Song for Marion'' is a 2012 British-German comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams and starring Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston and Vanessa Redgrave. The film was released as ''Unfinished Song'' in th ...

'', a feature film from

Paul Andrew Williams Paul Andrew Williams (born 1973 in Portsmouth, England) is a British film writer and director. He won the New Director's Award for his film '' London to Brighton'' in the 2006 Edinburgh International Film Festival. Career Williams began his caree ...

, the director of ''

London to Brighton ''London to Brighton'' is a 2006 British neo-noir crime film written and directed by Paul Andrew Williams. Plot The film opens with a woman and child, Kelly and Joanne, bursting into a London toilet. Joanne is crying and Kelly has a black eye. ...

'', starring

Vanessa Redgrave Dame Vanessa Redgrave (born 30 January 1937) is an English actress and activist. Throughout her career spanning over seven decades, Redgrave has garnered numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Television Award, two ...

and

Terence Stamp Terence Henry Stamp (born 22 July 1938) is an English actor. Stamp is known for his sophisticated villain roles. He was named by ''Empire Magazine'' as one of the 100 Sexiest Film Stars of All Time in 1995. He has received various accolades inc ...

Music career

Holder has continued his dual career as a musician. He has recorded the albums ''Black London Blues'' (1969), ''Bootleg Blues'' (1971), ''You Simply Are...'' (1975) and ''Ram Blues & Soul'', as well as various singles and contributed to

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

s for film and television. He contributed three songs for the film adaptation of ''

Take a Girl Like You ''Take a Girl Like You'' is a comic novel by Kingsley Amis. The narrative follows the progress of twenty-year-old Jenny Bunn, who has moved from her family home in the North of England to a small town not far from London to teach primary school ...

'' (1970).

Honours

Holder was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE) in the

2021 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours for 2021 are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded ...

for services to drama and music.

Personal life

Ram John Holder is the cousin of the jazz vocalist Frank Holder.

Discography

;Albums * ''Blues+Gospel+Soul'' (Melodisc Records, 1963) * ''Black London Blues'' (Beacon Records, 1969) * ''Bootleg Blues'' (Beacon Records, 1971) * ''You Simply Are...'' (Fresh Air, 1975) ;Singles * "I Need Somebody" (B Side: "She's Alright"), Columbia, 1967 * "My Friend Jones" (B Side: "It Won't Be Long Before I Love You"), Columbia, 1967 * "I Just Came To Get My Baby" (B Side: "Yes I Do"), Beacon, 1968 * "Goodwill To All Mankind" (B Side: "Goodwill Sermon"), Upfront, 1969 * "Battering Ram, The People's Man" (B Side: "A London Ghetto"), Fresh Air, 1973 * "Battering Ram" (B Side: "London Ghetto"), Fresh Air, 1975

References

External links

British Film Institute
Screenonline biography

*
Talawa Theatre Company

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holder, Ram John 1934 births Living people English male stage actors English male soap opera actors Guyanese emigrants to England Black British male actors 20th-century Black British male singers English blues singers English folk musicians People from Georgetown, Guyana 20th-century Guyanese male actors 21st-century Guyanese male actors 21st-century British male actors Recipients of the Wordsworth McAndrew Award Commanders of the Order of the British Empire