Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowns after being swept out to sea in Costa Rica
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Scotsman
12 hours ago
- Scotsman
The Man on the Endless Stair by Chris Barkley review: 'an ambitious first novel'
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... This is a first novel, and an ambitious one. This means that one should treat it carefully, indeed gently, neither hailing it as a masterpiece (which very few novels are) or condemning it as pretentious and confused. In truth, it's a mixture, now compelling, now irritating. Chris Barkley The publishers describe it as 'Agatha Christie meets Italo Calvino' – certainly an attractive idea. Still, the detective side of the novel lacks Christie's ruthless morality, while the Calvino side doesn't quite achieve the Italian novelist's ability to make the fantastical appear as natural as our home town. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, the somewhat extravagant comparison does say something about the novel. It is set on a Scottish island, murders take place while there is no communication with the mainland, and there is fantasy presented as realism. The novel is set a few years after the end of the Second World War. Euan, a veteran of the Normandy Campaign and now an aspiring Scottish novelist, has caught the attention of Malcolm Furnivall, a successful author of highbrow crime novels. (They sound like the sort of thing that CS Lewis's friend Charles Williams used to write.) Euan has written an article about Malcolm in Cyril Connolly's magazine, Horizon. All this is excellent fooling and agreeably done, even if Malcolm is an absurd and unconvincing character. The same may be said of his island, where he has built a mansion, already falling into disrepair; his books are written in a 'writing shed' in the grounds. Fair enough, though the shed with its tunnels in the basement is not very convincing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Malcolm, finding his powers failing, drenched in whisky too, is seemingly stuck on what should be the final volume of what sounds like a sadly pretentious sequence, and so he invites Euan to the island, where he will be, as it were, consecrated as his heir. Malcolm has a son and daughter, also a wife and various hangers-on, all of whom may resent Euan. But Malcolm makes it clear that Euan is to be entrusted with the work of completing his last manuscript. This is not a popular decision. Then Malcolm is shot and – the Christie touch – the telephone line to the mainland goes dead. Moreover, the manuscript cannot be found. Euan has to search for it and try to solve the murder. He sets about it energetically, if not all that intelligently. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So The Man on the Endless Stair becomes a quest novel, as Euan tries to find a way through the maze. His method is not the best: he throws out accusations without evidence. Well, he is of course confused, and his own mind is as disturbed as Malcolm's for he is obsessed with a sister who vanished years ago. Still, even if his quest teeters at times on the brink of absurdity, as other characters disappear and his own life is threatened, it's all entertaining enough. Sometimes Barkley writes very well, sometimes badly; he has the tiresome habit, one even school teachers warn their pupils against, of saying 'I decided to do etc'. Don't say decide, one tells pupils, just do it. The plot is extravagant, conversations often absurd, and yet one keeps reading and doing so with pleasure. Barkley has imagination and talent, and one has to remember this is only his first novel. It's confused and confusing at times, but he is richly talented and, with self-discipline, will write better.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Malcolm Jamal-Warner's Cosby Show co-star breaks silence on actor's shock drowning death
Malcolm Jamal-Warner has been remembered by his grieving co-star after his tragic drowning death aged 54. Warner drowned on a Costa Rican beach on Sunday, July 20, without lifeguards present, and a second man involved in the same incident was left in a critical condition. Keshia Knight Pulliam, who played Malcolm's onscreen sister Rudy in the show, shared a sweet video of the actor playing bass guitar at an Atlanta event. She wrote: 'A week ago I lost my big brother but I gained an angel… I love you… I miss you… We got our girls.' A further post read: 'Thank you for every text, call and all of the love you have sent my way.' Police originally said the Theodore Huxtable actor's eight-year-old daughter had been in the water with him at the time. According to police, surfers leapt to action after spotting the actor and his little girl 'struggling' in the ocean after getting caught by a rip current. In a statement to People on Thursday, Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) said that the Cosby Show star's daughter was not in the water at the time that he drowned. 'Mr. Warner was playing with his daughter at the seashore at one point. He then left her out of the water, and he and a friend of his entered the sea,' the OIJ said in a statement originally written in Spanish. 'It was at that moment that they were swept away by the current, and the friend managed to get out,' it continued. 'However, Mr. Warner was unable to get out and was pulled out by several people on the beach. He received care from Red Cross officials, but was pronounced dead at the scene.' New York's ABC7 had previously reported that law enforcement said one surfer dived in to help and 'used his board to bring Warner's daughter to safety and a volunteer lifeguard pulled Warner and another surfer to shore.' The reason for the discrepancy is unclear. Warner, who died of asphyxia by submersion, was given 45 minutes of CPR after he was pulled out of the ocean. Unfortunately, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene by authorities. eshia Knight Pulliam, who played Malcolm's onscreen sister Rudy in the show, shared a sweet video of the actor playing bass guitar at an Atlanta event In a statement to People on Thursday, Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency said the actor and his daughter had been playing in the water, but he left her on the shore before going back in the water with a friend, shortly before 'they were swept away by the current'; Warner is seen with his daughter The father and daughter had been enjoying a day on the water near Cocles, a beach in Limon, Costa Rica, before tragedy struck. The outlet noted that both surfers survived the harrowing ordeal on Sunday. has reached out to Warner's representatives for comment but hasn't yet received a response. Prior to his passing, Warner made a conscious effort to keep his daughter and wife out of the spotlight, apart from the occasional social media post. For privacy reasons, he chose not to publicly disclose his daughter or wife's names. Earlier this week, officials announced that a man left in critical condition was trying to save the actor. A spokesman for The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) revealed the Good Samaritan had entered the water to help Warner after he was swept away by a rip current. A statement obtained by People confirmed the unidentified 35-year-old man had no personal connection to the actor beforehand and was simply on the beach at the time Warner got into difficulty. Warner was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean. First responders from Costa Rica's Red Cross found Warner without vital signs when they attended the scene of the 'water related incident' around 2.10pm on Sunday. Per the OIJ, Warner's body will be 'removed from the Judicial Morgue by a funeral service company hired and authorized by Mr. Warner's family.' According to TMZ, his remains are scheduled to leave Costa Rica on Thursday and will arrive in Los Angeles on Friday morning A source told the outlet that the actor's body was 'turned over by the Judicial Morgue on Wednesday morning, following the completion of his autopsy.' Following Warner's shock death, lifeguards from Playa Grande — a beach community located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica — released a statement saying they were not present due to lack of 'resources.' 'We deeply regret the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner at Playa Grande. He was swept away by a strong rip current and died by drowning,' the Caribbean Guard, Costa Rica's volunteer lifeguard association, shared via Facebook on Monday. 'It all happened very quickly, and although there were people on the beach who entered the water to rescue him, they did not arrive in time.' 'He was pulled from underwater without vital signs, and despite CPR maneuvers being performed on the beach, resuscitation was unsuccessful.' The Guard added that Playa Grande is one of their 'most challenging beaches,' noting the presence of signs in English and Spanish that warn of the 'danger of death due to drowning.' Though the Guard has patrolled there 'over the past few years,' they alleged that they were 'not present' at the time of Warner's death. Following Warner's shock death at 54, lifeguards from Playa Grande released a statement saying they were not present due to lack of 'resources' 'Due to recent aquatic incidents in Playa Negra, we had redirected resources there and to Chiquita, another iconic beach known for its strong currents,' they shared in the statement. They then made an appeal to Costa Rica's president, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, and the government. 'From Caribbean Guard, a volunteer lifeguard association, we make an urgent appeal to the President of the Nation, the national government, the Municipality of Talamanca, and the entire Caribbean community to continue joining forces to minimize this problem, which, sadly, is on the rise ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.' 'We do everything within our reach. We have saved numerous lives in recent years, and if Caribbean Guard didn't exist, the number of drownings would be counted in dozens. We give everything we have to minimize the risks, but without help from the government, clear public policies, and strong support from local business owners, this will continue to happen.' On Sunday, the Costa Rican Red Cross received a 9-1-1 alert about a water incident at Playa Grande, Cahuita, Limón. In response, three ambulances were sent to the scene, as per Us Weekly. Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department told Us Weekly that their preliminary investigation indicated Warner 'appeared to have entered the sea and was apparently swept away by a current.' Warner had been in Costa Rica since July 13. Warner was best known for his iconic role as Theodore Huxtable, the only son of Cliff Huxtable, on the beloved NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. He appeared in all eight seasons from 1984 to 1992, earning widespread acclaim and becoming a household name. At the time, Warner was just a teenager, but his performance earned widespread acclaim, including a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 1986 Primetime Emmy Awards. His character, Theo, was based on Bill Cosby's real-life son, Ennis Cosby, and was portrayed with depth and sensitivity. In the show, Theo is diagnosed with dyslexia after struggling academically during his freshman year at New York University—an arc that resonated with many viewers. Beyond The Cosby Show, Warner carved out a successful and diverse career in both comedy and drama. He starred as Malcolm McGee in the UPN sitcom Malcolm & Eddie (1996–2000) opposite Eddie Griffin, and later headlined BET's Reed Between the Lines from 2011 to 2015 as Dr. Alex Reed. His television credits also included recurring roles and guest appearances on shows like Sons of Anarchy, Jeremiah, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Community. Warner also voiced the Producer character on the educational children's series The Magic School Bus.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Malcolm-Jamal Warner obituary
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who has died aged 54, having drowned while swimming off the coast of Costa Rica, gained fame worldwide as the cool, charming, occasionally mischievous son of Bill Cosby in one of American television's most popular sitcoms. The Cosby Show, which ran between 1985 and 1992, was groundbreaking in featuring an affluent African American family in Brooklyn, New York: Cosby starred as Cliff Huxtable, an obstetrician, and Phylicia Rashad as his wife, Clair, a lawyer, with Warner as their middle child, Theo, and Sabrina Le Beauf, Lisa Bonet, Tempestt Bledsoe and Keishia Knight Pulliam as their daughters. Cliff and Clair were portrayed as loving and nurturing, but strict, parents. When auditioning for the role of Theo during the final round of a nationwide search, Warner was far from what Cosby – who co-created the sitcom – wanted. 'They were looking for a 6ft 2in 15-year-old,' he recalled, 'and I was 5ft 5in and 13. I played those scenes like you see kids on television, kind of smart-alecky, and when Cliff said something, I got my hand on my hips and [was] rolling my eyes.' Cosby was unimpressed. 'Would you really talk to your father like that?' he asked. 'No,' said Warner. 'Well, I don't want to see that on this show,' said the star. Warner was given a second chance, and over the sitcom's eight-year run – during which it won six Emmy awards and a nomination for Warner's performance – he became a role model for teenagers, sharing his tips on coping with adolescence in a book, Theo and Me: Growing Up Okay (1988). The Cosby Show's final episode finished with Theo's graduation from New York University, and Warner left with a sense of pride in the legacy left by the programme for its depiction of both race and class. He later lamented that this was tainted by allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment made against Cosby. 'That's the thing that saddens me the most,' Warner said in 2015, 'because in a few generations the Huxtables will have been just a fairy tale. The legacy can't help but be tarnished.' The son of Pamela (nee McGee) and Robert Warner, who worked in drug intervention programmes, he was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and named after the civil rights activist Malcolm X and the jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal. He and his mother moved to Los Angeles following his parents' divorce. His first television appearances were in episodes of the private investigator drama Matt Houston (in 1982) and in the performing arts school series Fame (in 1983), before he landed the part of Theo in The Cosby Show. While the series was running, he attended the Professional Children's school in New York. He also reprised his role as Theo in the spin-off A Different World (in 1988 and 1989) and guest-starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (in 1990 and 1991), playing the boyfriend of a cousin of Will Smith's streetwise teenager. Warner remained busy on television, popping up in guest roles in many series, but also starring in two sitcoms: with Eddie Griffin as chalk-and-cheese flat-sharers and business partners in Malcolm & Eddie (1996-2000) and as Dr Alex Reed, a professor married to a psychologist in a blended family, in Reed Between the Lines (2011-15). He also played the cynical but compassionate Kurdy Malloy, assisting Luke Perry's title character, in the post-apocalyptic action series Jeremiah (2002-04); Lieutenant Chuck Cooper in the police procedural Major Crimes (from 2013 to 2016); Julius Rowe, a prison psychologist, in Suits (from 2016 to 2017); and AJ Austin, a gifted but volatile surgeon, in the hospital drama The Resident (2018-23). In films, he appeared as a thug in Fool's Gold (2008), alongside Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. As a director, he went behind the camera for The Resident and other programmes, as well as music videos for New Edition and Five Star. With the band Miles Long, Warner played the bass guitar and recited poetry over the music for several EP and album releases. He shared a 2013 Grammy with the Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway for his spoken-word contribution to a cover of the Stevie Wonder song Jesus Children of America, recorded as a memorial to the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut. Warner was married and had a daughter. They survive him. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, actor and musician, born 18 August 1970; died 20 July 2025
