Jon Blair

Jon Blair (also known as Jon Bafta-Blair) (1950-) Award-winning war correspondent, documentary film-maker and playwright.

Born in Johannesburg South Africa, went to work in the UK in the 1960s when he was drafted into the army at home. Has been a war correspondent in the Middle East, the Far East and Africa.

Co-author (with Norman Fenton) of the documentary play The Biko Inquest (published 1978, produced Off Broadway in 1978, and later produced for stage in England and for television starring Albert Finney. (The film was made in 1984). A version of the play with an all black cast was staged in Nigeria in 1979, directed by and starring writer, poet and playwright, the Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka.In 1984 it was produced on stage in South Africa by Saira Essa.

He was also co-founder and co-creator of the hit British comedy series, Spitting Image, acting as producer, and then executive producer until mid-1987. As a current affairs producer/director on Tonight, This Week, and TV Eye, Blair covered domestic and foreign stories including the first program for British television about the Soweto uprising There Is No Crisis!. In 1987, Blair set up The Jon Blair Film Company. Among his many memorable documentary TV and film productions are Schindler: The Documentary (1983), the Oscar-winning   Anne Frank Remembered (1995),  Reporters at War (2003) and Murder Most Foul (about the death of Brett Goldin, 2007)

Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities B

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page