Difference between revisions of "Monica Breed"

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[[Monica Breed]] (1923?-2021) was a well known and beloved radio actress, director and presenter, and a playwright.  
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[[Monica Breed]] (1923-2021) was a well known and beloved radio actress, director and presenter, and a playwright.  
  
 
Sometimes also credited as '''[[Monica Breedt]]'''.
 
Sometimes also credited as '''[[Monica Breedt]]'''.
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==Biography==
 
==Biography==
  
Born Wilhelmina Monica Breed on 28 March 1923 in the town of Reitz in die Orange Free State, the daughter of  Abraham Liebrecht Breed en Philippina Johanna Cornelia Loots.  
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Born Wilhelmina Monica Breed on 28 March 1923 in the town of Reitz in die Orange Free State, the daughter of  Abraham Liebrecht Breed en Philippina Johanna Cornelia Loots. She matriculated in Reitz, then completed a BA degree and a teacher's diploma at the [[Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys]].  
  
 +
She spent the greatest part of her life working for the  [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]] ([[SABC), ending up as head of the corporation's Sound Archives. She retired in the 1980s after 33 years of service, to continue working as a freelance artist for a while.
  
She passed away in Pretoria on 25 May 2021.
+
Due to her failing sight, she eventually had to cease doing that, and went to live in a retirement home in Pretoria, where she passed away on 25 May 2021.
  
 
==Contribution to South African theatre, media, film and performance==
 
==Contribution to South African theatre, media, film and performance==
  
She started out as a teacher, and as a young woman was a member of the [[Bloemfonteinse Teatergroep]]. In 1947 she joined the [[SABC]]. Initially worked in Europe, returned in the 1960s to work at the [[SABC]] studios in Durban, and finally at the [[SABC]] head offices in Johannesburg.  
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After completing her studies, she joined the [[Afrikaans]] service of the [[South African Broadcasting Corporation]] ([[SABC) in 1947, and between 1949 and 1952 she travelled abroad, (mainly in Britain and Western Europe), also broadcasting from there. On her return to South Africa she worked in Cape Town as a language editor for  [[Nasionale Boekhandel Beperk]]'s book publishing section, before rejoining the SABC and from 1962 onwards worked as drama organiser for the [[Afrikaans]] service in Durban.
 +
She eventually became the manager of the [[SABC]] Sound Archives at the head office in Johannesburg, a facility which she took enormous trouble to develop and maintain.  
  
She was for many years the presenter of the popular journal programme ''[[Vrouerubriek]]'' (lit. "Women's column") for the [[Afrikaans Service]] of the [[SABC]], and also the presenter of a number of childrens' programmes.
+
Over the course of her career she was involved in various projects for radio, TV, film and stage.
  
For TV she was the voice of "Piet Muis" in the iconic TV puppetry programme ''[[Haas Das se Nuuskas]]'' and appeared in ''[[Liewe Heksie]]''. She also had roles in the TV drama series such as ''[[Phoenix & Kie]]'' (playing a carer) and ''[[Cul-de-sac]]'' and her film roles include ''[[Die Vlindervanger]]''.  
+
Her first piece of dramatic writing was a play she and a friend wrote in her matric year for performance at the Matric Farewell Function.  
  
She wrote the one-act play ''[[Gee Mekaar die Regterhand]]''.  
+
Her writing for radio further encompassed a large range of fields, including writing and presenting numerous programmes for toddlers (often with [[Esmé Euvrard]]) and [[Afrikaans]] radio adaptations of most of the more familiar fairytales. She also wrote many serials and radio dramas, including one on the life of Emily Hobhouse[] and a well-known radio drama, ''[[Gee Mekaar die Regterhand]]'' ("Give each other the right hand"), which has appeared in three collections of one -act plays over the years.
  
She later became the manager of the [[SABC]] Sound Archives, which she took enormous trouble to maintain.  
+
In the early years she was also intimately involved with directing and performing in dramas for radio as well as the stage (the latter for amateur companies such as the [[Bloemfonteinse Teatergroep]], the [[Kaapstadse Amateur Toneelgeselskap]] ([[KAT]]) and [[Die Skerm]] in Durban).  
  
 +
As a radio presenter, she was for many years responsible for the popular journal programme ''[[Vrouerubriek]]'' (lit. "Women's column") for the [[Afrikaans Service]] of the [[SABC]], and also the presenter of a number of childrens' programmes. 
  
 +
She did a great deal of work for TV as well, for example she was the voice of "Piet Muis" in the iconic TV puppetry programme ''[[Haas Das se Nuuskas]]'' ("lit. Rabbit [with a] Tie's News Box") and did voice work for  in the immensely popular cartoon series ''[[Liewe Heksie]]'' ("Dear little witch"). She also had roles in the TV drama series such as ''[[Phoenix & Kie]]''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8639098/] (playing "Donna van Zijl", a carer; 1979) and ''[[Cul-de-sac]]''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7633148/] (playing "Ouma Visser"; 1987).
  
 +
Her film roles include ''[[Die Vlindervanger]]'' (1976). 
 +
 
 
[JH/TH]
 
[JH/TH]
  
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https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Breed
 
https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Breed
 +
 +
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7633148/
 +
 +
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8639098/
  
 
[[ESAT Bibliography Dur-Dz|Du Toit, P.J.]], 1988.
 
[[ESAT Bibliography Dur-Dz|Du Toit, P.J.]], 1988.

Latest revision as of 12:00, 29 December 2021

Monica Breed (1923-2021) was a well known and beloved radio actress, director and presenter, and a playwright.

Sometimes also credited as Monica Breedt.

Biography

Born Wilhelmina Monica Breed on 28 March 1923 in the town of Reitz in die Orange Free State, the daughter of Abraham Liebrecht Breed en Philippina Johanna Cornelia Loots. She matriculated in Reitz, then completed a BA degree and a teacher's diploma at the Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys.

She spent the greatest part of her life working for the South African Broadcasting Corporation ([[SABC), ending up as head of the corporation's Sound Archives. She retired in the 1980s after 33 years of service, to continue working as a freelance artist for a while.

Due to her failing sight, she eventually had to cease doing that, and went to live in a retirement home in Pretoria, where she passed away on 25 May 2021.

Contribution to South African theatre, media, film and performance

After completing her studies, she joined the Afrikaans service of the South African Broadcasting Corporation ([[SABC) in 1947, and between 1949 and 1952 she travelled abroad, (mainly in Britain and Western Europe), also broadcasting from there. On her return to South Africa she worked in Cape Town as a language editor for Nasionale Boekhandel Beperk's book publishing section, before rejoining the SABC and from 1962 onwards worked as drama organiser for the Afrikaans service in Durban. She eventually became the manager of the SABC Sound Archives at the head office in Johannesburg, a facility which she took enormous trouble to develop and maintain.

Over the course of her career she was involved in various projects for radio, TV, film and stage.

Her first piece of dramatic writing was a play she and a friend wrote in her matric year for performance at the Matric Farewell Function.

Her writing for radio further encompassed a large range of fields, including writing and presenting numerous programmes for toddlers (often with Esmé Euvrard) and Afrikaans radio adaptations of most of the more familiar fairytales. She also wrote many serials and radio dramas, including one on the life of Emily Hobhouse[] and a well-known radio drama, Gee Mekaar die Regterhand ("Give each other the right hand"), which has appeared in three collections of one -act plays over the years.

In the early years she was also intimately involved with directing and performing in dramas for radio as well as the stage (the latter for amateur companies such as the Bloemfonteinse Teatergroep, the Kaapstadse Amateur Toneelgeselskap (KAT) and Die Skerm in Durban).

As a radio presenter, she was for many years responsible for the popular journal programme Vrouerubriek (lit. "Women's column") for the Afrikaans Service of the SABC, and also the presenter of a number of childrens' programmes.

She did a great deal of work for TV as well, for example she was the voice of "Piet Muis" in the iconic TV puppetry programme Haas Das se Nuuskas ("lit. Rabbit [with a] Tie's News Box") and did voice work for in the immensely popular cartoon series Liewe Heksie ("Dear little witch"). She also had roles in the TV drama series such as Phoenix & Kie[1] (playing "Donna van Zijl", a carer; 1979) and Cul-de-sac[2] (playing "Ouma Visser"; 1987).

Her film roles include Die Vlindervanger (1976).

[JH/TH]

Sources

http://www.breedt.co.za/monica.htm

https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Breed

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7633148/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8639098/

Du Toit, P.J., 1988.

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