Beryl Gresak

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Beryl Gresak (1923-2000) was an actress.

Biography

Beryl Gresak was born Beryl Joffe on 3 December 1923, but initially she was part of the Johannesburg amateur theatrical scene under her two of her married names, namely Beryl Green and Beryl Bregman.

She was very involved with the Mercury Players and then RAPS, of which Raymond Matuson was also an active member. She took part in plays, play readings and variety shows, including performances at the Library Theatre and the Plastic Theatre in Northcliff, where her second husband, Nat Bregman, also performed. Amongst the plays in which she featured in those days were Dead End (1945), Petrified Forest (1946) and Detective Story (1952), while she also took part in Variety Under the Stars (1965) in Joubert Park.

After at least one more marriage (perhaps two) she finally settled down with Max Gresak, who shared her interest in the performing arts. During this time she also played supporting roles in a number of films for directors like Jamie Uys and David Millin. Max Gresak died in January 2000 and she passed away just three months later, on 5 April 2000.

Film Credits

1964 – Piet my Niggie (Jan Perold), 1964 – Dingaka (uc) (Jamie Uys), 1965 – Debbie (Elmo de Witt), 1967 – Die Professor en die Prikkelpop / The Professor and the Beauty Queen (Jamie Uys), 1969 – Strangers at Sunrise (Percival Rubens), 1969 – Dirkie (Jamie Uys), 1970 – Stop Exchange (Howard Rennie), 1970 – Pressure Burst (George Canes), 1971 – Die Banneling (David Millin), 1971 – Sononder (Carel Trichardt), 1972 - Met Moed, Durf en Bloed / The Brave! The Rough! The Raw! (David Millin), 1984 – Boetie Gaan Border Toe! (Regardt van den Bergh), 1988 - The Howling IV: The Original Nightmare (John Hough), 1989 – The Tattoo Chase (Jeff Gold).

Sources

Rand Daily Mail (various issues)

Sunday Times (various issues)

Le Roux, André I. & Fourie, Lilla – Filmverlede: geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse speelfilm (1982)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340327/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

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