Gilbert Gibson (1928-2018) was a South African journalist, publicist, scriptwriter, actor, composer and songwriter.

Not to be confused with the Afrikaans poet and physician, Gilbert Gibson (1963-)[1]

Biography

He was born Gilbert George Julian Gibson on 28th January 1928, one of 3 sons and 2 daughters, to George Frank Clifford Gibson and Josephine Jooste.

His sister Josephine Annie Vera Gibson, was at one time married to Nico Carstens. Gilbert himself had 3 children, Cheryl Yvonne Gibson (born 15 September 1952 and died 12 May 2012), Paul Llewellyn Gibson (born 11 August 1954) and Steven Campbell Gibson (born 25 May 1966).

Gibson passed away on 13 November, 2018.

Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance

In 1960 he founded Sun Pacific Music as a subsidiary of Master Measure (Pty.) Ltd. with his good friend, songwriter and pianist Taffy Kikillus, publishing songs in Afrikaans and English, and also owned a Public Relations company called Reklama Publicity which was involved in the music and film industry. He also became what David Bussey and Arie van den Hulk have called "the ultimate raconteur and chronicler of the historical saga of Jim Reeves in South Africa". He later had a UK based agency called Aquarius Collection, which had seemingly originated while he was still in South Africa - the company was still mentioned in the Directory of Publishing 2011: United Kingdom and The Republic of Ireland (p. 102), with Gibson listed as Managing Director.

Stage work

With Nico Carstens and Anton de Waal he a co-authored a number of musicals, including Sarie van Mooifontein and Jannewariebaai.

Film work

As writer

He worked on the scripts for:

Donker Afrika (Afrikaans translation, 1957); Debbie (additional dialogue, 1965), Danie Bosman: Die verhaal van die grootste S.A. komponis, Lied in My Hart (1970) and Boland! (1974)

As an actor

Had small roles in

Rip van Wyk (1960), Doodkry is Min (1961) and Debbie ("Wedding guest", 1965 ). Hide

As composer

He wrote songs for inter alia Kimberley Jim (1963) and Lost in the Desert (Dirkie) 1969.

Sources

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1514303/

David Bussey and Arie van den Hulk. The Origins of a Suspect Tale from South Africa or It is unwise to cast aspersions on fan clubs. They have a habit of coming back to bite!, Jim Reeves Fan Club Website[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico_Carstens

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5171121/

Directory of Publishing 2011: United Kingdom and The Republic of Ireland. A&C Black, 2010[3]

Go to the ESAT Bibliography