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'''Jok Uys''' (b. 1919 – d. 1980) was an occasional film actor, writer and director.

== Biography ==

Johannes Dirk Jacobus (Jok) Uys was born in Boksburg on 25 June 1919 to Wynand Jacobus Victor Uys and his wife, Maria Elizabeth Johanna Jacobs.  He was the older brother of noted filmmaker [[Jamie Uys]].  Their father was a schoolteacher and initially the brothers followed in his footsteps, qualifying at Normaal Kollege in Pretoria and then teaching mathematics and science.  Then they both turned to farming, with Jok having been a pilot in the South African Air Force in 1939.  For a time he was a radio announcer and then started a photographic business.  

He gained experience as a school photographer and being able to borrow a movie camera, shot some of the early footage of Jamie’s first feature as director, ''[[Daar Doer in die Bosveld]]'' (1951).  He co-produced, co-scripted and acted in Jamie’s ''[[Geld Soos Bossies]]'' / ''[[Money to Burn]]'' (1955) and, with Jamie, acted in [[Werner Grünbauer]]’s ''[[Paul Krüger]]'' (1956).  Together the brothers also made the short ''[[Jabulani Afrika]]'', which was shown at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.  According to ''Filmverlede'', he and [[Elmo de Witt]] were also responsible for the camerawork of ''[[Die Bosvelder]]'', the more polished 1958 remake of ''[[Geld Soos Bossies]]''.  In addition he scripted the sponsored short ''Medisyne Sonder Pille'' (1960), directed by Jamie.  A planned solo effort, entitled ''Kalahari'', did not materialize.

In 1944 he married Cornelia Elizabeth van der Merwe, but the couple were divorced in 1963.  He died in Lichtenburg on 21 June 1980.

== Sources ==

Rand Daily Mail, 17 May 1957

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

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