Difference between revisions of "Rex Garner"

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(****-****). Actor and director. Worked with the [[Academy Theatre]].  ([[SACD]] 1973)
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'''Rex Garner''' (1921-2015) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Garner] was a British-born actor and director.  
  
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GARNER, Rex (19**-) British born actor and director, who came to South Africa to work for [[Pieter Toerien]]?* in 19**. Later became a partner in the [[Pieter Toerien Company]]. Directed and acted in numerous farces for Toerien over the years, including ***, **. Also played more serious roles, winning a [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]], Best Actor as "Father Tim" in ''[[Mass Appeal]]'' in 1983 and as "Dad" in [[Tim Plewman]]'s ''[[Breakfast with Dad]]'' (2004). As director did inter alia ''[[Noises Off]]'' (1983, [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap]] Best Director), Also did some film work and television farce, including ***. He returned to England in 2002/3?*, but still returned on occasion for a performance. In 1999 he received the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap]] Lifetime Award for his contribution to the industry.  
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== Biography ==
 +
He joined the [[Academy Theatre]] in 1968 and he settled in Johannesburg in 1974. He worked with [[Pieter Toerien]] as an actor and stage director from 1979 to 1999. He returned to Britain in the early 2000's, where he died at the age of 94 on 17 May 2015.
  
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GARNER, Rex. English actor who eventually settled here. [[Pieter Toerien]] named a theatre after him. He starred in ''[[Uproar in the House]]'', which was staged at The [[Academy Theatre of Laughter]] in July 1967. It also starred [[Patricia Sanders]], [[Gordon Mulholland]], [[Hal Orlandini]] and [[Kenneth Baker]]. Together with [[Ray Cooney]], he starred in Cooney’s ''[[Not Now, Darling]]''. It was staged at the The [[Academy Theatre of Laughter]] in 1967 and was also directed by Cooney, He directed ''[[Chase Me Comrade]]'' and ''[[The Man Most Likely To]]'', starring [[Leslie Phillips]] at the [[Academy Theatre]] 1969.  
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Rex first came to South Africa in 1968 to direct and play in ''[[Uproar in the House]]''. He then commuted between SA and the UK for some years. He eventually moved to South Africa permanently, married [[Tammy Bonell]], and they have three daughters. By 1985 he has appeared in and/or directed some 30 plays.
  
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He directed ''[[Harvey]]'' which starred [[Petrina Fry]] and [[Brian Brooke]] and was staged at the [[Brooke Theatre]] in 1969. He directed the hit ''[[Stand by Your Bedouin]]'' in 1970. He directed ''[[The Lionel Touch]]'', starring [[Joe Stewardson]], [[Vivienne Drummond]], [[Kenneth Baker]] and [[Diane Appleby]] for The [[Academy Theatre of Laughter]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1971. He later married [[Tammy Bonell]]. He directed [[John Hayter]], [[Peter Elliot]] and [[Ian Drummond]] in ''[[The Brass Hat]]'' for the [[Academy Theatre of Laughter|Academy]] at the [[Brooke Theatre]] in 1972. He directed [[Ken Smith]], [[Diane Appleby]] and [[Erica Rogers]] in ''[[Boeing-Boeing]]'' for the [[Academy Theatre of Laughter|Academy]] in 1972. He directed ''[[Till Bed Do Us Part]]'' by [[Louis Ife]] at the [[Little Theatre]] as its opening production in November 1973. It starred and was presented by [[Louis Ife]] and [[Barbara Kinghorn]].
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=== Youth ===
  
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He starred in The [[Academy Theatre of Laughter|Academy]]’s production of ''[[Birds of Paradise]]'' directed by [[Michael Pertwee]] together with [[George Korelin]], [[Melody O’Brian]] and [[Pat Sanders]] in 1974. Together with [[Penny Croft]] he starred in the comedy ''[[Why Not Stay for Breakfast?]]'' at the [[Academy Theatre|Academy]] in 1976. He starred in ''[[Say Something]]'' together with [[John Hayter]], [[George Korelin]] and [[Melody O’Brian]] and ''[[Fringe Benefits]]'' starring with [[Erica Rogers]] at the [[Academy Theatre|Academy]] in 1977.
 
  
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He also directed a musical version of ''[[Not Now Darling]]'' called ''[[Once More, Darling]]'' with [[Erica Rogers]], [[David Morton]], [[Derek Royle]] and [[Patricia Sanders]] for the [[Academy Theatre of Laughter|Academy]] in 1977. He presented ''[[There Goes the Bride]]'' and ''[[The Loudest Tears in Town]]'' at the [[Academy Theatre|Academy]] in 1978. He directed himself, [[Melody O’Brian]] and [[George Korelin]] in ''[[What More Could She Want]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]], before taking it to the [[Academy Theatre|Academy]] in 1979. He directed the [[Academy Productions]] production of Ernest Thomson’s ''[[On Golden Pond]]'' starring [[Clifford Mollison]], [[Margo Johns]], [[Clare Marshall]] and [[Robin Dolton]] in 1979. He directed ''[[Doctor on the Boil]]'' starring [[Geoffrey Sumner]] at the [[Academy Theatre of Laughter|Academy]] in 1979. He starred in ''[[Middle Age Spread]]'' with [[Helen Jessop]] and [[Eric Flynn]]. [[Pieter Toerien]] sponsored a tour of this play before it opened at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in October 1980.
 
  
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He starred in [[Pieter Toerien]]’s production of Agatha Christie’s ''[[The Spider’s Web]]'' together with [[Shelagh Holliday]], [[Paddy Canavan]] and [[Kenneth Baker]] at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1981. He starred in [[Pieter Toerien]]’s  production of John Chapman and Dave Freeman’s ''[[Key for Two]]'' together with [[Gordon Mulholland]] and [[Moira Lister]] at the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1982. He directed ''[[Who Goes Bare]]'' starring [[Tim Plewman]] and [[Jonathan Rands]] at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1982. [[Pieter Toerien]] opened a new auditorium at the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1983 called the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]] which was renamed the Rex Garner in 1994. He starred in [[Pieter Toerien]]’s production of Michael Frayn’s ''[[Noises Off]]'' together with [[Joy Stewart Spence]], [[Eckard Rabe]], [[Clare Marshall]], [[Ralph Lawson]] and [[Kenneth Baker]] at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1983. It returned later that same year for another run. He directed ''[[Clarence Darrow]]'' starring [[Richard Haines]] at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre|Leonard Rayne]] in January 1984. It returned twice and played at the [[Grahamstown Festival]].
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=== Training ===
  
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He starred in Ray Cooney’s ''[[Run for Your Wife]]'' together with [[Michael Richard]] which [[Pieter Toerien]] presented at the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in February 1984 after a run in Cape Town. He directed himself, [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Jonathan Rands]] and [[Neville Thomas]] in ''[[In praise of Rattigan]]'' in 1984. He directed Michael Frayn’s ''[[Benefactors]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]] in 1985. He starred in ''[[One for the Pot]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]] in 1985. He starred in Ray Cooney’s ''[[Two into One]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]] at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1986. He directed [[Bill Flynn]] in ''[[The Foreigner]]'' and [[Tobie Cronjé]] in ''[[Funny Peculiar]]'' in 1986. He starred in [[Bernard Slade]]’s Tribute for [[Pieter Toerien]] in 1987. He directed Ray Cooney’s ''[[Wife Begins at Forty]]'' at the [[Alhambra Theatre|Alhambra]] in 1987. He directed ''[[Cahoots]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre|Leonard Rayne]] in 1988. He directed [[James Kirkwood]]’s ''[[Legends]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1988. He directed and starred in Agatha Christie’s ''[[Murder on the Nile]]'' at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1989. He starred in Jeffrey Archer’s ''[[Beyond Reasonable Doubt]]'' was at the [[André Huguenet Theatre]] in 1989. He directed and starred in ''[[Move Over Mrs Markham]]'' at the [[Alhambra Theatre|Alhambra]] in 1990. He directed [[Richard Harris]]’s ''[[The Maintenance Man]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre|Leonard Rayne]] in 1990. He starred in [[Pieter Toerien]]’s production of Lend Me a Tenor in 1990. He directed ''[[Grin and Bare It]]'' at the [[Victory Theatre]] in 1990. He starred in ''[[Never the Sinner]]'' which opened at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre|Leonard Rayne]] on 28 September 1991. He directed and starred in Ray Cooney’s ''[[Out of Order]]'' at the [[Alhambra Theatre|Alhambra]] in 1992. He directed Michael Pertwee’s ''[[Birds of Paradise]]'' at the [[Alhambra Theatre|Alhambra]] in 1992. He starred in and directed Harold Brooke and Kay Bannerman’s ''[[The Earl and the Pussycat]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre|Leonard Rayne]] in 1992. He directed ''[[Don’t Dress for Dinner]]'' in 1993. Together with [[Tammy Garner]] he directed James Sherman’s ''[[Beau Jest]]'' in 1993. He directed and starred in Ray Cooney’s ''[[It Runs in the Family]]'' in 1993. (Tucker, 1997)
 
  
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GARNER, Rex. ''[[Uproar in the House]]'' (director) 1968.  ''[[Not Now Darling]]'',, 1968.  Noises off, (director) ''[[Mass Appeal]]'' (best actor) (1983 – Fleur de Cap award for both).  1984 Director for ''[[Clarence Darrow]]''. . [[Bill Flynn]] as Hercule Poirot in ''[[Black Coffee]]'' (A. Christie) Toerien production,Dir: Rex Garner, CT, PE, Dbn, ''[[Absurd Person Singular]]'', Pieter Toerien-produksie, 1998. ''[[Visiting Mr Green]]'',  1998.
 
  
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=== Career ===
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His first play in the West End was ''Dr Angelus'', then followed ''The Square Ring'', ''The Trial of Mr Pickwick'', ''[[Cactus Flower]]'' and the musical ''Instant Marriage''. He has appeared in well over 200 TV shows of all kinds including ''Shadow Squad'' and ''My Wife and I''. Rex has also appeared in Australia and Germany as well as on Broadway and has spent some time filming in Rome. He also directed ''[[Chase Me Comrade]]'' in Holland.
  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities G]]
+
Later became a partner in [[Pieter Toerien Productions]].
 +
 
 +
He returned to England in 2002/3?*, but still came to South Africa on occasion for a performance.
 +
 
 +
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 +
 
 +
Directed and acted in numerous farces for Toerien over the years.
 +
 
 +
=== As actor ===
 +
He starred in ''[[Uproar in the House]]'', in July 1967, ''[[Not Now, Darling]]'', in 1967, ''[[Birds of Paradise]]'' (1974), ''[[Why Not Stay for Breakfast?]]'' (1976), ''[[Fringe Benefits]]'' (1977), ''[[Middle Age Spread]]'' (October 1980), ''[[Spider's Web]]'' (1981), ''[[Key for Two]]'' (1982), ''[[Mass Appeal]]'' (1983), ''[[One for the Pot]]'' (1985), (1986).
 +
 
 +
In 1987 he starred in Canadian playwright Bernard Slade's Tribute for [[Pieter Toerien]]. Other productions include ''[[Beyond Reasonable Doubt]]'' (1989), ''[[Lend Me a Tenor]]'' (1990), ''[[Never the Sinner]]'' (1991).
 +
 
 +
=== As director ===
 +
He directed ''[[Uproar in the House]]'' (1968), ''[[Chase Me Comrade]]'' and ''[[The Man Most Likely To]]'' (1969), ''[[Harvey]]'' (1969), ''[[Stand By Your Bedouin]]'' (1970), ''[[The Lionel Touch]]'', (1971), ''[[The Brass Hat]]'' (1972), ''[[Boeing-Boeing]]'' (1972) ''[[Till Bed Do Us Part]]'' (1973).
 +
 
 +
He also directed a musical version of ''[[Not Now, Darling]]'' called ''[[Once More, Darling]]'' (1977). He presented ''[[There Goes the Bride]]'' and ''[[The Loudest Tears in Town]]'' at the [[Academy Theatre|Academy]] in 1978.
 +
 
 +
He directed and starred in ''[[Don't Just Lie There, Say Something]]'' (1977). He directed himself, [[Melody O'Brian]] and [[George Korelin]] in ''[[What More Could She Want]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]], before taking it to the [[Academy Theatre|Academy]] in 1979. He directed the [[Academy Theatre Productions]] production of Ernest Thomson’s ''[[On Golden Pond]]'' (1979), ''[[Doctor on the Boil]]'' (1979), ''[[Who Goes Bare?]]'', (1982). He directed ''[[Clarence Darrow]]'' starring [[Richard Haines]] at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre|Leonard Rayne]] in January 1984. It returned twice and played at the [[Grahamstown Festival]].
 +
 
 +
''[[Noises Off]]'' (1983), ''[[Special Occasions]]'' (1984)
 +
 
 +
He directed himself, [[Fiona Ramsay]], [[Jonathan Rands]] and [[Neville Thomas]] in ''[[In Praise of Rattigan]]'' in 1984.
 +
 
 +
In 1985 he directed ''[[Black Coffee]]'', ''[[Benefactors]]'', ''[[The Runner Stumbles]]'', ''[[One for the Pot]]'' (in which he also starred), ''[[Kean]]'', ''[[Equus]]'', ''[[Stepping Out]]'', ''[[The Marriage-Go-Round]]'' and ''[[Murder at the Vicarage]]'', all for [[Pieter Toerien]].
 +
 
 +
He directed ''[[The Foreigner]]'' and [[Tobie Cronjé]] in ''[[Funny Peculiar]]'' in 1986, ''[[Wife Begins at Forty]]'' (1987), ''[[Not Now, Darling]]'' (1987), ''[[Cahoots]]'' (1988), ''[[Legends!]]'' (1988), ''[[The Maintenance Man]]'' (1990), ''[[Grin and Bare It]]'' (1990), ''[[Birds of Paradise]]'' (1992),  ''[[Don't Dress for Dinner]]'' (1993). Together with [[Tammy Garner]] he directed James Sherman’s ''[[Beau Jest]]'' in 1993.
 +
 
 +
He directed and starred in ''[[Noises Off]]'' (1983), ''[[Run for your Wife]]'' (1984), ''[[Two Into One]]'' (1986), ''[[Murder on the Nile]]'' (1989), ''[[Move Over Mrs. Markham]]'' (1990), ''[[Out of Order]]'' (1992), ''[[The Earl and the Pussycat]]''(1992),  ''[[It Runs in the Family]]'' (1993), ''[[Absurd Person Singular]]'' (1998),  ''[[Visiting Mr. Green]]'' (1999).
 +
 
 +
Other productions include ''[[Harvey]]'', ''[[Chase Me Comrade]]''. ''[[Middle Age Spread]]'', ''[[Spider's Web]]'', ''[[Cheaters]]''.
 +
 
 +
=== Film and television ===
 +
Television work in South Africa includes ''[[The Settlers]]'' and as the subject of ''[[Profile]]''. ''[[Moving]]'' was filmed for the small screen, and he has done a series of 13 panel games entitled ''[[Take My Word]]'', and ''[[The First Day of Christmas]]'' in which he played Santa Claus. and played the name role in Moliere's ''[[The Miser]]'' for the SABC and for which he received an [[Artes]] Award nomination as Best Actor.
 +
 
 +
== Awards ==
 +
Noises off, (director) ''[[Mass Appeal]]'' (best actor) (1983 – [[Fleur du Cap]] award for both).
 +
 
 +
In 1984 he directed ''[[Clarence Darrow]]'' which won quarterly [[Vita Award]] for Best Production and for which Rex won [[Dalro]]'s Breytenbach Epathlon Best Director Award;
 +
 
 +
Vita Award Sept 1993 nomination for ''[[The Earl and the Pussycat]] '' (Tonight/Igi Life Vita award for comedy);
 +
 
 +
Also played more serious roles, winning a [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]], Best Actor as "Father Tim" in ''[[Mass Appeal]]'' in 1983 and as "Dad" in [[Tim Plewman]]'s ''[[Breakfast with Dad]]'' (2004).
 +
 
 +
In 1999 he received the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap]] Lifetime Award for his contribution to the industry.
 +
 
 +
[[Pieter Toerien]] opened a new auditorium at the [[Alhambra Theatre]] in 1983 called the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]] which was renamed the Rex Garner in 1994.
 +
 
 +
==Sources==
 +
[[SACD]] 1973.
 +
 
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
 +
 
 +
Various entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue.
 +
 
 +
Programme of the 1985 run of ''[[Two Into One]]'' by Ray Cooney.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Return to ==
 +
 
 +
Return to [[ESAT Personalities N]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 +
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 14:52, 21 November 2016

Rex Garner (1921-2015) [1] was a British-born actor and director.

Biography

He joined the Academy Theatre in 1968 and he settled in Johannesburg in 1974. He worked with Pieter Toerien as an actor and stage director from 1979 to 1999. He returned to Britain in the early 2000's, where he died at the age of 94 on 17 May 2015.

Rex first came to South Africa in 1968 to direct and play in Uproar in the House. He then commuted between SA and the UK for some years. He eventually moved to South Africa permanently, married Tammy Bonell, and they have three daughters. By 1985 he has appeared in and/or directed some 30 plays.

Youth

Training

Career

His first play in the West End was Dr Angelus, then followed The Square Ring, The Trial of Mr Pickwick, Cactus Flower and the musical Instant Marriage. He has appeared in well over 200 TV shows of all kinds including Shadow Squad and My Wife and I. Rex has also appeared in Australia and Germany as well as on Broadway and has spent some time filming in Rome. He also directed Chase Me Comrade in Holland.

Later became a partner in Pieter Toerien Productions.

He returned to England in 2002/3?*, but still came to South Africa on occasion for a performance.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

Directed and acted in numerous farces for Toerien over the years.

As actor

He starred in Uproar in the House, in July 1967, Not Now, Darling, in 1967, Birds of Paradise (1974), Why Not Stay for Breakfast? (1976), Fringe Benefits (1977), Middle Age Spread (October 1980), Spider's Web (1981), Key for Two (1982), Mass Appeal (1983), One for the Pot (1985), (1986).

In 1987 he starred in Canadian playwright Bernard Slade's Tribute for Pieter Toerien. Other productions include Beyond Reasonable Doubt (1989), Lend Me a Tenor (1990), Never the Sinner (1991).

As director

He directed Uproar in the House (1968), Chase Me Comrade and The Man Most Likely To (1969), Harvey (1969), Stand By Your Bedouin (1970), The Lionel Touch, (1971), The Brass Hat (1972), Boeing-Boeing (1972) Till Bed Do Us Part (1973).

He also directed a musical version of Not Now, Darling called Once More, Darling (1977). He presented There Goes the Bride and The Loudest Tears in Town at the Academy in 1978.

He directed and starred in Don't Just Lie There, Say Something (1977). He directed himself, Melody O'Brian and George Korelin in What More Could She Want at the Alexander Theatre, before taking it to the Academy in 1979. He directed the Academy Theatre Productions production of Ernest Thomson’s On Golden Pond (1979), Doctor on the Boil (1979), Who Goes Bare?, (1982). He directed Clarence Darrow starring Richard Haines at the Leonard Rayne in January 1984. It returned twice and played at the Grahamstown Festival.

Noises Off (1983), Special Occasions (1984)

He directed himself, Fiona Ramsay, Jonathan Rands and Neville Thomas in In Praise of Rattigan in 1984.

In 1985 he directed Black Coffee, Benefactors, The Runner Stumbles, One for the Pot (in which he also starred), Kean, Equus, Stepping Out, The Marriage-Go-Round and Murder at the Vicarage, all for Pieter Toerien.

He directed The Foreigner and Tobie Cronjé in Funny Peculiar in 1986, Wife Begins at Forty (1987), Not Now, Darling (1987), Cahoots (1988), Legends! (1988), The Maintenance Man (1990), Grin and Bare It (1990), Birds of Paradise (1992), Don't Dress for Dinner (1993). Together with Tammy Garner he directed James Sherman’s Beau Jest in 1993.

He directed and starred in Noises Off (1983), Run for your Wife (1984), Two Into One (1986), Murder on the Nile (1989), Move Over Mrs. Markham (1990), Out of Order (1992), The Earl and the Pussycat(1992), It Runs in the Family (1993), Absurd Person Singular (1998), Visiting Mr. Green (1999).

Other productions include Harvey, Chase Me Comrade. Middle Age Spread, Spider's Web, Cheaters.

Film and television

Television work in South Africa includes The Settlers and as the subject of Profile. Moving was filmed for the small screen, and he has done a series of 13 panel games entitled Take My Word, and The First Day of Christmas in which he played Santa Claus. and played the name role in Moliere's The Miser for the SABC and for which he received an Artes Award nomination as Best Actor.

Awards

Noises off, (director) Mass Appeal (best actor) (1983 – Fleur du Cap award for both).

In 1984 he directed Clarence Darrow which won quarterly Vita Award for Best Production and for which Rex won Dalro's Breytenbach Epathlon Best Director Award;

Vita Award Sept 1993 nomination for The Earl and the Pussycat (Tonight/Igi Life Vita award for comedy);

Also played more serious roles, winning a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award, Best Actor as "Father Tim" in Mass Appeal in 1983 and as "Dad" in Tim Plewman's Breakfast with Dad (2004).

In 1999 he received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award for his contribution to the industry.

Pieter Toerien opened a new auditorium at the Alhambra Theatre in 1983 called the Leonard Rayne Theatre which was renamed the Rex Garner in 1994.

Sources

SACD 1973.

Tucker, 1997.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Programme of the 1985 run of Two Into One by Ray Cooney.


Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities N

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

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