Difference between revisions of "Pikkie Uys"

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search
 
(9 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Pikkie Uys]] (19**-) (Later stage name of [[Sannie Uys]]). Actress and producer.
+
 
 +
'''Pikkie Uys''' (1913-1954) was a stage and film actress, as well as a theatrical producer.
 
    
 
    
== Career ==
+
== Biography ==
She began as actress with the Wena Naude-Willem Van Zyl Company. In 1934, when [[Wena Naudé]] went to the Netherlands  on a study trip, she took over Wena's lead roles and on Wena's return, Sannie joined the [[Ackermann-Nell Geselskap]]. [[Anton Ackermann]] renamed her [[Pikkie Uys]], the name under which she was to become famous, and the two married in 19**.  
+
 
 +
Susanna Sophia (Sannie) (Pikkie) Uys was born on 20 May 1913 to Cornelis Jansen Uys and his wife Elizabeth Catharina Strydom.  She was the youngest of four children and grew up on the farm Elizabethsrust near Petrusburg, in what was then the Orange Free State.  She matriculated at the Oranje Hoër Meisieskool in Bloemfontein and during the early 1930s  joined the [[Hanekom-Van Zyl Geselskap]]. When, in 1934, the company’s leading lady, [[Wena Naudé]], left on a study tour to The Netherlands, Sannie Uys took over the roles that would normally have gone to her.  Also with the company was [[Anton Ackermann]], whose disagreements with [[Hendrik Hanekom]] caused him to leave and start his own touring company, the [[Anton Ackermann Geselskap]]. Sannie Uys went with him and was renamed Pikkie (reportedly after a little dog that always toured with her).  She and Ackermann were married in October 1937.  Her most popular role in those years was in the Afrikaans version  of [[George Bernard Shaw]]’s ''[[Pygmalion]]''.  Entitled ''[[Koop my Blomme]]'', it was staged at the [[Standard Theatre]] in Johannesburg.  It was translated by [[G.J.C. Uys]] who, in fact, was her brother.  He later became a prominent agricultural economist.
 +
 
 +
Ackermann’s heavy drinking caused a rift between them and eventually the couple were divorced.  Afterwards she continued to tour with her own company.  In March 1949 she married Julius John Katzke.  According to the marriage certificate he was in insurance, but in 1946 a [[Julius J. Katzke]] photographed the feature film ''[[Die Skerpioen]]'', in which Ackermann had had a leading role.  In 1950 Pikkie and Julius were divorced and on 27 December 1954 she died at the National Hospital in Bloemfontein of Hodgkin’s Disease.  She and Ackermann had a son called Uys Ackermann, who also had a small role in ''[[Die Skerpioen]]''.
 +
 
 +
== Theatre Credits ==
 +
 
 +
1934 – ''[[Die Verstoteling]]'' (Director: [[Willem van Zyl]]), 1935 – ''[[Wittebroodsdae]]'' (director unknown), 1936 – ''[[Haar Geheim]]'' (director unknown), 1937 – ''[[Die Hand van die Gereg]]'' (director unknown), 1939 – ''[[Janette]]'' (director unknown), 1939 – ''[[Skipbreukelinge van die Lewe]]'' (director unknown), 1939 – ''[[Roza]]'' (Director: [[Anton Ackermann]]), 1940 – ''[[Koop my Blomme]]'' (Director: [[Anton Ackermann]]), 1940 – ''[[Met my Hele Hart]]'' (director unknown), 1943 – ''[[Hier Kom Japie]]'' (director unknown), 1943 – ''[[Onskuldig Veroordeel]]'' (Director: [[Anton Ackerman]]), 1944 – ''[[Onsterflike Liefde]]'', 1944 – ''[[Vergelding]]'' (Director: [[Anton Ackermann]]), 1945 – ''[[O Diep Rivier, O Donker Stroom]]'' (production only), 1946 – ''[[Janie Gooi Haar Flikkers]]'' (director unknown), 1948 – ''[[Skaakbord van die Liefde]]'' (production only), 1950 – ''[[Die Bosveldnooi]]'' (production only), 1950 – ''[[Dis te  Laat vir Trane]]'' (director unknown), 1950 – ''[[Ou Spogter en sy Dogter]]'' (director unknown), 1952 – [[Met My Hele Hart]] (director unknown – previously staged in 1940).  She also appeared in ''[[Martjie, die Maltrap]]'', for which we don’t have a date. It is likely that she directed many of the plays with which she toured in later years, though she may not have acted in them.
  
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
+
== Film Credits ==
In the 1940 production of ''[[Pygmalion|Koop My Blomme]]'' Pikkie was cast as the flower girl, Bessie Niemand. She acted in ''[[Onskuldig Veroordeel]]'' in 1943, ''[[Vergelding]]'' in 1944.
 
  
She became a beloved film actress, and her film career includes ''[[Simon Beyers]]'' ([[Pierre de Wet]], 1946), ''[[Pinkie se Erfenis]]'', (1946) with [[Pikkie Uys]], [[Gert van den Bergh]], [[Eugenie Heyns]], [[Pierre de Wet]], [[Esther Mentz]]; ''[[Simon Beyers]]'' (1947) with [[Pierre de Wet]], [[Gert van den Bergh]], Pikkie Uys, [[Eugenie Heyns]], directed by [[Pierre de Wet]].
+
1947 – ''[[Pantoffel-regering]]'' (Directors: [[Ronald Brantford]] & [[Anton Ackermann]]), 1947 – ''[[Simon Beyers]]'' (Director: [[Pierre de Wet]]).
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
''[[The Rand Daily Mail]]'', 31 May 1940.
+
 
 +
[[L.W.B. Binge]] - Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950) (1969)
 +
 
 +
[[Danie Botha]] - Voetligte & Applaus!: die beginjare van die Afrikaanse beroepstoneel (2006)
 +
 
 +
''[[The Rand Daily Mail]]'' (various issues)
 +
 
 +
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4567873/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==
 +
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities U]]
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities U]]
  

Latest revision as of 21:12, 22 May 2024

Pikkie Uys (1913-1954) was a stage and film actress, as well as a theatrical producer.

Biography

Susanna Sophia (Sannie) (Pikkie) Uys was born on 20 May 1913 to Cornelis Jansen Uys and his wife Elizabeth Catharina Strydom. She was the youngest of four children and grew up on the farm Elizabethsrust near Petrusburg, in what was then the Orange Free State. She matriculated at the Oranje Hoër Meisieskool in Bloemfontein and during the early 1930s joined the Hanekom-Van Zyl Geselskap. When, in 1934, the company’s leading lady, Wena Naudé, left on a study tour to The Netherlands, Sannie Uys took over the roles that would normally have gone to her. Also with the company was Anton Ackermann, whose disagreements with Hendrik Hanekom caused him to leave and start his own touring company, the Anton Ackermann Geselskap. Sannie Uys went with him and was renamed Pikkie (reportedly after a little dog that always toured with her). She and Ackermann were married in October 1937. Her most popular role in those years was in the Afrikaans version of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Entitled Koop my Blomme, it was staged at the Standard Theatre in Johannesburg. It was translated by G.J.C. Uys who, in fact, was her brother. He later became a prominent agricultural economist.

Ackermann’s heavy drinking caused a rift between them and eventually the couple were divorced. Afterwards she continued to tour with her own company. In March 1949 she married Julius John Katzke. According to the marriage certificate he was in insurance, but in 1946 a Julius J. Katzke photographed the feature film Die Skerpioen, in which Ackermann had had a leading role. In 1950 Pikkie and Julius were divorced and on 27 December 1954 she died at the National Hospital in Bloemfontein of Hodgkin’s Disease. She and Ackermann had a son called Uys Ackermann, who also had a small role in Die Skerpioen.

Theatre Credits

1934 – Die Verstoteling (Director: Willem van Zyl), 1935 – Wittebroodsdae (director unknown), 1936 – Haar Geheim (director unknown), 1937 – Die Hand van die Gereg (director unknown), 1939 – Janette (director unknown), 1939 – Skipbreukelinge van die Lewe (director unknown), 1939 – Roza (Director: Anton Ackermann), 1940 – Koop my Blomme (Director: Anton Ackermann), 1940 – Met my Hele Hart (director unknown), 1943 – Hier Kom Japie (director unknown), 1943 – Onskuldig Veroordeel (Director: Anton Ackerman), 1944 – Onsterflike Liefde, 1944 – Vergelding (Director: Anton Ackermann), 1945 – O Diep Rivier, O Donker Stroom (production only), 1946 – Janie Gooi Haar Flikkers (director unknown), 1948 – Skaakbord van die Liefde (production only), 1950 – Die Bosveldnooi (production only), 1950 – Dis te Laat vir Trane (director unknown), 1950 – Ou Spogter en sy Dogter (director unknown), 1952 – Met My Hele Hart (director unknown – previously staged in 1940). She also appeared in Martjie, die Maltrap, for which we don’t have a date. It is likely that she directed many of the plays with which she toured in later years, though she may not have acted in them.

Film Credits

1947 – Pantoffel-regering (Directors: Ronald Brantford & Anton Ackermann), 1947 – Simon Beyers (Director: Pierre de Wet).

Sources

L.W.B. Binge - Ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse toneel (1832-1950) (1969)

Danie Botha - Voetligte & Applaus!: die beginjare van die Afrikaanse beroepstoneel (2006)

The Rand Daily Mail (various issues)

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4567873/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities U

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to Main Page