Bill Brewer

Profile

(19**-1984) Actor, radio personality and theatre and film critic. Working for the Sunday Times, he was one of the most influential national theatre and film critics of the 1950s and 1960s, not only writing reviews, but a regular column as well. As stage actor performed in revue, cabaret, plays, pantomime, musicals and one man shows over the years. He made his first appearance for the Johannesburg Reps in Dear Charles in 1955. Other roles: The Desperate Hours (produced by Taubie Kushlick at His Majesty’s Theatre in association with ACT, 1955), Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (NTO, 1958), The Cat and the Canary, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (as “Mayor Pointdexter” and “Senator Wingwoah”), The Seagull (Upstairs Theatre at the Market Theatre, 1976), Comedians (Market Theatre, 1976), **. In the variety line the did items such as Hugo Keleti’s Variety Under the Stars series (at the Plastic Theatre, which showcased light local entertainment) and dinner theatre at the Nederburg Restaurant in Johannesburg, where he performed in Letters of Love, Lust and Loving, As radio actor he and his wife Fiona Fraser (??*) long had a popular radio programme entitled ***. Also did films, including The Hellions (1961) The Diamond Walkers (1965), The Jackals (1967), Oupa For Sale (1968) Sandy the Seal (1969) and the 1974 Roger Moore film, Gold.

Sources

Schwartz, 1988, Tucker, 1997

SACD 1973, Limelight 1978/79; 1980/81); 1981/82

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