Difference between revisions of "Pip Freedman"
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| + | '''Pip Freedman''' (1925-2003) was a radio and stage performer and an occasional film actor. | ||
== Biography == | == Biography == | ||
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| − | He was the | + | Philip Maurice Freedman was born in Swellendam on 14 July 1925. He was the son of Louis Zelig Freedman and Bella (Beila) Levin (Levinaite), both Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. At one stage his father owned the Parow Bottle Store, but later he moved to Durban, where he ran the Westville Hotel. When, in 1949, Philip married Vivienne Myra Schrire, his own profession was given as garage proprietor, but that was clearly not fulfilling for a man with his exuberant spirit. |
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| + | He is said to have started his stage career at the [[Starlight Theatre]], which was part of the Lido on the Sea Point beachfront. He was recruited for [[Springbok Radio]] by [[Cecil Wightman]] after [[Gabriel Bayman]] left the popular comedy programme ''[[Snoektown Calling]]''. Radio was an ideal medium for his facility with accents and he tackled characters of all races with equal aplomb and sympathy. His creation of the Cape Coloured Johnny Peters was especially memorable and in this role he made an appearance in two films, ''[[Next Stop Makouvlei]]'' ([[George Canes]]/1972) and ''[[Die Spook van Donkergat]]'' ([[Diana Friedberg]]/1973). His first film was actually [[David Millin]]’s ''[[Banana Beach]]'' (1970) and [[Jamie Uys]] used his uncredited voice for one of the actors in ''[[The Gods Must Be Crazy]]'' (1980). From 1968 onwards he had his own radio programme and for his devoted fans ''[[The Pip Freedman Show]]'', transmitted on Saturdays, was required listening. He also produced a number of records, usually featuring his self-composed comic songs. What is perhaps less well known is that he was also an accomplished magician. | ||
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| + | He and Vivienne were divorced in 1968 and in December 1972 he married Patricia Noel Burr. He had four children, two from each marriage. He died of heart failure at the Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont (Cape Town) on 19 May 2003. | ||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
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| + | Filmverlede: geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse speelfilm - Andre I. le Roux & Lilla Fourie (1982) | ||
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Obituary written by Aldrin Naidu, published in the ''[[Cape Argus]]'', 23 May 2003. | Obituary written by Aldrin Naidu, published in the ''[[Cape Argus]]'', 23 May 2003. | ||
| + | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YKhkXjPgag | ||
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| + | https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4581549/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_pip%2520freedman | ||
Return to [[ESAT Personalities F]] | Return to [[ESAT Personalities F]] | ||
Latest revision as of 20:22, 9 January 2025
Pip Freedman (1925-2003) was a radio and stage performer and an occasional film actor.
Biography
Philip Maurice Freedman was born in Swellendam on 14 July 1925. He was the son of Louis Zelig Freedman and Bella (Beila) Levin (Levinaite), both Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. At one stage his father owned the Parow Bottle Store, but later he moved to Durban, where he ran the Westville Hotel. When, in 1949, Philip married Vivienne Myra Schrire, his own profession was given as garage proprietor, but that was clearly not fulfilling for a man with his exuberant spirit.
He is said to have started his stage career at the Starlight Theatre, which was part of the Lido on the Sea Point beachfront. He was recruited for Springbok Radio by Cecil Wightman after Gabriel Bayman left the popular comedy programme Snoektown Calling. Radio was an ideal medium for his facility with accents and he tackled characters of all races with equal aplomb and sympathy. His creation of the Cape Coloured Johnny Peters was especially memorable and in this role he made an appearance in two films, Next Stop Makouvlei (George Canes/1972) and Die Spook van Donkergat (Diana Friedberg/1973). His first film was actually David Millin’s Banana Beach (1970) and Jamie Uys used his uncredited voice for one of the actors in The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980). From 1968 onwards he had his own radio programme and for his devoted fans The Pip Freedman Show, transmitted on Saturdays, was required listening. He also produced a number of records, usually featuring his self-composed comic songs. What is perhaps less well known is that he was also an accomplished magician.
He and Vivienne were divorced in 1968 and in December 1972 he married Patricia Noel Burr. He had four children, two from each marriage. He died of heart failure at the Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont (Cape Town) on 19 May 2003.
Sources
Filmverlede: geskiedenis van die Suid-Afrikaanse speelfilm - Andre I. le Roux & Lilla Fourie (1982)
Obituary written by Aldrin Naidu, published in the Cape Argus, 23 May 2003.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YKhkXjPgag
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4581549/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_pip%2520freedman
Return to ESAT Personalities F
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