Alex Heyns

Alex Heyns (b. Calvinia, 23/11/1920 – d. Pretoria, 14/11/1988) was an actor.

Biography

Alexander Jacobus Heyns was born and went to school in Calvinia and then attended the University of Stellenbosch. In 1939 he appeared on radio in the title role of Johannes van Wyk, based on the serial and novel by J.H.H. de Waal, and was briefly a member of Anton Ackerman’s theatre company. Over the years he became one of South Africa’s best loved character actors, though few people realise that most of the films and television programmes in which they saw him were made during the last decade of his life. Before he became a full-time actor, he was in the South African Navy, rising to the rank of Commodore, and the only film in which he featured before his retirement in 1977 was Emil Nofal’s King Hendrik (1965). A versatile performer, he was as at ease in the classics – Afrikaans television versions of Chekhov’s Three Sisters (1984) and The Seagull (1986), as well as Ibsen’s The Wild Duck (1979), all for Stephan Bouwer – as in a number of immensely popular television series. He was frequently cast as an elderly relative or crotchety neighbour, ranging from Boet Fasie in Nommer Asseblief to Oom Botes in Koöperasiestories. He and his wife, René Rabie (1918-1989), had five children.

Credits

Films

1965 – King Hendrik (Director: Emil Nofal), 1978 – ‘n Seder Val in Waterkloof (Director: Franz Marx), 1978 – Diamant en die Dief (Director: Jan Scholtz), 1979 – Die Eensame Vlug (Director: Jan Scholtz), 1981 – Kiepie & Kandas (Director: Jan Scholtz), 1981 – Beloftes van Môre (Director: Daan Retief), 1981 – Nommer Asseblief? – die Rolprent (Director: Henk Hugo), 1982 – Verkeerde Nommer (Director: Franz Marx), 1984 – Die Groen Faktor (Director: Koos Roets), 1985 – Morenga (Director: Egon Günther), 1986 – Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (Director: Gary Nelson), 1987 – Liewe Hemel, Genis! (Director: William Egan), 1987 – Gor (uncredited) (Director: Fritz Kiersch), 1987 – Steel Dawn (Director: Lance Hool), 1988 – Fiela se Kind (Director: Katinka Heyns), 1988 – Gor II (Director: John ‘Bud’ Cardos).

Television 1976 - Oom Diederik Leer om te Huil (Director: Stephan Bouwer), 1977 – Bart Nel (Drama) (Director: Fred Nel), 1978 - TJ 7 (Series) (Director: Katinka Heyns), 1978 - Die Wilde Loot (Drama) (Director: Henk Hugo), 1979 - Phoenix & Kie (Series) (Director: Katinka Heyns), 1979 – Die Siel van die Mier (Series) (Director: Peet Rossouw), 1979 – Nommer Asseblief (Series 1) (Director: Henk Hugo), 1979 – Die Wilde Eend (Drama) (Director: Stephan Bouwer), 1980 - Nommer Asseblief (Series 2) (Director: Henk Hugo), 1980 – De la Rey (Drama) (Director: Henk Hugo), 1981 - Die Metusalemboom (Drama) (Director: Henk Hugo), 1981 - Requiem for Canaan (Drama) (Director: Sven Persson), 1981 – The Honeybird (Drama) (Director: Alan Nathanson), 1982 – Harmonie (Series) (Director: Malinda Nel), 1982 – Die Dame met die Kamelias (Drama) (Director: Stephan Bouwer), 1983 – Town Guard (Series) (Director: Elmo de Witt), 1983 – Auf Achse (German Series – One Episode) (Director: Hartmut Griesmayr) 1983 – Koöperasiestories (Series) (Director: Koos Roets) 1984 – Meisie van Suidwes (Series) (Director: Regardt van den Bergh), 1984 – As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is (Comedy) (Director: Henry Mylne), 1984 – Geknelde Land (Series) (Director: Henk Hugo), 1984 – Drie Susters (Drama) (Director: Stephan Bouwer), 1985 - City People (Series) (Director: Gray Hofmeyer), 1986 – Konflikhantering (Educational Series) (Director: Willie Esterhuizen), 1986 – Hoekie vir Eensames (Series – One Episode) (Director: Mike McCarthy), 1986 – Die Seemeeu (Drama) (Director: Stephan Bouwer), 1986 - Die Losprys (Series) (Director: Koos Roets), 1986 – Shaka Zulu (Series) (Director: William C. Faure), 1987 – Koos Kluitjies (Series) (Director: Malinda Nel), 1988 – Rosie (Series) (Director: Bromley Cawood), 1988 – Ma-plotters (Series) (Directors: William Egan, Merwede van der Merwe & Bromley Cawood), 1988 - Ma-plotters 2 (Series) (Director: Bromley Cawood), 1989 - Bonne Espérance / Reap the Whirlwind (Series - Episodes 4, 5, 6 & 9) (Directors: Philippe Monnier & Pierre Lary).

Sources

Die Burger, 15 November 1988

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0382339/?ref_=nv_sr_1

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