Difference between revisions of "Patrick Mynhardt"

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'''Patrick Mynhardt''' (1932-2007) Gifted bilingual ([[Afrikaans]] and English) actor and enjoyable eccentric.
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'''Patrick Mynhardt''' (1932-2007) was a gifted bilingual ([[Afrikaans]] and English) actor and enjoyable eccentric.
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
Born on 12 June 1932 in Bethulie in the Free State, of an [[Afrikaans]] father and an Irish mother. He was educated at Bethulie School and De La Salle College in East London, South Africa. He then spent three “disastrous” years at [[Rhodes University]] in Grahamstown, where he did, however, discover that he had a flair for acting.
+
 
 +
Born on 12 June 1932 in Bethulie in the Free State, of an [[Afrikaans]] father and an Irish mother, he was educated at Bethulie School and De La Salle College in East London, South Africa. He then spent what he referred to as three “disastrous” years at [[Rhodes University]] in Grahamstown, where he did, however, discover that he had a flair for acting.
  
 
He joined the [[National Theatre Organisation]] in 1953 as an actor and toured the country for a year and a half appearing in English and [[Afrikaans]] plays.
 
He joined the [[National Theatre Organisation]] in 1953 as an actor and toured the country for a year and a half appearing in English and [[Afrikaans]] plays.
  
In 1954 he left for London where he intended to spend three years at the Central School of Drama, but left after only one term and pursued his drama studies privately. He eventually landed his first job in a repertory company.
+
In 1954 he left for London where he intended to spend three years at the Central School of Drama, but left after only one term and pursued his drama studies privately. He eventually landed his first job in a repertory company. Performing on stage and for the BBC in Britain, he worked with such luminaries as Peter Sellers, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quinn, Richard Harris, Peter O’Toole, Michael Caine and Judi Dench.
  
 
He returned to South Africa at the end of 1960 to make a career for himself in theatre, film and TV.  
 
He returned to South Africa at the end of 1960 to make a career for himself in theatre, film and TV.  
  
He died on stage in London on 25 October 2007 at the age of 75 while performing in his one-man show ''[[Boy from Bethulie]]'' at the Jermyn Street Theatre in the West End.  He is buried at the Westpark Cemetery in Randburg, iun a grave next to that of [[Herman Charles Bosman]] (1905-1951).
+
He died on stage in London on 25 October 2007 at the age of 75 while performing in his one-man show ''[[Boy from Bethulie]]'' at the Jermyn Street Theatre in the West End.  He is buried at the Westpark Cemetery in Randburg, in a grave adjacent to that of [[Herman Charles Bosman]] (1905-1951).
  
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
Mynhardt is most memorable in South Africa for his one man performances of [[Herman Charles Bosman]]'s "Oom Schalk Lourens" stories. The first programme, called ''[[A Sip of Jerepigo]]'', was devised by Mynhardt, directed by [[Michal Grobbelaar]] and opened at the [[Johannesburg Civic Theatre]] on 4 November 1969. ''[[A Sip of Jerepigo]]'' played again at the [[Brooke Theatre]] in February 1972. He was seen in ''[[More Jerepigo]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1973 and the [[Academy Theatre]] in 1980. Others in the series were called ''[[Another Sip of Jerepigo]]'', ''[[Just Jerepigo]]'' and ''[[Tjeerio Jerepigo]]''. He presented ''[[A Sip of Jerepigo]]'' at the [[Pieter Roos Theatre]] in 1992. ''[[Just Jerepigo]]'' and ''[[Cold Stone Jug]]'' at the [[Groot Marico Kunstefees]] in 2002. ''[[Tjeerio Jerepigo]]'' was first presented at the [[State Theatre]] in 2003.
 
  
His one-man autobiographical piece ''[[The Boy from Bethulie]]'' was staged at the [[Intimate Theatre]] by a group called [[A Teater]] as their first production in 1983. He staged ''[[The Boy from Bethulie]]'' at the [[Warehouse]] in May 1990, also [[Theatre on the Square]] 2004.
+
Mynhardt was a star of the stage, film, television and radio for more than 50 years in South Africa and overseas. He appeared in more than 150 stage productions (in South Africa and the United Kingdom), 100 local and international films and about 100 television plays and serials, some local and some abroad.
 +
 
 +
===As actor===
 +
 
 +
====Stage====
  
His more formal stage credits include ''[[Le Malade imaginaire|Iepekonders]]'' (1953), ''[[The King of Diamonds]]'' (1961), ''[[A Touch of the Poet]]'' (1961), ''[[Lady Precious Stream|Jonkvrou Edelwater]]'' (1962), ''[[Guilty Party]]'' (1962), ''[[Policy for Murder]]'' (1963), ''[[Christie]]'', ''[[Montserrat]]'' (Equierdo 1963), ''[[The Playboy of the Western World]]'' (Sean Keogh 1963), ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' ([[PACT]], 1963),  ''[[Rashomon]]'', directed by [[Joan Brickhill]] in 1965, ''[[The Deputy]]'' (1965), ''[[Twelve Angry Men]]'' (1965), ''[[The Devils]]'' (1966), ''[[The Beaux' Stratagem]]'' (Fiogard, 1966), ''[[War and Peace]]'' (Napoleon, 1966), ''[[Staircase]]'' (1967, Harry), ''[[Dödsdansen|Dodedans]]'' (Edgar, 1967), ''[[Die Spel van Liefde en Toeval]]'' (Pasqual, 1967), ''[[Staircase]]''  (the [[Langford-Inglis Company]], 1967 as Harry), ''[[Fanny]]'' (1968), ''[[The Crucible]]'' ([[PACT]]  1975),  ''[[Conspiracy]]'' for [[PACT]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1976, ''[[Die Verminktes]]'' (1977), ''[[Die Vader]]'' (1978), ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead]]'' (1978), ''[[Sly Fox]]'' for [[The Company]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1979, ''[[The Siege of Nugget Street]]'' (1979), ''[[The Royal Hunt of the Sun]]''(1981), ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' (1981), ''[[Karoo Grand]]'' (1983), ''[[Translations]]'' (1985), ''[[Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' (1989), ''[[Nemesis]]'' (1989), ''[[Houd-den-Bek]]'' (1990). He starred in ''[[Die Sakeman van Venesië]]'' at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1991 and ''[[Mirakel]]'' (1992).  Between 1983 - 1990 he performed at embassies and official residences in Brussels, London, New York, Washington and also at the California Springbok Club in San Jose and San Francisco.
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His stage credits in South Africa include ''[[Le Malade imaginaire|Iepekonders]]'' (1953), ''[[The King of Diamonds]]'' (1961), ''[[A Touch of the Poet]]'' (1961), ''[[Lady Precious Stream|Jonkvrou Edelwater]]'' (1962), ''[[Guilty Party]]'' (1962), ''[[Policy for Murder]]'' (1963), ''[[Christie]]'', ''[[Montserrat]]'' (Equierdo 1963), ''[[The Playboy of the Western World]]'' (Sean Keogh 1963), ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'' ([[PACT]], 1963),  ''[[Rashomon]]'', directed by [[Joan Brickhill]] in 1965, ''[[The Deputy]]'' (1965), ''[[Twelve Angry Men]]'' (1965), ''[[The Devils]]'' (1966), ''[[The Beaux' Stratagem]]'' (Fiogard, 1966), ''[[War and Peace]]'' (Napoleon, 1966), ''[[Staircase]]'' (1967, Harry), ''[[Dödsdansen|Dodedans]]'' (Edgar, 1967), ''[[Die Spel van Liefde en Toeval]]'' (Pasqual, 1967), ''[[Staircase]]''  (the [[Langford-Inglis Company]], 1967 as Harry), ''[[Fanny]]'' (1968), ''[[The Crucible]]'' ([[PACT]]  1975),  ''[[Conspiracy]]'' for [[PACT]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1976, ''[[Die Verminktes]]'' (1977), ''[[Die Vader]]'' (1978), ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead]]'' (1978), ''[[Sly Fox]]'' for [[The Company]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1979, ''[[The Siege of Nugget Street]]'' (1979), ''[[The Royal Hunt of the Sun]]''(1981), ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' (1981), ''[[Karoo Grand]]'' (1983), ''[[Translations]]'' (1985), ''[[Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' (1989), ''[[Nemesis]]'' (1989), ''[[Houd-den-Bek]]'' (1990), ''[[Die Sakeman van Venesië]]'' (1991) and ''[[Mirakel]]'' (1992).   
  
He directed ''[[Die Blinde Vegter]]'' for [[TRUK]] in 1965.
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====The one-man shows====
  
South African films include ''[[Vadertjie Langbeen]]'', ''[[Seven against the Sun]]'' and ''[[Majuba The Hill of Doves]]''.
+
Mynhardt is most memorable in South Africa for his one-man performances. He created and performed in a number of these using material from the works of [[Herman Charles Bosman]], particularly Bosman's "Oom Schalk Lourens" stories. Over the years (and up to the time of his death), he performed his one-man shows at embassies, official residences and theatres in Brussels, London, New York, Washington and also at the California Springbok Club in San Jose and San Francisco.
  
International film credits include ''[[A Clockwork Orange]]'', **.
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The Bosman shows include:
  
The brilliant local TV drama ''[[Vyfster]]'' made him a household name as the menacing prison "don" called "Papa", while his ongoing role as the grandfather in the popular sitcom ''[[Suburban Bliss]]'' kept him in the public eye for much of the 1990s.
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* ''[[A Sip of Jerepigo]]'' (1969)
 +
* ''[[More Jerepigo]]''  (1973)
 +
* ''[[Just Jerepigo]]'' (1981)
 +
* ''[[Another Sip of Jerepigo]]'' (1989)
 +
* ''[[Cold Stone Jug]]'' (2002)
 +
* ''[[Tjeerio Jerepigo]]'' (2003)
 +
 
 +
Mynhardt's autobiography:
 +
 
 +
* ''[[The Boy from Bethulie]]'' (1982)
 +
 
 +
=== Film and TV ===
 +
 
 +
====Film====
 +
Roles in South African films include ''[[Vadertjie Langbeen]]'' (1955), ''[[Nor the Moon by Night]]'' (1958), ''[[The Hellions]]'' (1961), ''[[As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is!]]'' (1962), ''[[Stropers van die Laeveld]]'' (1962), ''[[Seven against the Sun]]'' (1964), ''[[The Naked Prey]]'' (1965), ''[[Diamond Walkers]]'' (1965), ''[[Africa Shakes]]'' (1966), ''[[Kavaliers]]'' (1966), ''[[The Cape Town Affair]]'' (1967),  ''[[The Jackals]]'' (1967), ''[[Majuba: Heuwel van Duiwe]]'' (1968), [[Vrolike Vrydag 13de]] (1969), ''[[Petticoat Safari]]'' (1969), ''[[Lied in My Hart]]'' (1970), ''[[Scotty & Co.]]'' (1970), ''[[Jannie totsiens]]'' (1970), ''[[Shangani Patrol]]'' (1970), ''[[Pressure Burst]]'' (1971), ''[[Three Bullets... for a Long Gun]]'' (1971), ''[[Z.E.B.R.A.]]'' (1971), ''[[Die Voortrekkers]]'' (1973), ''[[Saboteurs]]'' (1974), ''[[Forever Young, Forever Free]]'' (1975), ''[[Olie Kolonie]]'',  (1975), ''[[Kniediep...]]'' (1975), ''[[One Away]]'' (1976), ''[[Terug na Thaba]]'' (1977), ''[[Game for Vultures]]'' (1979), ''[[Zulu Dawn]]'' (1979), ''[[Killing Heat]]'' (1981), ''[[Die kersietuin]]'' (1983), ''[[Hedda Gabler]]'' (1983), ''[[Torn Allegiance]]'' (1984), ''[[Broer Matie]]'' (1984), ''[[Die Vuurtoring]]'' (1984), ''[[Skollie]]'' (1984), ''[[Eendag vir Altyd]]'' (1985), ''[[Galery]]'' (1985), ''[[Dodedans]]'' (1985), ''[[Arme moordenaar]]'' (1986), ''[[Vyfster: Die Slot]]'' (1986), ''[[Scavengers]]'' (1988), ''[[The Emissary]]'' (1988), ''[[Rising Storm]]'' (1989), ''[[Oddball Hall]]'' (1990), ''[[A Private Life]]'' (1991), ''[[Orkney Snork Nie! (die movie): 'Dis Lekker By Die See']]'' (1992), ''[[Lipstiek Dipstiek]]'' (1994), ''[[Hearts and Minds]]'' (1995), ''[[Operation Delta Force 2: Mayday]]'' (1997), ''[[Pride of Africa]]'' (1997), ''[[Dr Lucille: The Lucille Teasdale Story]]'' (2001), ''[[Cold Stone Jug]]'' (2003), ''[[Stander]]'' (2003).
 +
 
 +
International film and tv credits include ''A Rough Diamond'' (1956), ''Mister Charlesworth'' (1957), ''The Killing Stones'' (1958), ''Quatermass and the Pit'' (1958), ''Danger Within'' (1959), ''Carlton-Browne of the F.O.'' (1959), ''My Side of the Story'' (1959), ''I'm All Right Jack'' (1959), ''The Distinguished Gathering'' (1959), ''The Watching Eye'' (1960), ''Deadline Midnight'' (1960), ''Macbeth'' (1960), ''Evidence in Concrete'' (1960), ''Danger Man'' (1961), ''Till the Day I Die'' (1961), ''[[Diamanten sind gefährlich]]'' (1965), ''[[Der Rivonia-Prozess]]'' (1966), ''[[Diamantendetektiv Dick Donald]]'' (1971), ''[[John Ralling - Abenteuer um Diamanten]]'' (1975), ''[[Les diamants du président]]'' (1975), ''[[Pour tout l'or du Transvaal]]'' (1979), ''[[The Lion's Share]]'' (1985), ''[[A Good Man in Africa]]'' (1994).
 +
 
 +
====Television====
 +
 
 +
The brilliant local TV drama ''[[Vyfster]]'' (1982, second series 1986) made him a household name as the menacing prison "don" called "Papa", while his ongoing role as the grandfather in the popular sitcom ''[[Suburban Bliss]]'' (1996) kept him in the public eye for much of the 1990s. Other tv shows include ''[[TJ 7]]'' (1977), ''[[Phoenix en Kie]]'' (1979), ''[[Oh George!]]'' (1981), ''[[Die Avonture van Joachim Verwey]]'' (1981), ''[[Brood Vir My Broer]]'' (1982), ''[[Skooldae]]'' (1984), ''[[Geknelde Land]]'' (1984), ''[[Hoekie vir Eensames]]'' (1986), ''[[Ballade vir 'n Enkeling]]'' (1987), ''[[Dot en Kie]]'' (1988), ''[[Saartjie]]'' (1989), ''[[Die Binnekring]]'' (1990), ''[[The Fourth Reich]]'' (1990), ''[[The Visual Bible: Matthew]]'' (1993), ''[[The Visual Bible: Acts]]'' (1994), ''[[Jackpot]]'' (1996).
 +
 
 +
===As director===
 +
 
 +
He directed ''[[Die Blinde Vegter]]'' for [[TRUK]] in 1965.
  
 
== Awards, etc ==
 
== Awards, etc ==
Line 47: Line 75:
 
''Tjeerio Jerepigo'' programme, 2003.
 
''Tjeerio Jerepigo'' programme, 2003.
  
 +
'Theatre icon Patrick Mynhardt dies'. ''[[Mail & Guardian]]''. 25 October 2007.
 +
 +
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0562782/
  
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Latest revision as of 11:34, 23 July 2025

Patrick Mynhardt (1932-2007) was a gifted bilingual (Afrikaans and English) actor and enjoyable eccentric.

Biography

Born on 12 June 1932 in Bethulie in the Free State, of an Afrikaans father and an Irish mother, he was educated at Bethulie School and De La Salle College in East London, South Africa. He then spent what he referred to as three “disastrous” years at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, where he did, however, discover that he had a flair for acting.

He joined the National Theatre Organisation in 1953 as an actor and toured the country for a year and a half appearing in English and Afrikaans plays.

In 1954 he left for London where he intended to spend three years at the Central School of Drama, but left after only one term and pursued his drama studies privately. He eventually landed his first job in a repertory company. Performing on stage and for the BBC in Britain, he worked with such luminaries as Peter Sellers, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quinn, Richard Harris, Peter O’Toole, Michael Caine and Judi Dench.

He returned to South Africa at the end of 1960 to make a career for himself in theatre, film and TV.

He died on stage in London on 25 October 2007 at the age of 75 while performing in his one-man show Boy from Bethulie at the Jermyn Street Theatre in the West End. He is buried at the Westpark Cemetery in Randburg, in a grave adjacent to that of Herman Charles Bosman (1905-1951).

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

Mynhardt was a star of the stage, film, television and radio for more than 50 years in South Africa and overseas. He appeared in more than 150 stage productions (in South Africa and the United Kingdom), 100 local and international films and about 100 television plays and serials, some local and some abroad.

As actor

Stage

His stage credits in South Africa include Iepekonders (1953), The King of Diamonds (1961), A Touch of the Poet (1961), Jonkvrou Edelwater (1962), Guilty Party (1962), Policy for Murder (1963), Christie, Montserrat (Equierdo 1963), The Playboy of the Western World (Sean Keogh 1963), The Cherry Orchard (PACT, 1963), Rashomon, directed by Joan Brickhill in 1965, The Deputy (1965), Twelve Angry Men (1965), The Devils (1966), The Beaux' Stratagem (Fiogard, 1966), War and Peace (Napoleon, 1966), Staircase (1967, Harry), Dodedans (Edgar, 1967), Die Spel van Liefde en Toeval (Pasqual, 1967), Staircase (the Langford-Inglis Company, 1967 as Harry), Fanny (1968), The Crucible (PACT 1975), Conspiracy for PACT at the Alexander Theatre in 1976, Die Verminktes (1977), Die Vader (1978), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1978), Sly Fox for The Company at the Market Theatre in 1979, The Siege of Nugget Street (1979), The Royal Hunt of the Sun(1981), The Taming of the Shrew (1981), Karoo Grand (1983), Translations (1985), Long Day's Journey into Night (1989), Nemesis (1989), Houd-den-Bek (1990), Die Sakeman van Venesië (1991) and Mirakel (1992).

The one-man shows

Mynhardt is most memorable in South Africa for his one-man performances. He created and performed in a number of these using material from the works of Herman Charles Bosman, particularly Bosman's "Oom Schalk Lourens" stories. Over the years (and up to the time of his death), he performed his one-man shows at embassies, official residences and theatres in Brussels, London, New York, Washington and also at the California Springbok Club in San Jose and San Francisco.

The Bosman shows include:

Mynhardt's autobiography:

Film and TV

Film

Roles in South African films include Vadertjie Langbeen (1955), Nor the Moon by Night (1958), The Hellions (1961), As Ons Twee Eers Getroud Is! (1962), Stropers van die Laeveld (1962), Seven against the Sun (1964), The Naked Prey (1965), Diamond Walkers (1965), Africa Shakes (1966), Kavaliers (1966), The Cape Town Affair (1967), The Jackals (1967), Majuba: Heuwel van Duiwe (1968), Vrolike Vrydag 13de (1969), Petticoat Safari (1969), Lied in My Hart (1970), Scotty & Co. (1970), Jannie totsiens (1970), Shangani Patrol (1970), Pressure Burst (1971), Three Bullets... for a Long Gun (1971), Z.E.B.R.A. (1971), Die Voortrekkers (1973), Saboteurs (1974), Forever Young, Forever Free (1975), Olie Kolonie, (1975), Kniediep... (1975), One Away (1976), Terug na Thaba (1977), Game for Vultures (1979), Zulu Dawn (1979), Killing Heat (1981), Die kersietuin (1983), Hedda Gabler (1983), Torn Allegiance (1984), Broer Matie (1984), Die Vuurtoring (1984), Skollie (1984), Eendag vir Altyd (1985), Galery (1985), Dodedans (1985), Arme moordenaar (1986), Vyfster: Die Slot (1986), Scavengers (1988), The Emissary (1988), Rising Storm (1989), Oddball Hall (1990), A Private Life (1991), Orkney Snork Nie! (die movie): 'Dis Lekker By Die See' (1992), Lipstiek Dipstiek (1994), Hearts and Minds (1995), Operation Delta Force 2: Mayday (1997), Pride of Africa (1997), Dr Lucille: The Lucille Teasdale Story (2001), Cold Stone Jug (2003), Stander (2003).

International film and tv credits include A Rough Diamond (1956), Mister Charlesworth (1957), The Killing Stones (1958), Quatermass and the Pit (1958), Danger Within (1959), Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959), My Side of the Story (1959), I'm All Right Jack (1959), The Distinguished Gathering (1959), The Watching Eye (1960), Deadline Midnight (1960), Macbeth (1960), Evidence in Concrete (1960), Danger Man (1961), Till the Day I Die (1961), Diamanten sind gefährlich (1965), Der Rivonia-Prozess (1966), Diamantendetektiv Dick Donald (1971), John Ralling - Abenteuer um Diamanten (1975), Les diamants du président (1975), Pour tout l'or du Transvaal (1979), The Lion's Share (1985), A Good Man in Africa (1994).

Television

The brilliant local TV drama Vyfster (1982, second series 1986) made him a household name as the menacing prison "don" called "Papa", while his ongoing role as the grandfather in the popular sitcom Suburban Bliss (1996) kept him in the public eye for much of the 1990s. Other tv shows include TJ 7 (1977), Phoenix en Kie (1979), Oh George! (1981), Die Avonture van Joachim Verwey (1981), Brood Vir My Broer (1982), Skooldae (1984), Geknelde Land (1984), Hoekie vir Eensames (1986), Ballade vir 'n Enkeling (1987), Dot en Kie (1988), Saartjie (1989), Die Binnekring (1990), The Fourth Reich (1990), The Visual Bible: Matthew (1993), The Visual Bible: Acts (1994), Jackpot (1996).

As director

He directed Die Blinde Vegter for TRUK in 1965.

Awards, etc

For Dodedans he won the Anton de Waal Trophy for the best Afrikaans performance of the year, 1967.

In 1991 he was once again nominated for the Anton de Waal Trophy for his lead role in Die Sakeman van Venesië ("The Merchant of Venice").

In 2002 he was a recipient of a Johannesburg Theatre Management Lifetime Achievement Award at the FNB Vita Awards presented at the Theatre on the Square, Sandton.

Sources

Tucker, 1997.

http://www.patrickmynhardt.com/Roles.asp?Page=1

Boy from Bethulie programme notes, 1983.

Oggendblad, 6 May 2004.

The Citizen, 26 October 2007.

Tjeerio Jerepigo programme, 2003.

'Theatre icon Patrick Mynhardt dies'. Mail & Guardian. 25 October 2007.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0562782/

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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