Difference between revisions of "Ron Smerczak"

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(****-****). Actor. Played “Hotspur” in Henry IV Part I and “Queenie” in ''[[Fortune and Men's Eyes]]''. ([[SACD]] 1975/76) ([[SACD]] 1977/78)  
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'''Ron Smerczak''' (1949-) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Smerczak] is a British-born South African stage, film and television actor.
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== Biography ==
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Born and raised in Blackpool, UK, Ron's first taste of acting was with Michael Croft's National Youth Theatre. At the age of 15, Ron was treading the boards - albeit carrying a spear - of The Old Vic in ''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]''. In 1969, after studying at Cardiff University, where Ron read Geology, he auditioned for a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He was accepted and granted a scholarship. On graduation from RADA in 1971, Ron obtained the school's silver medal and an award as best character actor of his year. Ron then enjoyed three years work in England, first with Billingham Rep., and then with The Prospect Theatre Company. As a member of the latter he toured Britian, Europe and Australia. During his time in England he also appeared in the British SOAP series ''Dixon of Dock Green'' and ''Z Cars''. In 1973, he appeared as co-lead in David Rudkin's award winning TV play ''Pendas Fen''. At about this time Ron also entered the world of horror movies. Playing a small part in ''The House of Whipcord'', now on video circuit in SA.
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He settled in South Africa in 1974. Ron lives with his wife Lyn and children in Johannesburg and enjoys horseriding, squash, cooking, gardening and science fiction.
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== Training ==
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After having read Geology at Cardiff University, Ron graduated from RADA in 1971.
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== Career ==
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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As a stage actor his credits include "John Proctor" in ''[[The Crucible]]'', "Caliban" in ''[[The Tempest]]'', "Shylock" in ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'',  “Hotspur” in ''[[Henry IV]]'' Part I; “Queenie” in ''[[Fortune and Men's Eyes]]'', ''[[Macbeth]]'' ([[PACT]], ''[[In Praise of Love]]'' (1974), ''[[Fortune and Men's Eyes]]'' (1975), ''[[Pleasure and Repentance]]'' (1976), ''[[Dirty Linen]]'' at the [[Civic Theatre]] (1977),  revival of ''[[Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' (1978), Les in Steven Berkoff's ''[[East]]'', ''[[Macbeth]]'' with [[Sandra Prinsloo]], [[PACT]], 1980, ''[[Jumpers]]'' (1980), ''[[The Crucible]]'' (1981), Brick in ''[[Cat on a Hot Tin Roof]]''  (1982), ''[[The Rise and Fall of the First Empress Bonaparte]]'' (1983), ''[[Beecham]]'' (1984), ''[[Falstaff]]'' (1984),  ''[[Cincinatti – Scenes from City Life|Cincinatti: Scenes from City Life]]'', ''[[Catastrophe]]'' (1985), ''[[Gulls]]'' (1987/1988), ''[[Diary of a Madman]]'' (1988), ''[[Shakespeare's Macbeth]]'' (1989), ''[[A Doll's House]]'' (1990), ''[[Shadowlands]]'' (1991), Tom in ''[[Skylight]]'' (1997), ''[[84 Charing Cross Road]]'', ''[[The Dresser]]'', ''[[Blue/Orange]]'' (by British playwright Joe Penhall, directed by [[Maralin Vanrenen]], Johannesburg 2004), "Che Guevara" in [[Hans Pienaar]]'s ''[[Ching Chong Che]]'', [[Downstairs at Wits Theatre]], August 2004, "Archibald Drupe" in ''[[Tree Boy]]'', [[Grahamstown Festival]], 2010.
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As director, his first piece was ''[[Decadence]]'' (1984).
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He is also active in radio, both as actor and scriptwriter.
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South African television roles have included "Constable Murray" in ''[[The Diggers]]'', "Henry Stone" in ''[[The Settlers]]'', the playboy photographer, "Greg Tremaine" in ''[[Westgate]]'', leading villain "Archer" in the TV film ''[[Torn Allegiance]]'' (also known as ''[[Sanna]]''), "Captain Denton" in ''[[My Friend Angelo'']],  "Mr Ogle" in [[SABC]]'s series  of ''[[Shaka Zulu]]''.
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Film roles include ''[[Jock of the Bushveld]]'' (1995), ''[[Cry the Beloved Country]]'' (1995), ''[[Finding Lenny]]'' (2009), as well as small parts in international films, such as ''[[One Way]]'', starring [[Elke Sommer]] and ''[[Prisoner of the Lost Universe]]'' with [[Richard Hatch]]..
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==Awards==
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Nominee 1991 Smerczak, Ron in ''[[Shadowlands]]'' (Sunday Atar/Johannesburg Critics circle Award for best actor in a supporting role in English);
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''[[Gulls]]'' ([[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]], Best Actor 1987), ''[[Diary of a Madman]]'' ([[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]], Best Actor 1988),
  
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(19**-) Actor for stage, film and TV. Born in **, studied drama at the University of **. Performed for *** . Roles in the 1974 fundraising production for the [[Market Theatre]],  ''[[Macbeth]]'' ([[PACT]], 198*), ''[[Gulls]]'' ([[Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]], Best Actor 1987), ''[[Diary of a Madman]]'' ([[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]], Best Actor 1988), * SMERCZAC, Ron. He starred in the [[Toerien-Firth Company]] production of [[Terence Rattigan]]’s ''[[In Praise of Love]]'' together with [[Robert Flemyng]], [[Robert Beatty]] and [[Muriel Pavlow]] at the [[Intimate Theatre]] in 1974. He starred in [[John Herbert]]’s ''[[Fortune and Men's Eyes]]'' with [[Paul Slabolepszy]], [[Bill Flynn]] and [[Danny Keogh]] for [[The Company]] at the [[Nunnery]] in 1975. He starred in ''[[Pleasure and Repentance]]'', a fund-raising show for the [[Market Theatre]] on 4 January 1976. [[Barney Simon]] directed and the cast also starred  [[Michael McCabe]], [[Keith Blundell]] and [[Janet Suzman]].  He starred in [[Pieter Toerien]]’s presentation of [[Tom Stoppard]]’s ''[[Dirty Linen]]'' together with [[Charles Hawtrey]], [[Peter Bowles]], [[Naomi Buch]] and [[Richard Warwick]] at the [[Civic Theatre]] in 1977.  He starred in a revival of ''[[A Long Day's Journey into Night]]'' with [[Shelagh Holliday]], [[Danny Keogh]] and [[Joe Stewardson]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1978. He starred in [[PACT]]’s production of ''[[Macbeth]]'' with [[Sandra Prinsloo]] with direction by [[Leonard Schach]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1980. He starred in [[Malcolm Purkey]]’s production of [[Tom Stoppard]]’s  ''[[Jumpers]]'', together with [[Nicholas Ellenbogen]] and [[Michele Maxwell]] at the [[Market Theatre|Market]] in 1980. He starred in the [[PACT]] production of [[Arthur Miller]]’s ''[[The Crucible]]'', directed by [[William Egan]], together with [[Sandra Prinsloo]] and [[Thoko Ntshinga]] in 1981. He starred in [[Aubrey Berg]]’s production of [[Tennessee Williams]]’s ''[[Cat on a Hot Tin Roof]]''  together with [[Lena Ferugia]] and [[Victor Winding]] for [[PACT]] in 1982. This play opened at the [[State Theatre]] before moving to the [[Alexander Theatre]]. He starred in [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]]’s ''[[The Rise and Fall of the First Empress Bonaparte]]'' together with [[Jacqui Singer]] and [[Michael McCabe]] which was directed by [[William Egan]] and staged by [[PACT]] at the [[Alexander Theatre|Alexander]] in August 1983. Starred in [[Bobby Heaney]]’s productions of [[Saumuel Beckett]]’s ''[[Catastrophe]]'' at the [[Wits Theatre]] in 1985. He starred in [[Robert Hewett]]’s ''[[Gulls]]'' which [[Keith Grenville]] directed in 1987/1988. He starred in [[Ibsen]]’s ''[[A Doll’s House]]'' at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1990. SMERZCAK, Ron, ''[[Macbeth]]'' ([[Pact]]), ''[[84 Charing Cross Road]]'', ''[[The Dresser]]'', (The [[Company of Four]]) ([[Market Theatre]]), ''[[Beecham]]'' with [[Michael Atkinson]], [[Caryl Brahms]], [[Ned Sherrin]].  Musical sequences:  [[Leo Quayle]], 1984.
 
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
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See Schwartz, 1988; Tucker, 1997
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
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Programme notes of ''[[Decadence]]'' in 1984.
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''[[Pack of Lies]]'' programme notes in 19** of the run at the [[Market Theatre]].
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[[SACD]] 1975/76; 1977/78.
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[[CAPAB Brochure]], Aug-Nov. 1989.
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Latest revision as of 06:59, 28 September 2022

Ron Smerczak (1949-) [1] is a British-born South African stage, film and television actor.

Biography

Born and raised in Blackpool, UK, Ron's first taste of acting was with Michael Croft's National Youth Theatre. At the age of 15, Ron was treading the boards - albeit carrying a spear - of The Old Vic in Antony and Cleopatra. In 1969, after studying at Cardiff University, where Ron read Geology, he auditioned for a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He was accepted and granted a scholarship. On graduation from RADA in 1971, Ron obtained the school's silver medal and an award as best character actor of his year. Ron then enjoyed three years work in England, first with Billingham Rep., and then with The Prospect Theatre Company. As a member of the latter he toured Britian, Europe and Australia. During his time in England he also appeared in the British SOAP series Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars. In 1973, he appeared as co-lead in David Rudkin's award winning TV play Pendas Fen. At about this time Ron also entered the world of horror movies. Playing a small part in The House of Whipcord, now on video circuit in SA.

He settled in South Africa in 1974. Ron lives with his wife Lyn and children in Johannesburg and enjoys horseriding, squash, cooking, gardening and science fiction.

Training

After having read Geology at Cardiff University, Ron graduated from RADA in 1971.

Career

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

As a stage actor his credits include "John Proctor" in The Crucible, "Caliban" in The Tempest, "Shylock" in The Merchant of Venice, “Hotspur” in Henry IV Part I; “Queenie” in Fortune and Men's Eyes, Macbeth (PACT, In Praise of Love (1974), Fortune and Men's Eyes (1975), Pleasure and Repentance (1976), Dirty Linen at the Civic Theatre (1977), revival of Long Day's Journey into Night (1978), Les in Steven Berkoff's East, Macbeth with Sandra Prinsloo, PACT, 1980, Jumpers (1980), The Crucible (1981), Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1982), The Rise and Fall of the First Empress Bonaparte (1983), Beecham (1984), Falstaff (1984), Cincinatti: Scenes from City Life, Catastrophe (1985), Gulls (1987/1988), Diary of a Madman (1988), Shakespeare's Macbeth (1989), A Doll's House (1990), Shadowlands (1991), Tom in Skylight (1997), 84 Charing Cross Road, The Dresser, Blue/Orange (by British playwright Joe Penhall, directed by Maralin Vanrenen, Johannesburg 2004), "Che Guevara" in Hans Pienaar's Ching Chong Che, Downstairs at Wits Theatre, August 2004, "Archibald Drupe" in Tree Boy, Grahamstown Festival, 2010.

As director, his first piece was Decadence (1984).

He is also active in radio, both as actor and scriptwriter.

South African television roles have included "Constable Murray" in The Diggers, "Henry Stone" in The Settlers, the playboy photographer, "Greg Tremaine" in Westgate, leading villain "Archer" in the TV film Torn Allegiance (also known as Sanna), "Captain Denton" in My Friend Angelo'', "Mr Ogle" in SABC's series of Shaka Zulu.

Film roles include Jock of the Bushveld (1995), Cry the Beloved Country (1995), Finding Lenny (2009), as well as small parts in international films, such as One Way, starring Elke Sommer and Prisoner of the Lost Universe with Richard Hatch..

Awards

Nominee 1991 Smerczak, Ron in Shadowlands (Sunday Atar/Johannesburg Critics circle Award for best actor in a supporting role in English);

Gulls (Fleur du Cap Theatre Award, Best Actor 1987), Diary of a Madman (Fleur du Cap Theatre Award, Best Actor 1988),


Sources

Tucker, 1997.

Programme notes of Decadence in 1984.

Pack of Lies programme notes in 19** of the run at the Market Theatre.

SACD 1975/76; 1977/78.

CAPAB Brochure, Aug-Nov. 1989.



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