Jimmy Mentis

Jimmy Mentis (1915?-1970) was a stage actor and occasional producer.

Biography

James Demetrius (Jimmy) Mentis was one of eight children born to Theodore Mentis and his wife, Anthippe Fardouli, who had come from Greece to South Africa. The couple settled in Johannesburg, where Theodore ran a general dealership in Kerk Street. The first known indication that his son was interested in the theatre is a credit as assistant stage manager for The Quaker Girl, performed by the Johannesburg High School Old Girls’ Club in 1939. From 1945 onwards he appeared on the stage for various theatrical groups, including the Playfair Players, the Johannesburg Repertory Players, JODS, the Company of Three and especially the Children’s Theatre, with producer Anthony Farmer frequently casting him in his productions. He also made some infrequent film appearances. His last known stage appearance dates from 1966 and he died unexpectedly on 25 December 1970.

Theatre Credits (Actor)

1945 – On the Spot (Producer: Leo De Honri), 1946 – Wuthering Heights (Producer: Ernest Renfield), 1947 – Ten Little Niggers (Producer: Leo De Honri), 1948 – See How They Run (Producer: Leo De Honri), 1950 – Out of the Frying Pan (Producer: Norah Taylor), 1950 – Tulip Time (Production: Isobel McLaren), 1950 – Hiawatha (Producer: Norah Taylor), 1951 – The Lady’s not for Burning (Producer: Margaret Inglis), 1951 – Maritza (Producer: unknown), 1951 – Much Ado About Nothing (Producer: Gwen Ffrangçon-Davies), 1952 – Cyrano de Bergerac (Producer: Taubie Kushlick), 1952 – The Princess and the Swineherd (Producer: Margaret Inglis), 1953 – Beauty and the Beast (Producer: Mary Tilley), 1954 – Figure of Fun (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1954 – The Three Wishes (Producer: Anna Romain Hoffmann), 1954 – Columbe (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – Puss in Boots (Producer: Clifford Wiliams), 1955 – My Three Angels (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – The Wooden Dish (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – The Taming of the Shrew (Producer: Mary Holder), 1955 – Book of the Month (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1955 – Two Dozen Red Roses (Producer: Stuart Brown), 1956 – The Man (Producer: unknown), 1956 – The Sleeping Prince (Producer: Minna Schneier), 1957 – Sextet (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1958 – Ever Since Eve (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1959 – St. Joan (Producer: Leon Gluckman), 1960 – The Fall (Producer: Victor Melleney), 1960 – Jack and the Beanstalk (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1963 – Show Boat (Producer: Anthony Farmer), 1964 – Treasure Island (Producer: Robert Langford), 1965 – The Deputy (Producer: Albert Ninio), 1966 – Around the World in 80 Days (Producer: Anthony Farmer).

Theatre Credits (Producer)

1952 – Candied Peel, 1953 – Ten Little Niggers, 1955 – I Capture the Castle, 1963 – The Circus Adventure, 1965 – The Three Wishes.

Film & Television Credits

1958 – A Christmas Carol (short) (Director: Robert Hartford-Davis), 1964 – Diamonds are Dangerous / Diamanten sind gefährlich (TV series) (Director: Hermann Kugelstadt), 1966 – Der Rivonia-Prozess (2 parts) (Director: Jürgen Goslar), 1971 – Diamantendetektiv Dick Donald (Episode: Der stumme Zeuge) (television) (Director: Jürgen Goslar).

Sources

Rand Daily Mail (many issues)

Sunday Times (many issues)

Tucker, 1997. pp 79, 111.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2808490/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_6_q_jimmy%2520mentis

Photographs held by NELM in various locations.

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