Elize Cawood

Elize Cawood (19*-2020) Actress.

Biography

She grew up in Bothaville, South Africa, and studied BA Drama at the University of the Orange Free State. Her brother is film and TV director Bromley Cawood.

She was married to actor Wilson Dunster and the mother of Luke Dunster and actress Jenna Dunster.

Elize died off cancer on 18 July, 2020.

She started her professional career in 1974 as a member of the Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State (PACOFS). She spent four years playing a wide variety of roles, from school and library programmes to the classics and contemporary plays. Another year was spent with PACT's Youth Group, touring the Transvaal. She settled in Johannesburg as a freelance actor in 1979 and kicked off with a string of one-off dramas for SABC TV.

Binnelanders, Isidingo and Erfsondes.

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

Then came Pieter-Dirk Uys's Die Van Aardes van Grootoor at the Market Theatre, which led to Oh George!, a sitcom for the SABC directed by Gray Hofmeyr and Verspeelde Lente directed by Manie van Rensburg (TV mini-series).

Other stage roles include Twelfth Night (as “Viola” with PACOFS), Three Sisters (as “Natasha” with PACOFS), The Cherry Orchard (as “Anya” with PACOFS), Die Van Aardes van Grootoor (in 1979 at the Market Theatre), Ons Hou Konsert (in 1979 at the Market Theatre), Die Van Aardes van Grootoor (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1978), A Doll's House, an Afrikaans translation of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Bobby Heaney; Stephen Gray’s Schreiner: A One Woman Play (directed by Lucille Gillwald at the Laager in August 1983); "Elsa" in the South African premiere of Athol Fugard’s The Road to Mecca at the (Market Theatre in November 1984); Mitzi Booysen’s The Time of the Hyena (Windybrow Theatre circa 1986); Art of Charf (2006); Dinner for One (2012).

Her other film and TV career highlights include Die Wonderwerker, 2012 as Maria van Rooyen; Liefling, 2010 as Ouma Elsa Ferreira; Proesstraat 2010 (TV-series); Die Uwe Pottie Potgieter 2010 (TV-series); Villa Rosa (TV soap); Isidingo 2009 (TV soap); Red Dust, 2004 as Anna Hoffman; The Long Run, 2001 as Mrs. Suiker; Lyklollery, 2001 as the TV licence woman; Daisy de Melker, 1993 (TV-film) as Ethel Balderow; Taxi to Soweto, 1991 as Jessica du Toit; The Fourth Reich, 1990 as Romy Taillard; Arme moordenaar, 1986 (TV-film); Les visiteurs, 1980 (TV mini-series).