Leon van Nierop

Leon van Nierop (1953-) is a stage, film and TV critic, broadcaster, lecturer, director and producer, as well as being prolific author of fiction.

Biography

Born in Brakpan on 18 February, 1953, completed his schooling at the Hoërskool Stoffberg in Brakpan (1970), and in 1974 copleted ba BA degree in languages and drama at the University of Stellenbosch. He did post graduate work in film studies at the Tswane University of Technology, Pretoria, in 2005 tot 2008. He also has the Akademie vir Drama in Cape Town Spraak en Drama en Radio Regie en Vervaardiging, behaal.at Brakpan, after which he went to Stellenbosch University to study Languages and Drama (BA).

In 1975 he began working as announcer/director at the SABC, and - inter alia - did highly regarded film reviews on the programme Monitor for them for 43 years.

He has written over 30 novels, three film scripts, many popular radio serials, television series. He has also published three books on cinema, film analysis and history. He served as content producer and co-host of a TV-show on film trivia called Flieknet Foendies on KykNET.

A broadcaster for 44 years, and a travel writer for magazines and newspapers and a lecturer on film in particular. He was appointed a professor at the Tshwane University of Technology for a time, heading their film school for close on four years.

Contribution to South African theatre, film and media

He wrote several popular radio stories, including Wolwedans in die Skemer (broadcast on Springbok Radio from 4 August 1979 to 30 Januarie 1982), Herberg vir 'n Vlugteling, Die Huis in Hertestraat and Stralerjakkers His TV scripts include Ballade vir 'n Enkeling (I and II), Wolwedans in die Skemer, Huisjakker, Moord op die Lug and adaptations of other works for TV: Het van Verlangekraal, Die Hartseerwals, Laat Vrugte, Die Sondaar, Uitdraai and Jantjie.

He has directed Skoolplaasstories and was a scriptwriter for the first two years of the M-Net soap opera Egoli. He also wrote the most texts for the SABC2 soap Glaskasteel (later also broadcast on BBC2).

For a more complete listing of his output as author, see https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_van_Nierop.