Jan Groenewald

Jan Groenewald (1946-2024) is an Afrikaans actor, director and playwright.

Biography

Born Jan Adriaan Groenewald in Florida on the West Rand in Transvaal, he studied at the Aakademie vir Dramakuns and had classes with Milla Louw and Aletta Gericke.

He began his career as a radio actor and author of radio dramas for the SABC. At the age of 42 he switched to working in television.

He and his life partner Pieter de Vos, whom he had met in 1973, were joint owners of the boutique hotel and theatre Foxwood House, where he initiated the Foxwood Festival for example, and he was also a partner in Foxwood Televison, with Sandra Prinsloo.

He passed away of heart failure after a long fight against cancer at his home in Johannesburg on 20 July, 2024.

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

As an actor he often appeared in his own solo-plays,

His plays include works such as 'n Tyd om Lief te Hê, Die Wildeman, Klagstaat, Pruimboom, blou blou.

As a TV director he was responsible for documentary and magazine productions such as the chat show RaakPraat met Sandra, The Heart is Beautiful, Formidabele vroue: Emily Hobhouse

For the latter documentaries he and De Vos received awards for Documentary work from the SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (n 2009 and 2014 respectively).