Tine Balder

(1924-). Actress, teacher and costumier.

Born Clementine Cobbaut in Antwerp, Belgium, she became a well known Flemish and South African actress under her stage name. She studied at De Stedelijke Normaalschool in Antwerp and then did drama at Het Hooger Instituut voor Toneel en Regie. Taking the stage name of Tine Balder, she initially worked for the Jeugdtheater ("Youth theatre") under the direction of Fred Engelen, whom she married in 1944. From 1945 tot 1961 she was attached to the Koninklijke Nederlandse Schouwburg (the K.N.S.), as well as doing some TV and film work (e.g. Meeuwen sterven in de haven, 1955). With the K.N.S. she undertook three tours of the Belgian Congo and South Africa (1950, 1953 en 1956).

In 1961 her husband accepted a professorship at the University of Stellenbosch and they settled in Sotuh Africa. Balder then helped out in the new Drama Department as well as acting for the National Theatre Organisation (NTO), Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB) and later the Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT), performing both in English andd in Afrikaans. When her husband died suddenly in 1967, she remained in Stellenbosch for a while, but in 1973 returned to Antwerp to coninue her career in Belgium.

Leading roles in South Africa include Joan of Arc in ** (196*), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (University of Stellenbosch, 1967) **, **, A Long Day's Journey into Night (in Afrikaans) **?. ***, the older Christine in Bartho Smit’s Christine (1973), Iemand om voor Nag te Sê (1973), Ma in P.G. du Plessis's Siener in die Suburbs (1988). Won best actress awards for her roles in Christine and Iemand om Voor Nag te Sê.

Back in Belgium, she worked for the K.N.S. once more, now under the direction of Domien De Gruyter. She did film television,radio and film work, for instance in Maria Speermalie (1979), Een vrouw tussen hond en wolf (1979), Springen (1985), Brylcream Boulevard (1995). Television appearances in Candida (1973), Rubens, schilder en diplomaat (1977), Alfa Papa Tango, Recht op Recht and Flikken (the episode called Dikke vrienden of 2000).