Difference between revisions of "Bill Curry"

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[[Bill Curry]] (1931 – ) is an actor, dancer, director and teacher.
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[[Bill Curry]] (1931–2015) was a South African actor, dancer, director and teacher. (Also billed as [[William Curry]] in some instances apparently).
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
  
Born William Edward Curry in the Bokaap, Cape Town on 26 March 1931. He studied at Hewat Teacher Training College and in 1957 he travelled to London to study theatre at the Royal School of Speech and Drama.
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Born William Edward Curry in the Bokaap, Cape Town on 26 March 1931. His first stage appearance was a "walk-on" role in ''[[The Tempest]]'' in 1946. He studied at Hewat Teacher Training College and became a teacher and was active in local amateur theatre, appearing in musicals and light comedy.  
  
Because of Apartheid regulations, he was unable to perform professionally on his return to South Africa and so he became a teacher, teaching ''inter alia'' at Sunnyside Primary School (1960-62) and in Simonstown.
+
In 1956, aided by author and critic [[Denis Hatfield]], he went to London to study at the Central School for Speech and Drama. He returned to South Africa in 1962. He later also studied at the University of Cape town and received a BA (English Literature).
 +
 
 +
Because of Apartheid regulations, he was initially unable to perform professionally on his return to South Africa and so he became a teacher for a while, teaching ''inter alia'' at Sunnyside Primary School (1960-62) and in Simonstown, while doing part time acting. 
 +
 
 +
He then studied at the University of Cape town and received a BA (English Literature).
 +
 
 +
In 1972 he joined the [[Space Theatre]] in Cape Town  as one of the foundation members,  and was kept busy performing, directing and running the printing press at the theatre. After this his theatre, film and TV career would really take off. 
 +
 
 +
The newspaper critic and author [[Denis Hatfield]] (pseudonym of [[Denis Hatfield Bullough]]), whom he had met early in his life, would become his lifelong partner.
  
 
==Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance==   
 
==Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance==   
  
Perhaps the first star performer from the "coloured" community in the high apartheid years, he became a role model and mentor for many to follow.  
+
 
 +
Bill Curry was possibly the first star performer from the "coloured" community in the high apartheid years, and became a role model and mentor for many to follow.  
 +
 
  
 
===As actor===
 
===As actor===
  
Over the years he  had roles in a wide range of local and international plays, for a variety of companies. He started his career in Cape amateur theatre, playing ''inter alia'' at the [[Masque Theatre]] in Muizenberg and in 1946 he performed in ''[[The Tempest]]'' in the Cape Town City Hall.  
+
Over the years he  had roles in a wide range of local and international plays, for a variety of companies. He started his career with a walk-on part in ''[[The Tempest]]'' in the Cape Town City Hall (1946) and went on as a performer in Cape amateur theatre, playing ''inter alia'' at the [[Masque Theatre]] in Muizenberg.
  
In 1962 he starred in [[Charlotte Pretorius]]’s production of Genet’s ''[[The Blacks]]'' at the [[Claremont Civic Centre]]. This non-racial production was part of [[New Theatre]] under [[George Veldsman]], founder of [[The Drama Centre]].
+
After his return from England, he starred in [[Charlotte Pretorius]]’s production of Genet’s ''[[The Blacks]]'' at the [[Claremont Civic Centre]] in 1962. This non-racial production was part of [[New Theatre]] under [[George Veldsman]], founder of [[The Drama Centre]].
 +
 +
In 1964 he danced "The Fool" in [[David Poole]]’s ballet, ''[[The Square]]'',  with music by [[Stanley Glasser]], at the [[Cape Town City Hall]]. It was produced by the [[Eoan Group]], starring Johaar Mosaval from the Royal Ballet.  He also appeared at the [[Little Theatre]] in ''[[J.B.]]'' by Archibald Macleisch , winning his first [[Three Leaf Award]] for the best supporting player.  
 
   
 
   
In 1964 he played "The Fool" in [[David Poole]]’s ballet, ''[[The Square]]'',  with music by [[Stanley Glasser]], at the [[Cape Town City Hall]]. It was produced by the [[Eoan Group]], starring Johaar Mosaval from the Royal Ballet.  He also appeared at the [[Little Theatre]] in ''[[J.B.]]'' by Archibald Macleisch.
+
Between 1972 -1978 he performed for the [[Space Theatre]] in  numerous plays, including ''[[An Evening with Marcel Proust]]'', ''[[Ashes]]'', ''[[Balls]]'', ''[[The Caretaker]]'', ''[[Don't Drink the Water]]'', ''[[Dracula]]'', ''[[Drivers]]'', ''[[Endgame]]'', ''[[The Exception and the Rule]]'', ''[[A Flea in her Ear]]'', ''[[Fortune and Men's Eyes]]'', ''[[Futz]]'', ''[[The Indian wants the Bronx]]'', ''[[Line]]'' / ''[[It's Called the Sugar Plum]]'', ''[[The Lonely Giant]]'', ''[[Macrune’s Guevara]]'', ''[[The Maids]]'', ''[[Muzeeka]]'', ''[[My Family came over with the Normans]]'', ''[[Old King Cole]]'', ''[[Patrick Pearse Motel]]'', ''[[Picnic on the Battlefield]]'', ''[[Rats]]'', ''[[The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui]]'' (1979), ''[[Snow White and the Special Branch]]'', ''[[Spike]]'', ''[[Superman]]'' and ''[[Living in Strange Lands (Tsafendas)]]''. ''[[Die Van Aardes van Grootoor]]'' ([[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], 1978).  
 
 
In 1972 he became one of the foundation members of the newly created [[Space Theatre]], working there for a number of years, and appearing in  numerous plays for them, including ''[[An Evening with Marcel Proust]]'', ''[[Ashes]]'', ''[[Balls]]'', ''[[The Caretaker]]'', ''[[Don't Drink the Water]]'', ''[[Dracula]]'', ''[[Drivers]]'', ''[[Endgame]]'', ''[[The Exception and the Rule]]'', ''[[A Flea in her Ear]]'', ''[[Fortune and Men's Eyes]]'', ''[[Futz]]'', ''[[The Indian wants the Bronx]]'', ''[[Line / It’s called the Sugar Plum]]'', ''[[The Lonely Giant]]'', ''[[Macrune’s Guevara]]'', ''[[The Maids]]'', ''[[Muzeeka]]'', ''[[My Family came over with the Normans]]'', ''[[Old King Cole]]'', ''[[Patrick Pearse Motel]]'', ''[[Picnic on the Battlefield]]'', ''[[Rats]]'', ''[[The Resistable Rise of Arturo UI]]'', ''[[Snow White and the Special Branch]]'', ''[[Spike]]'', ''[[Superman]]'' and ''[[Living in Strange Lands (Tsafendas)]]''. ''[[Die Van Aardes van Grootoor]]'' ([[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], 1978).  
 
 
   
 
   
 
In 1977 he, [[Chris Galloway]], [[Dawie Malan]], [[Richard E. Grant]] and others formed the experimental theatre group, [[Fringe]].
 
In 1977 he, [[Chris Galloway]], [[Dawie Malan]], [[Richard E. Grant]] and others formed the experimental theatre group, [[Fringe]].
  
In 1979 he appeared in ''[[Info Scandals]]'' (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1979)
+
In 1979 he appeared in ''[[Info Scandals]]'' (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1979).
  
In 1980 ''[[The Indian wants the Bronx]]'' was repeated at the [[Market Theatre]] ,  where he went on to work doing [[Hennie Aucamp]]'s ''[[Met Permissie Gesê]]'' ([[Market Theatre]], 198*), [[Athol Fugard|Fugard]]’s ''[[A Lesson from Aloes]]'' ([[Market Theatre]] and  [[Baxter Theatre]] 1979,  Royal National Theatre, London (9 Jul – 16 Aug 1980), [[Hell is for Whites Only]] (aka ’’Beyond All Reason’’) ([[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], 1982).  
+
In 1980 ''[[The Indian wants the Bronx]]'' was repeated at the [[Market Theatre]] ,  where he went on to work doing [[Hennie Aucamp]]'s ''[[Met Permissie Gesê]]'' ([[Market Theatre]], 198*), [[Athol Fugard|Fugard]]’s ''[[A Lesson from Aloes]]'' ([[Market Theatre]] and  [[Baxter Theatre]] 1979,  Royal National Theatre, London (9 Jul – 16 Aug 1980), ''[[Hell is for Whites Only (aka ’’Beyond All Reason’’)|Hell is for Whites Only]]'' ([[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], 1982), ''[[The Dybbuk]]'' (1984), ''[[The Threepenny Opera]]''.  
  
He then became a member of the [[PACT]]/[[TRUK]] Company, for which he played Filipot in ''[[Die Huigelaar]]'' (1986); Jean Genet’s ''[[The Blacks]]'' (1989), [[Bartho Smit]]'s ''[[Die Keiser]]'' ( 1992).  
+
He then became a member of the [[PACT]]/[[TRUK]] Company, for which he played Filipot in ''[[Die Huigelaar]]'' (1986); Jean Genet's ''[[The Blacks]]'' (1989), [[Bartho Smit]]'s ''[[Die Keiser]]'' ( 1992).  
  
Other roles have included  ''[[Exit the King]]'' (as "Berenger"), ''[[Deathwatch]]'' (as "Green Eyes"), ''[[Neighbours]]'' (as "The Man"), ''[[Don't Drink the Water]]'' (as "Kilroy"), ''[[A Flea in Her Ear]]'' (as "Poche"/"Chandebise"), ''[[The Ageing Adolescent]]'' (as "Jake Hendrickse"), [[Adam Small]]'s ''[[The Orange Earth]]'',  ''[[Gin Game]]'',  Fugard’s ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' (1993) and  ''[[People are Living There]]'', (199*).
+
Other roles have included  ''[[Exit the King]]'' (as "Berenger"), ''[[Deathwatch]]'' (as "Green Eyes"), ''[[Neighbours]]'' (as "The Man"), ''[[Don't Drink the Water]]'' (as "Kilroy"), ''[[A Flea in Her Ear]]'' (as "Poche"/"Chandebise"), ''[[The Ageing Adolescent]]'' (as "Jake Hendrickse"), [[Adam Small]]'s ''[[The Orange Earth]]'',  ''[[The Gin Game]]'',  Fugard’s ''[[Boesman and Lena]]'' (1993) and  ''[[People are Living There]]'', (199*).
 +
 
 +
   
 +
He had a role in the documentary film ''[[Fugard's People]]'' (1982).
  
 
===As director===
 
===As director===
Line 37: Line 50:
 
==Awards==
 
==Awards==
  
In 1965 won  the [[Three Leaf Award]] as Best Supporting Actor for “Nickles” in [[J.B.]] by Archibald MacLeish. (The awards were later renamed the Fleur du Cap Awards).
+
In 1965 won  the [[Three Leaf Arts Award]] as Best Supporting Actor for “Nickles” in [[J.B.]] by Archibald MacLeish. (The awards were later renamed the Fleur du Cap Awards).
 +
 
 +
== Documentation on Bill Curry ==
 +
 
 +
A collection of [[Bill Curry]]'s documents are available in the Wits University Archive, listed as: CURRY, Bill (AM 2788).  It is described as follows on the archive's website:  "The collection includes extensive correspondence between Curry and his partner [[Denis Hatfield Bullough]], as well as correspondence from friends and colleagues. Also included is Curry?s personal scrapbook, press clippings relating to his acting career and other subjects, theatrical paraphernalia, including newsletters, posters, programs and other items, photographs and personal memorabilia (including a typewriter)".
 +
 
 +
See http://www.wits.ac.za/library/gala/archives/290/archives_c.html
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
Line 44: Line 63:
  
 
Letter and updated biography  from [[Basil Jones]], received 20 July 2015.
 
Letter and updated biography  from [[Basil Jones]], received 20 July 2015.
 +
 +
Wits University Archive: See CURRY, Bill (AM 2788)[http://www.wits.ac.za/library/gala/archives/290/archives_c.html]
 +
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Bar-Bas|Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne]] 1988.
 +
 +
''[[Die Burger]]'', 26 April 2011[http://m24arg02.naspers.com/argief/berigte/dieburger/2011/03/26/SK/12/billicurry.html]
 
   
 
   
 
Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to the [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Latest revision as of 07:24, 14 December 2017

Bill Curry (1931–2015) was a South African actor, dancer, director and teacher. (Also billed as William Curry in some instances apparently).

Biography

Born William Edward Curry in the Bokaap, Cape Town on 26 March 1931. His first stage appearance was a "walk-on" role in The Tempest in 1946. He studied at Hewat Teacher Training College and became a teacher and was active in local amateur theatre, appearing in musicals and light comedy.

In 1956, aided by author and critic Denis Hatfield, he went to London to study at the Central School for Speech and Drama. He returned to South Africa in 1962. He later also studied at the University of Cape town and received a BA (English Literature).

Because of Apartheid regulations, he was initially unable to perform professionally on his return to South Africa and so he became a teacher for a while, teaching inter alia at Sunnyside Primary School (1960-62) and in Simonstown, while doing part time acting.

He then studied at the University of Cape town and received a BA (English Literature).

In 1972 he joined the Space Theatre in Cape Town as one of the foundation members, and was kept busy performing, directing and running the printing press at the theatre. After this his theatre, film and TV career would really take off.

The newspaper critic and author Denis Hatfield (pseudonym of Denis Hatfield Bullough), whom he had met early in his life, would become his lifelong partner.

Contribution to South African theatre, film, media and performance

Bill Curry was possibly the first star performer from the "coloured" community in the high apartheid years, and became a role model and mentor for many to follow.


As actor

Over the years he had roles in a wide range of local and international plays, for a variety of companies. He started his career with a walk-on part in The Tempest in the Cape Town City Hall (1946) and went on as a performer in Cape amateur theatre, playing inter alia at the Masque Theatre in Muizenberg.

After his return from England, he starred in Charlotte Pretorius’s production of Genet’s The Blacks at the Claremont Civic Centre in 1962. This non-racial production was part of New Theatre under George Veldsman, founder of The Drama Centre.

In 1964 he danced "The Fool" in David Poole’s ballet, The Square, with music by Stanley Glasser, at the Cape Town City Hall. It was produced by the Eoan Group, starring Johaar Mosaval from the Royal Ballet. He also appeared at the Little Theatre in J.B. by Archibald Macleisch , winning his first Three Leaf Award for the best supporting player.

Between 1972 -1978 he performed for the Space Theatre in numerous plays, including An Evening with Marcel Proust, Ashes, Balls, The Caretaker, Don't Drink the Water, Dracula, Drivers, Endgame, The Exception and the Rule, A Flea in her Ear, Fortune and Men's Eyes, Futz, The Indian wants the Bronx, Line / It's Called the Sugar Plum, The Lonely Giant, Macrune’s Guevara, The Maids, Muzeeka, My Family came over with the Normans, Old King Cole, Patrick Pearse Motel, Picnic on the Battlefield, Rats, The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui (1979), Snow White and the Special Branch, Spike, Superman and Living in Strange Lands (Tsafendas). Die Van Aardes van Grootoor (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1978).

In 1977 he, Chris Galloway, Dawie Malan, Richard E. Grant and others formed the experimental theatre group, Fringe.

In 1979 he appeared in Info Scandals (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1979).

In 1980 The Indian wants the Bronx was repeated at the Market Theatre , where he went on to work doing Hennie Aucamp's Met Permissie Gesê (Market Theatre, 198*), Fugard’s A Lesson from Aloes (Market Theatre and Baxter Theatre 1979, Royal National Theatre, London (9 Jul – 16 Aug 1980), Hell is for Whites Only (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1982), The Dybbuk (1984), The Threepenny Opera.

He then became a member of the PACT/TRUK Company, for which he played Filipot in Die Huigelaar (1986); Jean Genet's The Blacks (1989), Bartho Smit's Die Keiser ( 1992).

Other roles have included Exit the King (as "Berenger"), Deathwatch (as "Green Eyes"), Neighbours (as "The Man"), Don't Drink the Water (as "Kilroy"), A Flea in Her Ear (as "Poche"/"Chandebise"), The Ageing Adolescent (as "Jake Hendrickse"), Adam Small's The Orange Earth, The Gin Game, Fugard’s Boesman and Lena (1993) and People are Living There, (199*).


He had a role in the documentary film Fugard's People (1982).

As director

As director he did The Riddle Machine and, most significantly, in 1981 volunteered his services as director to the recently formed Handspring Puppet Company, for whom he directed The Honey Trail (1981), Kashku Saves the Circus (1982), Mbira for Pasella (1983), The 13 Clocks (1984), The Mouth Trap (1985). These productions toured to schools in South Africa, and to Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland.

Awards

In 1965 won the Three Leaf Arts Award as Best Supporting Actor for “Nickles” in J.B. by Archibald MacLeish. (The awards were later renamed the Fleur du Cap Awards).

Documentation on Bill Curry

A collection of Bill Curry's documents are available in the Wits University Archive, listed as: CURRY, Bill (AM 2788). It is described as follows on the archive's website: "The collection includes extensive correspondence between Curry and his partner Denis Hatfield Bullough, as well as correspondence from friends and colleagues. Also included is Curry?s personal scrapbook, press clippings relating to his acting career and other subjects, theatrical paraphernalia, including newsletters, posters, programs and other items, photographs and personal memorabilia (including a typewriter)".

See http://www.wits.ac.za/library/gala/archives/290/archives_c.html

Sources

SACD 1978/79; 1979/80

Letter and updated biography from Basil Jones, received 20 July 2015.

Wits University Archive: See CURRY, Bill (AM 2788)[1]

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.

Die Burger, 26 April 2011[2]

Go to the ESAT Bibliography

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