Difference between revisions of "Terry Lester"

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(****-****). Actor. Played “Pharaoh” in ''[[Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]'' and “Max Detwieler” in ''[[The Sound of Music]]''.  
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[[Terry Lester]] (1940-1995). British-born comedian, singer, actor.
  
LESTER, Terry. (19*-) Actor. ** He starred in [[Tim Rice]] and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ''[[Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]'', which was directed by [[John Hussey]] and choreographed by [[Geoffrey Sutherland]] post 1974. He starred in [[Robert Kirby]]’s ''[[The Dot-Dash Show]]'' together with Robert at the [[Little Theatre]] in 1975. He starred in the [[Brickhill-Burke]] and [[PACT]] revival of ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' at [[His Majesty's  Theatre]]in June 1976. Direction and choreography were taken care of by [[Joan Brickhill]] and [[Louis Burke]], the latter of which also starred in this production together with [[Jarmilla Tellinger]], [[Diane Todd]] and [[Judy Page]]. He starred in [[Robert Kirby]]’s ''[[Separate Development]]'', directed by and co-starring [[Robert Kirby|Kirby]] at the [[Laager]] in 1980. Together with [[Robert Kirby]] he presented ''[[Academy Rewards]]'' at the [[Academy Theatre]] in 1981. He starred in the [[Johannesburg Civic Theatre Association]] and [[Brickhill-Burke]] Productions co-production of ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' together with [[Wilson Dunster]] in June 1983. ***(Tucker, 1997) LESTER, Terry, a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, [[Andrew Botha]] (sets), 1983.
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== Biography ==
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He was born in Dorset, England. He first came to work in South Africa in October 1970, which resulted in him being blacklisted by Equity. He died in Johannesburg in June 1995 after a struggle against cancer of the bone marrow.
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=== Career ===
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Terry appeared in three major films before he was six and then attended the Italia Conti School of Music and Dance. Soon he was in the chorus at the famous London Palladium and a year later was head boy and dance captain, appearing with Judy Garland, Jack Benny and Marlene Dietrich. Then came legitimate theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company where he performed with Olivier, Gielgud, Dame Edith Evans and Peggy Ashcroft. After a ten year commission in the Rpyal Marine Commandos Terry returned to the world of show business, cabaret, revues and burlesque.
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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He was well-known in South Africa for his role as the mad barber in ''[[Sweeney Todd]]''. He was also cast with the coveted role of Doolittle in ''[[My Fair Lady]]'', “Pharaoh” in ''[[Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]'' and “Max Detwieler” in ''[[The Sound of Music]]''.
  
Quoted from the programme of [[Pieter Toerien]]'s ''[[Isn't It Romantic]]'' in 1985: 'Terry is one of the country's most versatile entertainers, a favourite cabaret star who never follows formulas and squashes hecklers with razor-sharp wit. Born in Weymouth in Dorset, Terry appeared in three major film before he was six and then attended the Italia Conti School of Music and Dance. Soon he was in the chorus at the famous London Palladium and a year later was head boy and dance captain, appearing with [[Judy Garland]], [[Jack Benny]] and [[Marlene Dietrich]]. Then came legitimate theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company where he performed with Olivier, Gielgud, Dame Edith Evans and Peggy Ashcroft. After a ten year commission in the Rpyal Marine Commandos Terry returned to the world of show business, cabaret, revues and burlesque. He shared several shows with [[Robert Kirby]] (and most recently appeared in Kirby's latest revue ''[[Brave New Pretoria]]''. He received rave reviews for ''[[Who's Sleeping in My Bed?]]'', and earned thousands of fans with his performance as Pharaoh in ''[[Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]]''. Terry has spent the last nine months on board the luxury liner ''[[Astor]]'' as Entertainments Manager and can be seen on TV in the series ''[[Westgate III]]''. This is his first appearance for [[Pieter Toerien]].'
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He starred in [[Robert Kirby]]’s ''[[The Dot-Dash Show]]'' together with Robert at the [[Little Theatre]] in 1975. He starred in the [[Brickhill-Burke]] and [[PACT]] revival of ''[[The Sound of Music]]'' at [[His Majesty's Theatre]] in June 1976. He starred in [[Robert Kirby]]’s ''[[Separate Development]]'', directed by and co-starring [[Robert Kirby|Kirby]] at the [[Laager]] in 1980. Together with [[Robert Kirby]] he presented ''[[Academy Rewards]]'' at the [[Academy Theatre]] in 1981. He starred in the [[Johannesburg Civic Theatre Association]] and [[Brickhill-Burke]] Productions co-production of ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' together with [[Wilson Dunster]] in June 1983.  
  
==Sources==
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''[[Heliotrope Bouquet]]'', 1994, ''[[Brave New Pretoria]]''.
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He received rave reviews for ''[[Who's Sleeping in My Bed?]]''.
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Terry has spent nine months on board the luxury liner ''Astor'' as Entertainments Manager and could be seen on TV in the series ''Westgate III''.
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== Awards, etc ==
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== Sources ==
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Obituary, ''[[The Citizen]]'', 22 June 1995.
  
 
Programme of Pieter Toerien's ''[[Isn't It Romantic]]'' in 1985.
 
Programme of Pieter Toerien's ''[[Isn't It Romantic]]'' in 1985.
  
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
  
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== Return to ==
  
Return to [[ESAT Personalities L]]
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities L]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 +
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 09:18, 16 May 2018

Terry Lester (1940-1995). British-born comedian, singer, actor.

Biography

He was born in Dorset, England. He first came to work in South Africa in October 1970, which resulted in him being blacklisted by Equity. He died in Johannesburg in June 1995 after a struggle against cancer of the bone marrow.

Career

Terry appeared in three major films before he was six and then attended the Italia Conti School of Music and Dance. Soon he was in the chorus at the famous London Palladium and a year later was head boy and dance captain, appearing with Judy Garland, Jack Benny and Marlene Dietrich. Then came legitimate theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company where he performed with Olivier, Gielgud, Dame Edith Evans and Peggy Ashcroft. After a ten year commission in the Rpyal Marine Commandos Terry returned to the world of show business, cabaret, revues and burlesque.

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

He was well-known in South Africa for his role as the mad barber in Sweeney Todd. He was also cast with the coveted role of Doolittle in My Fair Lady, “Pharaoh” in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and “Max Detwieler” in The Sound of Music.

He starred in Robert Kirby’s The Dot-Dash Show together with Robert at the Little Theatre in 1975. He starred in the Brickhill-Burke and PACT revival of The Sound of Music at His Majesty's Theatre in June 1976. He starred in Robert Kirby’s Separate Development, directed by and co-starring Kirby at the Laager in 1980. Together with Robert Kirby he presented Academy Rewards at the Academy Theatre in 1981. He starred in the Johannesburg Civic Theatre Association and Brickhill-Burke Productions co-production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum together with Wilson Dunster in June 1983.

Heliotrope Bouquet, 1994, Brave New Pretoria.

He received rave reviews for Who's Sleeping in My Bed?.

Terry has spent nine months on board the luxury liner Astor as Entertainments Manager and could be seen on TV in the series Westgate III.

Awards, etc

Sources

Obituary, The Citizen, 22 June 1995.

Programme of Pieter Toerien's Isn't It Romantic in 1985.

Tucker, 1997.

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities L

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page