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- John Carson was a hugely prolific actor who appeared constantly on UK screens throughout the mid-50s until the mid-80s. He has appeared alongside many of the UK's stars and became hugely popular as a villain or hero. The secret of John's success was his versatility and his wonderful silky voice. He appeared in 3 Hammer films which led to an ever-increased popularity amongst film fans. John moved to South Africa from England in the early 80s and, sadly, his appearances became far more sporadic although he always kept working in films and television, even producing and filming his own short documentary, "African Spirit". He returned to England in 2007 and has been involved in a few films, such as The Deal (2008). He attended a John Carson Celebration Day in London (July 2009). This was the first time he had talked publicly about his long career in television, film and stage. The day was a huge success and, aside from a showing of two of his films, John gave an interview on stage and then signed autographs. The day was a huge success and this was proved so by a large attendance and the queues for his autograph and photos. John returned to South Africa in 2014 where he spent time with his family and got to relax a little. He sadly passed away on November 5th, 2016, a few weeks before his 90th birthday. He was a fine actor and leaves behind a legacy of his versatility on screen.
- Blonde Janine Gray was born Janine Catherine Glass in Bombay, India, the daughter of an oil company engineer. Her family moved back to England when she was five. By the age of 13, Janine took drama classes and did her first screen acting gigs in TV commercials three years later. She spent several more years honing her skills in repertory theatre in Worthing and Nottingham. In 1959, she had a small guest spot in the crime drama Dial 999 (1958). Subsequently signed by the ITV franchise holder Associated British Rediffusion, Janine enjoyed better supporting roles in some of the popular TV series of the day, especially spy and crime shows like Danger Man (1960), The Saint (1962), The Avengers (1961) and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964). Her sole starring turn on the big screen was in the John Gilling-directed B-grade crime melodrama Panic (1963), which had Janine playing a Swiss miss unwittingly involved in a London diamond heist. Her other featured role of note was as James Mason 's wife in Harold Pinter 's marital soap opera The Pumpkin Eater (1964).
Janine's first marriage in 1962 was to automobile executive and former Olympic long-distance runner Herman Goffberg. Though this union ended in divorce, she remained based in California from 1964 until 1969. During this tenure, Janine made a number of guest appearances in episodes of popular TV shows like Get Smart (1965) (as a nefarious KAOS agent), Bewitched (1964) (as Abigail, personal secretary to Samantha's warlock father Maurice), The Wild Wild West (1965) (Crystal, a murder victim) and Hogan's Heroes (1965) (as Greta, a member of the 'underground').
After her departure from the world of screen acting, Janine established a new permanent home in Cape Town, South Africa, with her second husband, the eye surgeon Dr. Brian Peter Greaves. - The future Italian epic star was registered as Roy Park in 1928, but little Reg was soon re-named after his father Reginald Park Snr., a well-known gymnasium proprietor in Leeds and owner of the Reg Park Barbell Company. Reg Jnr. played reserve team football for Leeds United before turning to body-building in 1946. He finished Mr Universe runner-up to future film rival Steve Reeves in 1950, then won the title outright in 1951, 1958 and 1965. After marrying South African-born Mareon Isaacs in Johannesburg in 1952, the Parks moved permanently to South Africa where Reg ran a chain of fitness studios. In December 1960 he was invited to Rome to star in two back-to-back Hercules movies, Hercules and the Captive Women (1961) followed immediately by Hercules in the Haunted World (1961). Since these were directed by intellectually acclaimed veterans Vittorio Cottafavi and Mario Bava, Reg Park himself became something of a cult personality in the Italian epic genre. His friend and protege Arnold Schwarzenegger considered Park to be the best of the "peplum" heroes.
Three more sword-and-sandals followed, including Maciste in King Solomon's Mines (1964) which, handily for Park, was filmed on location in South Africa. - Stunts
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Began as an actor in Kurt Russell-Disney Films in 1974. Made the switch to the Stunt world following a successful career as a junior pro surfer. Born, bred, and resided in Malibu. Many, many stunts later, David made the promotion to Stunt Coordinator in 1978 on Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978). Coordinating TV and films all over the world brought him up to the position of 2nd Unit Director on Gorky Park (1983). "Action" movies proceeded to explode along with David's career. Befriending Harrison Ford, two of David's most notable 2nd units were Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994). As shown in Filmography, he worked back-to-back until the break from Disney, offering to 1st unit Direct the feature, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996). Directorial debut grossed over $100 Million. Completed two features for 1997, Desperate Measures (1998) & Sphere (1998) with Barry Levinson.- Moira Lister was born in South Africa and made her stage debut at age 6 with the University Players of Johannesburg in "The Vikings of Helgeland." She appeared on the London stage at age 14 and started working in films in 1943. She was always popular, and she was usually cast as 'posh' ladies.
- Actor
- Stunts
Larry Taylor was born on 13 July 1918 in Peterborough, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Zulu (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Department S (1969). He was married to Anni Taylor. He died on 6 August 2003 in Johannesburg, South Africa.- Actor
- Additional Crew
London-born David Farrar dropped out of school at 14 and became a writer for the Morning Advertiser newspaper; but it wasn't long before he decided to change careers and become an actor. He started out on the stage in 1932, and five years later made his film debut. Appearing at first in low-budget thrillers, such as Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938),he worked his way up to more prestigious projects, such as Ealing's Went the Day Well? (1942). Farrar hit his stride in a series of films for renowned directors Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, most notably the classic Black Narcissus (1947).
Farrar's brooding good looks and deep, rich baritone won him legions of female fans in the US and Europe, and soon Hollywood came a-calling. He journeyed to Universal as a contract player, but the studio put him in a succession of second-tier action pictures and costume dramas as a villain. He returned to England somewhat embittered by his Hollywood experiences and determined to do better in his own country's film industry, but he couldn't regain the momentum he had before he left for Hollywood. After a small role as King Xerxes of Persia in the Greek-shot The 300 Spartans (1962), he left film acting and turned to television. When his wife died in 1976 he retired from acting altogether, and with his daughter Barbara moved to the Natal coast in South Africa, where he passed away in 1995 at age 87.- Actor
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Danny Keogh is a veteran actor whose work strongly ties itself to the theatre. A native of South African, born in Uganda, Danny's theatrical career earned him numerous award nominations. Danny's screen debut was in 1977 and since then added onto an extensive career spanning over 3 decades. His most notable screen credits include the Clint Eastwood-directed film Invictus (2009) and the Sci-Fi trilogy-marker Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008). Notable television appearances include The Lost Future (2010) (TV), The Sinking of Laconia (2011) (TV) and Labyrinth (2012) (TV).- Henry Cele was born on 30 January 1949 in Durban, South Africa. He was an actor, known for The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), Shaka Zulu (1986) and Shaka Zulu: The Citadel (2001). He was married to Jenny Hollander and Tozi Duma. He died on 2 November 2007 in Durban, South Africa.
- Anthony Bishop was born on 29 September 1971 in Gauteng, South Africa. He was an actor, known for District 9 (2009), Chappie (2015) and The Salvation (2014). He died on 21 October 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- David Butler was born on 1 March 1960 in South Africa. He was an actor, known for Serenity (2019), Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) and Friend Request (2016). He died on 27 May 2021 in South Africa.
- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (July 18, 1918 - December 5, 2013) was the former leader of the African National Congress (ANC). He was known for his lifelong struggle against apartheid (enforced racial separation), which was instituted in South Africa in 1948. The ANC was soon declared a terrorist organization and banned by the South African government. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and imprisoned for life on "terrorist" charges, but in 1990, he was freed by South African president F.W. de Klerk. In 1994, Mandela was elected president of South Africa.
Two biographical films were made and Mandela and de Klerk (1997) focused on Mandela's life's struggles.- Deon Stewardson was born on 30 November 1951 in South Africa. He was an actor, known for Wild at Heart (2006), The Most Dangerous Woman Alive (1988) and American Kickboxer (1991). He died on 27 October 2017 in South Africa.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Jamie Uys was an internationally acclaimed film director who completed 24 films. Prizes for his work included the 1981 Grand Prix at the Festival International du Film de Comedy Vevey for 'The Gods Must be Crazy' and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association award for best documentary in 1974 for 'Beautiful People' aka 'Animals are Beautiful People'. 'The Gods Must be Crazy' enjoyed three years of uninterrupted screening in the United States.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Lena Farugia was born and raised in New York. She studied at Thomas More College (Fordham) and Columbia University. She started her professional career in New York, then got married to a South African filmmaker and moved to South Africa, where she made a professional career as an actress, writer, director and producer on movie and television projects. Memorable roles include: Dr. Ann Taylor in _The Gods Must Be Crazy II_ (1989) (directed by Jamie Uys), and Elizabeth Carter in The Sandgrass People (directed by Koos Roets); both roles as female lead.- Jannes Eiselen (21 September 1980 - 23 September 2016) was a TV, stage and voice actor born in New York, but moved to South Africa in his youth. He was married and lived in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was trained in South Africa at the University of Pretoria, where he completed his degree in Drama in 2002.
He performed in various stage plays and local series as a young performer. His first international role was in 2005, where he played Cpt. John Laverty in the UK docudrama, Zero Hour (2004). In 2006 he played the role of Dr. Deon Bekker on 3 seasons of the medical drama Hillside (2006), a teen drama that aired in Canada.
In 2010, Eiselen was diagnosed with a primary parenchymal pineal brain tumor, a very rare and poorly understood cancer. Jannes wrestled with cancer in 2010-2011 and did not return to acting until December 2011, when he played on the TV Mini-Series, The Sinking of the Laconia (2010) before landing his role as Dufresne, the ship's accountant in Black Sails (2014). Sadly, brain cancer forced him to leave the cast prior to filming the second season.
Jannes was also very successful in South Africa as a voice artist.
Jannes was a supporter of Faces of Hope Foundation, a charity that provides assistance to people, especially children with rare-cancers.
He died in Johannesburg, South Africa on 23 September 2016, two days after his 36th birthday, after his long and hard-fought battle with brain cancer. - Connie Chiume was born on 5 June 1952 in Welkom, South Africa. She was an actress, known for Black Panther (2018), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) and Soul City (1994). She died on 6 August 2024 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
James Gracie was born on 8 January 1978 in Boksburg, Transvaal, Union of South Africa [now South Africa]. He was an actor and writer, known for Discreet (2008), Eye in the Sky (2015) and Semi-Soet (2012). He was married to Anel Alexander. He died on 28 April 2023 in South Africa.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ken Gampu was one of the first black South Africans to be featured in Hollywood films, working alongside such stars as Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster. A former schoolteacher, law clerk and interpreter, he spoke seven native dialects in addition to English and Afrikaans. Discovered by playwright Athol Fugard, he was cast in the play "No Good Friday" in 1958. In the 60s he moved to films and earned international distinction for his role in the movie adventure Dingaka (1964). He earned excellent notices as well a year later in Cornel Wilde's African adventure The Naked Prey (1965) as a warrior leader. Several of his films have earned cult status with time, including Zulu Dawn (1979) and The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980).- Barbara Randolph was born on 5 May 1942 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She was an actress, known for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), Bright Road (1953) and Channing (1963). She was married to Eddie Singleton. She died on 5 July 2002 in South Africa.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Vernon Sewell was educated at Malborough College. He was one of the crew of "castaways" with Michael Powell on the Shetland island of Foula to make The Edge of the World (1937). He later became one of the mainstays in the "B" movie niche of the British film industry, and in his almost 40-year career he turned out everything from spy thrillers to horror films to "sexploitation" fare.- Wilbur Smith was born on 9 January 1933 in Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia (now Kabwe, Zambia). He was a writer, known for Dark of the Sun (1968), Shout at the Devil (1976) and Gold (1974). He was married to Mokhiniso Rakhimova, Danielle Thomas, Jewell Slabbert and Anne Rennie. He died on 13 November 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Emrys Jones was born on 22 September 1915 in Manchester, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1966) and The Wicked Lady (1945). He was married to Anne Ridler and Pauline Bentley. He died on 10 July 1972 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Ron Smerczak was born on 3 July 1949 in England, UK. He was an actor, known for Who Am I? (1998), Finding Lenny (2009) and Strike Back (2010). He died on 12 May 2019 in South Africa.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Graham Armitage was born on 24 April 1936 in Manchester, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Devils (1971), Jane and the Lost City (1987) and The Avengers (1961). He died on 6 March 1999 in Johannesburg, South Africa.