Patrick Mynhardt dies
2007-10-25 16:06
Cape Town - South African entertainment icon Patrick Mynhardt passed away from natural causes in London on Thursday morning.
According to an Artslink.co.za press release Mynhardt was in London performing in his one man show Boy from Bethulie at the Jermyn Street Theatre in the West End.
Producer Colin Law who was in London with Patrick Mynhardt says "This is a very sad end to a 30 year working relationship.
"It was a great privilege to work with Patrick, he died doing what he loved most - performing."
According to a spokesperson of Buz Publicity, Law's publicity agency in Johannesburg, the exact time and cause of Mynhardt's death are still unknown.
The spokesperson also told News24 that it was not known yet, when his body would be flown back to South Africa.
In the meantime the National Democratic Convention (Nadeco) expressed their condolences to the family of Patrick Mynhardt.
"Patrick had a full life. He was one of the best in the entertainment world.
"He has only brought joy and laughter to many South African homes.
"Some of us will remember him back to when there was still Springbok Radio. South Africans have lost a dynamic person in Patrick," a spokesperson has said.
Patrick is survived by his son Johann and grandchildren Liam Patrick and Euan Frederick, and his brother and his sister.
Short biography
Patrick Mynhardt was born in the small Free State town of Bethulie on 12 June 1932 to an Afrikaans father and an Irish mother.
According to his website www.patrickmynhardt.com, he discovered his acting talent during his study years at Rhodes University in Grahamstown.
After appearing in numerous Afrikaans and English plays in South Africa, he travelled to London in 1954 where he furthered his training at the Central School of Drama. He worked in various repertory companies all over England.
He made his big break with two West End plays at the Winter Garden and His Majesty's theatres in London, and at the Edinburgh Festival in 1959. Many parts in television plays and serials for the BBC followed.
During this period Mynhardt worked with some of the world's greatest actors and actresses like Tyrone Power, Sir Donald Wolfitt, Peter Sellers, Terry Thomas, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quinn, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole, Sir Michael Caine and Dame Judy Dench.
At the end of 1960, Mynhardt returned to South Africa where he was equally home in English and Afrikaans. He worked in all four mediums - radio, television, films and the theatre - trying to avoid overexposure in any one medium or language.
Mynhardt appeared in at least 150 stage plays (in South Africa and England), 100 local and international films and about 100 television plays and serials, some made here and some abroad.
Since 1969 he has enjoyed great success with his five one man shows by Herman Charles Bosman: A Sip of Jerepigo, More Jerepigo, Just Jerepigo and Another Sip of Jerepigo.
Mynhardt's highly acclaimed autobiographical play Boy From Bethulie opened in 1982 and was in great demand until his sudden death.
His most popular and acclaimed television performances were as Pappa (the Godfather) in the prison series Vyfster and as Hempies in Suburban Bliss.