Leon Schuster

Leon Schuster
Leon Schuster, 2001
Born Leon Ernest Schuster
(1951-05-21) 21 May 1951
Vereeniging, South Africa
Residence Johannesburg, South Africa
Other names Schucks
Years active 1975–present
Website http://www.schuks.co.za/

Leon Ernest "Schuks" Schuster (born 21 May 1951) is a South African filmmaker, comedian, actor, presenter and singer.

Early life

Schuster was drawn to the filmmaking process at an early age. As child he and his brother Ottoh L would play practical jokes on his family and film these.

Schuster went to Hoërskool Jim Fouché in Bloemfontein, then studied for a BA degree at the University of the Orange Free State, where he played rugby for the first team.[1] He returned to Jim Fouché as a teacher for two years.[2][3]

Career

Schuster began working for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. During his time at the SABC, he created the Afrikaans radio series Vrypostige Mikrofoon with Fanus Rautenbach – which involved disguising his voice and playing phone pranks on unsuspecting victims.[1][4]

Music

In 1982, he was approached by Decibel Records to compile a series of sports songs and his first record, Leon Schuster, sold 10,000 units. His second album, Broekskeur, sold in excess of 40,000 units and this was followed by Briekdans and Leon Schuster – 20 Treffers, which sold more than 270,000 copies.

His hit CD Hier Kom Die Bokke garnered an FNB Sama Music Award for Biggest Selling CD of 1995. His following CD, Gatvol in Paradise, sold in more than 125,000 units and gave rise to the unofficial Gauteng anthem, "Gautengeleng".

Film

Schuster's first feature, You Must Be Joking!, produced in collaboration with Johan Scholtz and Elmo de Witt, became popular with South African audiences and gave rise to the sequel You Must be Joking! Too.

These films were candid camera sketches and Schuster made many more of these films as well as slap-stick films, including Mr Bones, his most successful film, which earned more than R33 million at the South African box office.

On 16 September 2011 it was reported that Schuster's next movie Mad Buddies would be partly financed by the Walt Disney Company, which would also handle distribution and marketing. The film was released in 2012 and starred Schuster opposite funnyman Kenneth Nkosi. Despite poor reviews, the film was successful in South Africa, garnering R4.5 million in the opening weekend from a budget of R20 million. [5]

Public image

Schuster is well-respected and much admired in South Africa. He was rated number #43 in SABC's Greatest South Africans poll for his comedic work.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleGross
1986 You Must Be Joking! Schucks
1987 You Must Be Joking! Too Schucks 43 000 000
1989 Oh Schucks...It's Schuster! Schucks
1990 Oh Shucks! Here Comes UNTAG Kwagga Robertse
1991 Sweet 'n Short Sweet Coetzee
1993 Yankee Zulu Rhino Labuschagne
1996 Panic Mechanic Schucks
1999 Millennium Menace Schucks R40 million
2001 Mr Bones Bones R33 million
2004 Oh Schuks... I'm Gatvol Schucks
2005 Mama Jack Jack Theron
Mama Bolo
Donald
2008 Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past Bones R35 million
2010 Schuks Tshabalala's Survival Guide to South Africa Schuks Tshabalala
2012 Mad Buddies Boetie
2013 Schuks! Your Country Needs You Schucks
2015 Schuks! Pay Back The Money Schucks
2018 Frank And Fearless TBA

Discography

Albums

  • Leon Schuster (1982)
  • Broekskeur (1983)
  • Waar En Wolhaar (1983)
  • Briekdans (1984)
  • Rugby (1985)
  • You Must Be Joking! (1986)
  • Dasiefoutie (1988)
  • "Shakin" Schuster En Sy Opkikkers (1992)
  • Hie' Kommie Bokke (1995)
  • Gautvol In Paradise (1997)
  • Die Vrypostige Mikrofoon, Volume 1 (1998)
  • Die Vrypostige Mikrofoon, Volume 2 (1998)
  • Baas Funny Plaas (1999)
  • My Beste Jare (2001)
  • Groen, Goud En White (2002)
  • Catchup Song And Every Cricket Hit (2003)
  • Oh Schuks... I'm Gatvol (2004)
  • Op Dun Eish (2006)
  • " Hie' Kommie Bokke 2!" (2007)
  • Dra Die Bok (2008)
  • My Mates - Die Bokke

References

  1. 1 2 Leon Schuster, "The End of My Rugby Career", in Anglus Powers, ed., Rugby in Our Blood, Cape Town: Tafelberg, 2011, ISBN 9780624048763.
  2. ↑ Lindsay Batteson, "A perfect prankster ", Get It Bloemfontein, 28 June 2010.
  3. ↑ "Leon Schuster kom kuier by Alma Mater", Hoërskool Jim Fouché, February 2013 (in Afrikaans)
  4. ↑ Drum, 2002, p. 52.
  5. ↑ IMDB: Mad Buddies
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