Leon Schuster
Leon Ernest "Schuks" Schuster (born 21 May 1951) is a South African filmmaker, comedian, actor, presenter and singer.
Leon Schuster | |
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Schuster, 2001 | |
Born | Free State, South Africa | 21 May 1951
Citizenship | South African |
Education |
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Occupation |
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Years active | 1975–present |
Net worth | 3 million |
Spouse(s) | Lalie Schuster (? div1999) |
Early life
Schuster was drawn to the filmmaking process at an early age. As a child he and his brother would play practical jokes on his family and film these.
Schuster went to Hoërskool Jim Fouché in Bloemfontein,and 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, Schuster was approached by Decibel Records to compile a series of sports songs which resulted in his first record entitled, Leon Schuster, having sold 10,000 units. His second album, Broekskeur, sold in excess of 40,000 units. This was then 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 the distribution and marketing of the film. The film was released in 2012 and starred Schuster opposite funnyman Kenneth Nkosi. It received poor reviews, and garnered 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.
Comedic style and blackface
According to Schuster, his appeal to the public stems from him making "them used to a certain style of comedy that they seem to like. They like trouble, and they know when Schuster is there, there is trouble. They also like me to rip off the topical stuff be risky and take chances.....and get 'moered!'". In 2018, the comedian was "unapologetic about playing on every racial stereotype in his films", but openly admitted that he "does have some regrets about having profited from blackface". He further stated: "I'm so sorry that I can't make Mama Jack 2. If I had a dream come true, my next movie would be Mama Jack 2. But especially on Twitter they said stay away from the blackface, it's not on. It was black people talking to me and you've got to listen. I can't do it because I'll be heavily criticised. In the olden days it troubled nobody. But I won't go blackface now, I can't do it. There's not one actor in the world that will. It's just racist".[6]
Showmax film removals
On 19 June 2020, South Afican streaming service Showmax removed over six of Schuster's films, citing his content as being "racially insensitive", consideing he has used blackface in many of his films for "comedic effect". This came during the heightened Black Lives Matter protests. Schuster reacted, saying he was "shocked" and "can't believe that the content of his films does any harm". He said his work is "innocent" and just him "pranking people".[6]
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Gross | |
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1986 | You Must Be Joking! | Schucks | ||
1987 | You Must Be Joking! Too | Schucks | R43 Million | |
1989 | Oh Schucks...It's Schuster! | Schucks | ||
1990 | Oh Shucks! Here Comes UNTAG | Kwagga Robertse | ||
1991 | Sweet 'n Short | Sweet Coetzee | ||
1993 | There's a Zulu On My Stoep | 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 |
$4.4 million | |
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 | Frank |
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
- Leon Schuster, "The End of My Rugby Career", in Anglus Powers, ed., Rugby in Our Blood, Cape Town: Tafelberg, 2011, ISBN 9780624048763.
- Lindsay Batteson, "A perfect prankster " Archived 16 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Get It Bloemfontein, 28 June 2010.
- "Leon Schuster kom kuier by Alma Mater" Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Hoërskool Jim Fouché, February 2013 (in Afrikaans)
- Drum, 2002, p. 52.
- IMDB: Mad Buddies
- Eloff, Herman (19 June 2020). "Leon Schuster movies removed as Showmax reviews all content for racial insensitivity". Channel 24. Retrieved 19 June 2020.