South Africans - who remembers 'Rich Man, Poor Man' and 'The Villagers'?

Question

I'm in a particularly nostalgic mood today.

Cheesa Labuskagne was the character, played by Stuart Brown. I had the opportunity to act with him years later in a 1988 stage production called 'The Martian Chronicles'.
What a gentleman.

Porgie - yes, that is me, Jacques Denard.

'The Villagers' was about a mining community, circa late 70's, early 80's. It ran for about 4 seasons, I think.
It starred a lot of the stars we got to know on radio - Brian O' Shaughnessy, Gordon Mulholland, Graham Clarke (got to know him on the set of 'American Kickboxer'), and was actually a pretty decent bit of English television.
In those days, TV started at 6pm and went off at about midnight. It was either English or Afrikaans, and the Afrikaans dramas were usually a lot better.
'The Villagers' was one of the only decent South African made English dramas, and a huge hit.

I remember 'Blitspatrollie'. It was the first English series dubbed into Afrikaans, originally the BBC series 'The Sweeney', starring John Thaw.
Thaw, interestingly enough, played then Min of Police, Jimmy Kruger, in Richard Attenborough's movie about Steve Biko, 'Cry Freedom'.
And he did a pretty decent job in a pretty decent movie.

pixie121 - 'Rich Man, Poor Man' is still the finest piece of television I have ever seen. It was the first ever' mini-series', and it made a star out of Nick Nolte.
For the 11 episodes it ran every Saturday night in '77, it was a phenomenon.
For those 11 weeks, nightlife in South Africa literally came to a standstill on Saturday nights.

Porgie - 'Blitspatrollie and "RMPM' both came out the same year, 1977

Check out this link - http://pumamouse.com/quaksat.html

Queen B - 'Vyfster' starred another friend of mine, Stefan Erik - or as we knew him on the jol in Hillbrow, Justin Buylheveldt

marrs attack - that's 'Trompie en die BOKSOMBENDE'.
I remember that.
Remember 'Die Swart Kat'?. I guest-starred in a couple of those.
With my friend, Stefan Erik from 'Vyfster'.

pixie 121 - I read the book, too. The mini-series, believe it or not, was actually a lot better.

cheryl l - I miss Castle and Lion. American beer is like weak catpiss.

Answer 1

i only read rich man poor man...i am too young to have seen it

Well it was a GREAT book

Answer 2

I remember watching 'Rich Man Poor Man' at my cousin's house. My dad was crazy about the series, but didn't allow us to watch it. I even saw the rerun a couple of years ago, but for the hell of it can't remember the story very well. Don't remember so good after I came back from Maties. 'The Villagers' I don't know, but can you refresh my memory? What I do remember is "Blitspatrollie". Me and my buddies were crazy about it.

By the way, I saw that movie you made. It gets played a lot on the Korean channel, MBC Movies. Is that really you? I mean Jacques Denard.

Do you have any idea in what year 'Blitspatrollie' and 'Rich Man Poor Man' was screened on the SAUK, because I'm totally confused. How is it I remember the one and not the other. Does it mean I didn't actually didn't like 'RMPM'? I guess the years play tricks on the mind when you've been watching Egoli for so long.

Me like the old stuff, but you made me call my father in SA and he doesn't have the foggiest. So please relieve my misery! I'm not gonna be able to go to sleep if I don't know. And it's already 2 in the morn! And why is this question keeping me up? Am I one of the 'ou generasie'? Hope not! I'm only 35 for crying out loud.

BTW, still don't remember 'The Villagers' and couldn't find any info on the net as well.

Good heavens! It just doesn't add up. That means I was 6 when I watched it! I can't even remember being 6!

Whoa, me very fu*king confused now! Me better go sleepy and think about this some more!

Answer 3

Hell yea
I remember those & others, did a search of the S.A.B.C website a while back DAMN all I can find is Trompie & Shaka none of the begining days of SAtv would love to see those series again
Pity Mnet doesent buy them & add the to the kuduclub(Sp) collection..maybe I should sub. to Kclub incase

What about all the Springbok radio archives would love to hear those again thank £*&*^%(*& for BBC radio 7 I can lie in bed & listen to RADIO with Stories.

I would love to put a cd & dvd set together called South Africa - memories of my decades oh well dream on haha

Answer 4

there's a parable in the bible, wherein a prosperous guy supplies somewhat some money, and a widow supplies 2 peices of silver, and Jesus pronounced that the widow gave extra, in view that develop into each and all of the widow had.

Answer 5

Ohh...now you take us back..yeah, I remeber them. Good shows,
I think our current SABC2 or 3 even rerun it at some stage..they are rerunning "Vyfster"at the moment if you saw that and then on e-tv another famous one : Dalllas with evel JR...remeber them?
Gosh..it is so funny now to see the dreadfull fashion and hair! Yea..those were the days...

Answer 6

I remember Die Swart Kat - it was so good.Most of the other stuff was voor my tyd. But I do watch Vyfster on Fridays.

Answer 7

Vyf Steer is doing a re-run. They are all so young! Yes i remember them all. You are going to have me crying in my Charles glass (castle) any minute.

Answer 8

GOOD FOR YOU I DO AS WELL ESPECIALLY THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN IN CHINA NEARLY ONE YEAR, STILL NOTHING LIKE AN AFRICAN SUNSET, AND" HEY BAAS DIE KAR HY IS FU*KED UP" OR "JOU MA SE".
REMEMBER BOTH PROGRAMS WELL WHO CAN FORGET CHEESA THE BARMAN .

Answer 9

yeah ,i remember all that.i was very young but i used to watch it all.i also remember-nommer aseblief,willem,biltong and pot roast,flink dink,willi walli,heidi,the avengers,het van verlangerhoven,skool dae.....etc,etc.now im really starting to reminisce.missing home already.thanks for the question.oh yes and who can forget TROMPI AND THE BLIKSEM BENDE?