Monday, September 30, 2024

Veteran producer André Scholtz dead at 79 after losing his battle against cancer


by Thinus Ferreira 

The prolific and veteran South African film and TV producer André Scholtz died on Monday morning after he lost his battle against cancer. He was 79.

André Scholtz worked for five decades in South Africa's film and TV industry and was a producer and co-producer of more than 29 full-length feature films, as well as seven drama and comedy series for the SABC, M-Net, as well as kykNET.

André Scholtz was the producer or co-producer since 1985 of multiple Leon Schuster films like You Must be Joking, You Must be Joking Too, Sweet 'n Short, Oh Shucks it's Schuster, Oh Shucks Here Comes Untag, Kwagga Strikes Back, Yankee ZuluZulu on my Stoep, The Millennium MenacePanic Mechanic, Shucks Your Country Needs You, Oh Shucks I'm GatvolShucks Pay Back the Money and 2014's Frank & Fearless.

In 2022 André Scholtz produced his final Leon Schuster film, Mr Bones 3: Son of Bones.

He produced 2016's Paw Paw vir my Darling and 2017's Meerkat Maantuig.

Before André Scholtz became a producer he was the financial and planning manager for Ster-Kinekor Films. He completed a masters degree in business leadership while he worked at Ster-Kinekor Films.

He was a production manager on the films Liefste Veertjie, Ter will van Christine, Vergeet my Nie, 'n Beeld vir Jeannie, 'n Sondag in September, as well as Kom tot Rus

As an actor André Scholtz appeared in Die Eensame Vlug, Soweto Green, Panic Mechanic and in Babalas, and was also the screenwriter for Panic Mechanic.

André Scholtz was an associate producer on 1977's Dingetjie & Idi and also produced the films Diament en die Dief, Die Eensame Vlug, Hersfland, Skelms, April 1980, Jopie Fourie, Ek Joke NetEk Joke Net 2Rainbow SkellumsHond se DingesRunning Riot, as well as 2012's Angus Buchan's Ordinary People.

He was also the producer of films like Die Wonderwerker, Babalas, Suurlemoen!, Fees van die Ongenooides, as well as Toorbos with his son Dries Scholtz.

For television André Scholtz produced the AmaliaDryfsand and Pandjieswinkelstories TV series for kykNET, SABC2's Andries Plak and Die Uwe Pottie Potgieter. He was the owner of Krisan Productions.