by Thinus Ferreira
The South African actor, presenter, director, comedian and entertainment star Soli Philander died on Wednesday. He was 65.
The cause of Soli Philander's death is not yet known.
A family friend, Basheer Losper, confirmed his passing.
Soli Philander leaves behind four biological children - sons Caleb and Ethan and daughters Danya and Kyla - and also parented a foster daughter, Lauren, whom he and his ex-wife Toni helped through her final school year. He announced his divorce in 2015.
Soli Philander's most famous TV role was for as presenter of the Afrikaans music quiz show Liriekeraai for several seasons during the start-up years of kykNET (DStv 144), as well as the game show Vat 'n Kans.
Soli Philander was also a presenter of the e.tv show Let's Fix It which ended badly following a fight with e.tv and him slamming the channel at the time for "unethical behaviour".
Soli Philander was the presenter of the South African version of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, and performed on stage in numerous plays in South Africa, the United Kingdom, the USA, Sweden, eSwatini and Namibia.
Soli Philander had acting roles in series ranging from kykNET's Arendsvlei and Projek Dina to M-Net's Devil's Peak, SABC2's Parlement Parlement, as well as mini-series Diamond Hunters and Hooten & the Lady, as well as Dream School SA, Nie Vanwee die Duisternis , Off the Record, Reflections and Dot en Kie.
In film, Solly Philander appeared in Verkeerde Nommer, The Road to Mecca, Die Prince van Pretoria, Drumbeats, Kaalgat tussen die Daisies, Dias Santana, Snaaks Genoeg, Far from the Castle, as well as The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island.
Born Silamour Philander in Elsies River, and becoming just Solly for his stand-up comedy work and one-man shows, Solly started his career at The Space Theatre in Cape Town in plays ranging from Political Joke and The Car Cemetery to The Final Sting of the Dying Wasp and Telling Tales.
Soli Philander was involved in children's educational theatre for years. As playwright Solly Philander wrote Take Two, Woeskroes, Hotnotsgot and The Passion Gap.
Solly Philander wrote, directed and played in the cabaret Rosie September, and was a prolific writer and director. He had a show on Cape Talk for two years, and was heard on the Afrikaans radio station Punt Geselsradio.
