CORONAVIRUS. South African producer, actor, writer and director Franz Marx, the 'undisputed king of TV soaps' dead at 79 from Covid-19.

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African producer, actor, writer and director Franz Marx who created M-Net's first weekday soap Egoli and shows like the SABC's Agter Elke Man and who is described as "the undisputed and highly respected king of TV soaps" died on Sunday morning due to Covid-19. He was 79.

Franz Marx tested positive for Covid-19 on 3 July in Stellenbosch and died on Sunday morning at 9:45 in Pretoria at the home of his brother.

Franz Marx appeared in shows like Agter Elke Man that he created, as well as in films like Jy is My Liefling, Danie Bosman and Die Drie Van Der Merwes. 

He is the creator of Egoli - Place of Gold that ran on M-Net for 18 seasons from 1992 to 2010 for 4 672 episodes and that on 3 December 1999 became the first South African TV series in any genre to reach the milestone of 2 000 episodes.

Franz Marx made his debut as an actor in the 1968 film Jy is My Liefling with Min Shaw and also had on-screen roles in Dr Kalie, Danie Bosman, Sien jou More, Freddie's in Love, Groetnis vir die Eerste Minister, Aanslag op Kariba, Die Vlindervanger, Dit was Aand en dit was More, Sebastiaan Senior, Die Koningin en die Rebelle, Nie Vanwee die Duisternis, 1981's TV series Die Avonture van Joachim Verwey, and he appeared as Dr Kobus Dreyer in Agter Elke Man that made its debut in 1985 on the SABC's then-TV1 channel.

He also had roles in the series Dodedans and the sitcom Louis Motors. 

Franz Marx was a writer on series and films like Freddie's in Love, Jakkalsdraai se Mense, Liefste Madelein, Die Vlindervanger, Skooldae, Kampus, Netnou hoor die Kinders!, Dit was Aand en dit was More, 'n Lug vol Helder Wolke, Web of Persuasion, Adam and 1994's Grondbaronne.

Franz Marx was the dubbing director on 1970's Lied in my Hart, the drama coach on Pikkie and technical screenplay advisor on Groetnis vir die Eerste Minister.

Franz Marx was a producer on films and TV series like Freddie's in Love, Kampus, Louis Motors, Adam, Agter Elke Man, Die Prins van Pretoria, The Res, Grondbaronne, Susanna van Biljon and was an executive producer on 40 Days, Egoli Place of Gold and the Afrikaans drama series Dit Wat Stom Is which he created in 2005 for kykNET (DStv 144) and for which he also wrote the screenplay.

Franz Marx was a director on films and series starting with 1975's Wing Commander, Ma Skryf Matriek, Jakkalsdraai se mense, Liefste Madelein, Die Vlindervanger, Netnou Hoor die Kinders!, Dit was Aand en dit was More, 'n Seder Val in Waterkloof, Weerskant die Nag, Nicolene, 40 Days, Pas Getroud, Skooldae, 'n Lug Vol Helder Wolke, Brood vir my Broer, Verkeerde Nommer, Mattewis en Meraai, Geel Trui vir 'n Wenner, Agter Elke Man, Web of Persuasion, Ladies in Waiting, Adam and 1992's Die Prins van Pretoria.  

Franz Marx appeared as himself and provided commentary in kykNET's 2018 insightful documentary series, Oppie Kassie, about the history and progress of the South African television industry and his role as producer and writer and the numerous iconic television shows like Agter Elke Man and Egoli he brought to screen.

Franz Marx's first Afrikaans novel, Spieëlbeeld, was published in 2017.

Franz Marx who used to live among the high-rise rich and famous of the exclusive Michelangelo Towers in Johannesburg's Sandton, sold almost everything - paintings, furniture and clothes - after Egoli ended and moved to a retirement complex in Stellenbosch.

Franz Marx who was born on 21 March 1942 is survived by a son, and an adopted daughter. 

The M-Net channels of MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV service, in a statement about the passing of Franz Marx, told TVwithThinus on Sunday said that "Franz Marx was a pioneer and legend in the South African film- and television industry".

"He had the ability to create iconic characters that have been cemented in our popular culture lexicon. He will forever be remembered as the creator of the first South African soap, Egoli - Place of Gold where he instilled a professional discipline that would become the blueprint for many local productions."

kykNET rushed to changed the schedule of its fliekNET channel that will broadcast the Franz Marx-directed film Egoli - Afrikaners is Plesierig on Sunday night at 21:00.

In 2017 Franz Marx told the Huisgenoot Afrikaans magazine that "I'm satisfied with how my life went".

The film critic Leon van Nierop on Sunday wrote on social media that Franz Marx died on Sunday morning at 9:45.

"He taught all of us trying to write soap operas how to construct soaps and to write the summaries oe every episode. Also what to do and what not to do," Leon van Nierop wrote.

"He was a workaholic - 'I always work mornings, don't bother me in the mornings Leon' - who gave his life to the beginning of the soap opera."

"As an actor he was known for his humour on sets, and Franz admitted that he often studied directors on set about what they did, but also about what he shouldn't do."

"Franz was larger than life itself. His personality, the way in which he gave criticism, his writing talent, his creative skills that he learnt overseas about soap operas, and the way in which he worked with you as a writer and how he would intervene when things didn't go as it should on the Egoli set, was noteworthy."

"What a loss. You'd be able to write books full about him. But with this first just acknowledgement to Franz Marx as the undisputed and highly respected king of TV soaps. Several people still writing soap operas today, learnt from him. A big one is gone," Leon van Nierop wrote.

BREAKING. Egoli to bring out a SPECIAL COLLECTORS EDITION DVD box set!

You're reading it here first. In update to my posting HERE earlier today about Egoli actually already ending on 2 March, followed by 18 special tribute episodes I can be FIRST to tell about the VERY SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE Egoli collector's edition DVD box set that will come out after the show goes off the air at the end of March 2010.

The MUST-HAVE special DVD box set will contain the 18 specially crafted commemorative Egoli episodes that is set to go out on M-Net from 3 March until 26 March 2010.

The episodes set to air - one for every year of the show's existence, right back to 1992 - will be presented by ALL THE OLD AND CURRENT Egoli stars. Even people like Ilse Roos, currently in 7de Laan who played TV journalist Lynette Strydom in Egoli, will present some of the special shows!

The DVD box set will come out later in 2010 and is an absolute MUST MUST MUST have for anyone who loves television, and anyone who has followed South Africa's longest running local soapie.

Egoli creator and producer Franz Marx himself sat with the editors very carefully in crafting and editing the 18 special tribute episodes to choose - as I've been told - ''only the biggest and most popular highlights from the past 18 years'' to form a part of the special  half hour episodes.

BREAKING. End of an era - It's a wrap for Egoli!

You're reading it here first. Moments ago it was the final curtain call for Egoli, South Africa's first and longest running daily soap on television, created for M-Net by Franz Marx.

The final scene of the final episode was filmed late today at studio 5 at Sasani Studios, and I just got off the phone with my sources on set.

They're recounting the dramatic and final moments of the TV production that started 18 years ago and changed the landscape of South African television:

As the final scene for today was filmed at Sasani Studios, bringing Egoli to an end after almost two decades on the air, cast and crew packed around the sides to witness the final scene. Emotions were running high. People were already crying. Tear were flowing. And then . . . the end.

According to sources there were tears and hugs as everyone embraced each other for whom the set - over the course of 18 years - have become home. Then, spontaneous applause erupted, lifted by shouts and cheers of joy.

Many of the long time cast members filmed their final scenes today. M-Net is keeping the final episode tightly under wraps, but there was definitely a scene with Christine Basson (Nora) together with David Rees (Niek) and Tiffany Kelly (Sonet). Another scene had Hennie Smit (Bertie) and another one was between Michelle Beling (Candy) and Mandi du Plooy (Lara).

A wrap party afterwards had mini hamburgers and drinks and even drapery from the sets.

The set - one insider referred to it as ''a place of gold over the years'' - will now make way for something else. The individual sets will be dismantled, except for parts that might be kept for the Egoli movie filmed next year.

I also just got off the phone with Helen Smit, M-Net's head of local productions, who told me this:

''Egoli was a huge trailblazer for local soapies in the country. It was the first, daily one for South Africa. It absolutely set the benchmark of what is expected of a daily TV story. Every single person who has been a part of Egoli over these years can be proud about this TV production and the legacy for the whole TV industry that Egoli is leaving.''