Iconic Timmy Kwebulana, A legacy shaping African film
By News Ghana
-THANDISIZWE MGUDLWA
Timmy Kwebulana continues to shape the African world of entertainment.
Born in Cape Town in 1941, “Bra Timmy” became involved in theatre and film as a result of his early passion for music.
After touring and recording with Dollar Brand (Abdullah Ibrahim) in 1977, he was hired as an actor by the Space Theatre.
Bra Timmy, who hails from Langa, Cape Town, worked also with legendary South African writer, playwright and director Barney Simon, at the Market Theatre in the 1980s.
Bra Timmy started acting in The Question.
In 1975, Bra Timmy went to London with the musical KwaZulu where they showcased African culture in its best form.
Bra Timmy performed in Zakes Mda’s plays Dead End, We Shall Sing for the Fatherland and Holy Moses and All That Jazz at the Market Theatre.
He also did The Mighty Gents and Call Me Woman. Earlier in the 1970s, Bra Timmy had worked for The Space, performing in Lysistrata S.A., A Flea in her Ear, Nongogo, Patty Hearst and Three Courteline Comedies.
He went on to work with Barney Simon at the Market Theatre in the 1980s, helping to create and performing in Born in the RSA (1985).
Bra Timmy appeared in the Little Theatre’s production of Somewhere on the Border in 1987.
His film and TV experience includes The First Time Settlers, Drome van Gruis, Westgate II, 1922 and Nag van Vrees.
Bra Timmy has appeared in Kwasindwezama, Abakwazidenge, Ingqumbo Yeminyanya, Unyana Womntu, Uthando Lwethu, Shooting Stars, Forced Love and Isikizi among others.
And From 2007 to 2010, he portrayed Bra Vic Tau, the founder of Shooting Stars F.C., on the e.tv drama series Shooting Stars.
Bra Timmy also appeared as a guest star in an episode of Mzansi Magic’s Chandies in 2012.
The Namibian newspaper in its March 12, 1999 article Seen On The Pot Of Kin, says of Bra Timmy, “HIS contrite expression has become a household phenomenon on Namibian television as the shebeen owner serving a local beer to Namibian sporting heroes, Harry Simon and Elifas Shivute.
He is none other than the South African veteran actor, Timmy Kwebulana, currently on location with the cast of Kin. This is the Cape Town-based actor’s fourth visit to the country, which he considered as his adopted land.
Timmy is playing the supporting role of a straight policeman, Nangola who protects the wildlife in the north of Namibia against poachers. The only thing which bothers him at the moment is the grueling sun in the Namib desert.
Previous visits to Namibia include acting in movies that were shot all over the country to as far as Grootfontein. These movies are; “On the Road”, “Red Elephant” and “Heart of the Matter.”
Kwebulana admits that the stage is his preference because he started off his rich and varied career as a stage actor in Johannesburg. His first big break came when he got a part in the hit-play, “Meropa” from the pen of Louis Burke and Joan Brickhill. The play became a cult and was staged for eight months at the Tricycle Theatre in London. From there is was taken to the world famous theatre festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. This was the actor’s first overseas visit.
The film was written by Elaine Procter from London and is produced by Bard Entertainment from the UK.
At a time when stage work was very scarce for most Black actors, television was introduced in South Africa. Suddenly opportunities blossomed. Like many other struggling actors at the time, Kwebulana auditioned and got his first part on the black box in the series, “Back to Back”. This new found career rocketed him to fame in other television series, sitcoms and dramas such as “Seventh Street,” dealing with the fashion world and “Double Shift” in which he played a defense lawyer to a man who killed his wife.
Timmy also did radio and television commercials for the South African and Namibian markets and played cameo parts in the many international movies that were shot in Johannesburg. His first big movie part was in the original King Solomon’s Mines, not the revised one with Richard Chamberlain in it, he is quick to add.’
Due to the ever rising crime-rate in Johannesburg, the legendary actor and father of four children, packed up and permanently moved to Cape Town. He also runs a theatre company and on his return from Namibia he is organising an international theatre festival for community groups from all over Africa,” reported The Namibian.
In the sitcom Scoop Schoombie, Kwebulana played TJ Mthembu, The Bystander’s spineless, golf-addicted editor who represents the greatest of white fears: that there is an emergent, black manager-class of office buskers who would rather be outside playing sport than inside doing work.
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