Pierre van Pletzen (born 1 May 1952) is a South African actor, writer and director. He is best known for the role "Septimus van Zyl" in the television serial 7de Laan. He also worked as an administrator, artistic director, voice-artist, copywriter, and translator.
Personal life
van Pletzen was born on 1 May 1952 in Stilfontein, South Africa. He graduated from the University of Pretoria with a degree in drama.
He is married to fellow actress Sandra Vaughn since 1996. He shares a son: Pierre-Henri, and a daughter: Zetske, with Elzette Maarschalk whom his was previously married to.(1985-1995) His daughter Zetske is also an actress, who played the role of "Marcel van Niekerk" in the soapie 7de Laan.
Career
He made his acting debut for Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT) and then at Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State (PACOFS). In 1974, he acted in the play Die Ryk Weduwee for Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB). Meanwhile, he worked as a lecturer at Pretoria Technikon’s Drama School. In the mid 1980s, He was made Artistic Head of Drama for PACOFS. In 1982, he made his television debut with the role "Momberg" in the television movie Gideon Scheepers. Then he acted as Eben Meintjies in the series 1922 in 1984, and as "Spike Potas" in the Afrikaans TV-series Orkney Snork Nie in 1989. In 1984, he made directorial debut with the play Babbelkous!. Then in 1988, he remade the play Sleuth, the revival of Anthony Shaffer which was performed at the Andre Huguenet.
In 1989, he made a supportive role in the Hollywood blockbuster The Gods Must Be Crazy II. In 1990, he acted in Windprints and The Fourth Reich. Then he acted in many films such as Taxi to Soweto (1991), Orkney Snork Nie! (1992), Orkney Snork Nie! 2 (1993) and Panic Mechanic (1996). In 1993, he directed the musical play Buddy at the Civic and later Haaks by Chris Vorster in 2005.
In 2000, he joined the cast of popular SABC2 soap opera 7de Laan and played the role as "Septimus van Zyl". He continued to play the role as a series regular for seventeen consecutive years until he resigned in 2017. In the meantime, he became the director of the series until 2016. In 2017, he became the first South African artist to appear on three different television channels simultaneously, by starring in three different Afrikaans shows. After quit from 7de Laan, he joined with kykNET's Afrikaans soap Getroud met Rugby and played the role "Sakkie".
Filmography
Year Film Role Genre Ref. 1981 Ntunzini-Spa TV series 1982 Gideon Scheepers Momberg TV movie 1982 Die Vlakte Duskant Hebron Sgt. van Zyl TV movie 1983 The Hiding of Black Bill Jacques du Preez TV movie 1984 1922 Eben Meintjies TV series 1989 Saartjie Maj. Jorrie Jordaan TV series 1989 Louis Motors Mr. Echo TV series 1989 Orkney snork nie! Spike Potas TV series 1989 The Gods Must Be Crazy II George Film 1989 Windprints Meinert Film 1990 The Fourth Reich Hertzog Film 1991 Die Sonkring Magistrate 1 TV series 1991 Taxi to Soweto Arno Theron Film 1992 Konings Tjaart Viljee TV series 1992 Die Binnekring II Dr. Gerhard Winterbach TV movie 1992 Orkney Snork Nie! Spike Film 1993 Ballade vir 'n Enkeling II Gert Greeff TV series 1993 Orkney Snork Nie! 2 Spike Film 1994 MMG Engineers Harold Steenkamp TV series 1994 Torings Tjaart Viljee TV series 1995 Sleurstroom Mr. Wessels TV series 1996 Vierspel Roelf TV series 1996 Panic Mechanic Coetzee Film 1997 Triptiek II du Preez TV series 1997 Onder Draai die Duiwel Rond Willem TV series 1998 Die Vierde Kabinet Dominee TV movie 1999 Sterk Skemer Silas Reynders TV movie 1999 Saints, Sinners and Settlers Adriaan Louw Film 2000 7de Laan Septimus (Oubaas) van Zyl, Director TV series 2002 Arsenaal Groenewald TV series 2016 Oom Oom Film 2017 Elke Skewe Pot Oom Koos TV series 2017 Meerkat Maantuig Oupa Willem Joubert Film 2017 Phil101 Manie Kraaywinkel TV series 2018 Elke Skewe Pot 2 Oom Koos TV series 2018 Getroud met Rugby: Die Sepie Sakkie TV series 2018 Mense Mense TV series
References
External links IMDb