Last soap: Binnelanders.
Biggest tv hits: Arende (Cape Rebel), Konings, Onder engele, Vlug na Egipte.
Worst tv flops: Hotnotsgode, Knapsekêrels, Mooiweer en warm.
Not too bad films: Pot vol Winter, That Englishwoman.
Worst film: Jewel of the gods.
Career in journalism: Reporter at Afrikaanse Pers, publicity writer at 20th Century-Fox, journalist and editor at Republikeinse Pers, fiction editor at Brandwagpers.
Freelance writer: Many short stories, less magazine serials, quite a few novels, less factual books, lots of tv drama series, just a few films.
Personal: 3 wives, 5 daughters and 1 son. Lived in Hillbrow and White Ridge in Johannesburg, Heidelberg in the old Transvaal, the Pine Forest in Ceres, Onrus River, Hermanus, Weltevreden Park on the West Rand, Sleights by Whitby in North Yorkshire, West Heslerton by Scarborough on the North Sea, Hanover in the Karoo, Jeffreys Bay and Aston Bay in the Eastern Cape, Marina Beach on the South Coast of South Africa.
Quotes from other writers: “En ek is nog hy,” Bart Nel deur J. van Melle. “Toe is ook dit verby,” Die Groot Verlange deur Leon Rousseau. “In utter loneliness a writer tries to explain the inexplicable,” John Steinbeck. “There is no friend as loyal as a book,” Ernest Hemingway. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” William Shakespeare. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” A tale of two cities, Charles Dickens. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it,” To kill a mockingbird, Harper Lee.
Quotes from films: “ I’ll have what she’s having, “ When Harry met Sally. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” Jaws. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” Gone with the wind. “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist,” The usual suspects. “Life, uh, finds a way,” Jurassic Park.
Greatest lesson of life: How little I learnt from my mistakes.