John Kraaijkamp Sr.
John Kraaijkamp Sr. | |
---|---|
Born | Jan Hendrik Kraaijkamp 19 April 1925 |
Died | 17 July 2011 | (aged 86)
Other names | John Kraaijkamp, Johnny Kraaijkamp, John Kraaykamp |
Occupation(s) | Comedian, actor |
Years active | 1956–2007 |
Children | John Kraaijkamp Jr. |
Jan Hendrik (John) Kraaijkamp Sr. (19 April 1925 – 17 July 2011) was a Dutch
Early life
Kraaijkamp was one of four children of a greengrocer and a housecleaner. He grew up in the
Career
With Rijk de Gooyer
Kraaijkamp worked for a short while as acrobat, but then moved on to become a singer in a show orchestra. He performed as an entertainer and bass player in local bars, where he was discovered in the 1950s by Rijk de Gooyer.
Together they recorded the song "Twee jongens op een gitaar" (Two guys on a guitar). It was the start of a long and successful partnership. John (then "Johnny") and Rijk began to perform together on radio and television. In spring 1956, they joined the "Weekendshow", an entertainment show from the broadcasting company AVRO which also included comedians Huub Matron and later René van Vooren. They also toured with the Snip & Snap Revue and perform in several comedy plays written for TV, together and apart.
In 1962, they got together again for
Solo work
In 1973, De Gooyer started a film career. Kraaijkamp didn't sit still, and made a couple of shows for the
Kraaijkamp also was a prolific stage actor. With theatre company Ensemble he plays in
Later years
In 1986 he voiced Mr. Smee in a Dutch dub of Disney's Peter Pan. From 1988 until 1990, he starred in the prison sitcom Laat maar zitten, based on the British TV series Porridge. His most successful role in recent years was the part of Piet Boverkerk in the RTL comedy series Het zonnetje in huis (1993–2003). In the show, he played a pig-headed old man that comes to live with his son and daughter-in-law (played by his own son, John Kraaijkamp Jr., and Martine Bijl) after his wife died.
He continued to perform in various plays, including The Sunshine Boys (1994), along with his son, Harold Pinter's The Homecoming (2001), and Gouwe Handjes (2002–2003), which was written especially for him by Haye van der Heyden. In 2000, theater producer Joop van den Ende named a musical award after him. The John Kraaijkamp Musical Awards are awarded every year to musical actors and actresses. In recent years, his only public appearances were these gala shows, except for a brief role in the Dutch TV comedy series "Kinderen geen bezwaar" in 2007.[2]
Personal life
Kraaijkamp was married three times and had four children. With Riemada Elisabeth Panhuysen, he had two children, son John (1954) and daughter Ellissigne. With his second wife, Tilly van Duijkeren, he had a son, Michiel. With Mai Lun Lee he had a daughter, Sanne. John, Ellissigne and Sanne became actors.
Kraaijkamp spent his final years in the Rosa Spier Huis in Laren, in the room where famous Dutch comic book artist Marten Toonder used to live. His 85th birthday was celebrated there. Among the attendants were important Dutch comedians and television personalities including André van Duin, Rijk de Gooyer and Mies Bouwman.
Death
Kraaijkamp died on 17 July 2011 in the Rosa Spier Huis in the presence of his children, his grand and great-grandchildren, his ex-wife and friends.[3] He was 86 years old. The next day, several TV stations paid tribute to the comedian with TV specials. On Friday 22 July, the Dutch public bid him farewell in the recently renewed DeLaMar Theater. The next day, he was cremated.[4]
Awards
Throughout his life, Kraaijkamp received several acting awards, both for the stage, TV and film. In 1984, Kraaijkamp received the
References
- ^ a b c De Volkskrant. 18 July 2011. Karin Veraart. "Postuum John Kraaijkamp: komiek van de oude stempel met perfecte timing".
- ^ De Telegraaf. 18 July 2011. Vanessa Bontje. "John Kraaijkamp sr. overleden."
- ^ De Telegraaf. 18 July 2011. "Veel condoleances op internet voor Kraaijkamp."
- ^ De Volkskrant. 18 July 2011. "Afscheid John Kraaijkamp vrijdag in DeLaMar".