Ja zuster, nee zuster facts for kids
Ja zuster, nee zuster (which means Yes Nurse, No Nurse in English) was a super popular comedy TV show in the Netherlands during the late 1960s. It was about a home for older people. In the Netherlands, like in many places, some female nurses are called "Sister". So, the title means "Yes, Sister; No, Sister."
The show was on television from 1966 to 1968. There were 20 episodes in total.
A famous writer named Annie M.G. Schmidt wrote the scripts. She was already well-known for her children's books and other TV and radio shows. Harry Bannink wrote all the songs for the series.
What Was It About?
The stories in "Ja zuster, nee zuster" were about a group of people living in a place called "Rusthuis Klivia". "Rusthuis" means "resthouse" in Dutch. It's usually a home for older people, but some characters in the show weren't actually old.
The home was always full of funny chaos. The people living there were quite unusual! For example, one person grew spinach in the garden. Another was an engineer who loved doing experiments in the cellar. There was even a burglar living there! The neighbour next door, Buurman Boordeval, always tried to get everyone kicked out. But he never, ever succeeded.
Each episode also had a special guest actor. These guests were often famous Dutch TV stars.
Why Was the Show Lost?
Many Dutch people today, especially those who watched the show when it first aired, are sad that almost all of it is gone. Only one episode and some outdoor film clips have been saved.
This happened because the show was recorded on special Ampex tapes. These tapes were very expensive back then. So, after an episode was shown on TV, the tapes were often used again. Other TV shows were recorded right over "Ja zuster, nee zuster".
Luckily, 15 of the songs from the series were saved! They were put on a record (an LP) and later on a CD.
Songs and a Movie
The show had many popular songs. Some of the most famous ones include De kat van ome Willem (Uncle Williams’ Cat). Others are Ja Zuster, Nee Zuster (Yes Nurse, No Nurse), Niet met de deuren slaan (Don’t bang the doors), and M'n opa (My grandpa).
In 2002, a movie based on the TV series was made. It had the same title, "Ja zuster, nee zuster". In the movie, Loes Luca played Zuster (Sister) Klivia. Paul Kooij played her landlord and next-door neighbour, Buurman Boordeval.
New Versions of the Story
Even though most of the original TV show is gone, people still love "Ja zuster, nee zuster".
In 1999, a book was published. It had new versions of the stories from the show. An exhibition about the series was open in Hoorn, North Holland, from November 2002 to March 2003.
A musical based on the show was also created. It started in 2009 and was performed in many theatres across the Netherlands.
