Leon Schuster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leon Schuster
Schuster (c. 2001)
Born	(1951-05-21) 21 May 1951 (age 72) Free State, South Africa
Citizenship	South African
Education	Hoërskool Jim Fouché University of Orange Free State
Occupation	Actor comedian prankster filmmaker singer
Years active	1975–present
Spouse(s)	Lalie Schuster (div. 1999)

Leon Ernest "Schuks" Schuster (born 21 May 1951) is a South African filmmaker, comedian, actor, prankster and singer.

Early life

Schuster was drawn to the filmmaking process at an early age. As a child he and his brother would play practical jokes on his family and film it. He explained, in a 2010 interview about his early life in Bloemfontein, “I remember running down the aisle of the Ritz Theatre, playing cowboys & crooks, which was all the rage at the time. I also remember loving Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin and the Three Stooges. I was always acting things out, and pulling pranks. I used to fool my grandma into thinking I’d shot myself in the foot with my pellet gun… tomato sauce everywhere, me squealing like a wild pig. Pranking is just in my nature, but I’d never thought I’d become a movie star… no, I’m not a movie star, I’m just a local outjie that likes to entertain people.

Schuster studied for a BA degree at the University of the Orange Free State, where he played rugby for the first team. He returned to Jim Fouché as a teacher for two years.

Career

Schuster began working for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. During his time at the SABC, he created the Afrikaans radio series Vrypostige Mikrofoon with Fanus Rautenbach – which involved disguising his voice and playing phone pranks on unsuspecting victims.

Music

In 1982, Schuster was approached by Decibel Records to compile a series of sports songs which resulted in his first record entitled, Leon Schuster, having sold 10,000 units. His second album, Broekskeur ('trouser-tearing'), sold in excess of 40,000 units. This was then followed by Briekdans and Leon Schuster – 20 Treffers, which sold more than 270,000 copies.

His hit CD Hier Kom Die Bokke ('Here Come The Boks') garnered an FNB Sama Music Award for Biggest Selling CD of 1995. His following CD, Gatvol in Paradise, sold in more than 125,000 units and gave rise to the unofficial Gauteng anthem, "Gautengeleng". Hey Bokke! was re-released in 2019 - an adaptation of the 1960s song Hey Baby in the hope that lightning might strike twice. South Africa won the World Cup. South African songwriter, Don Clarke, co-wrote the lyrics.

Film

Schuster's first feature, You Must Be Joking!, produced in collaboration with Johan Scholtz and Elmo de Witt, became popular with South African audiences and gave rise to the sequel You Must be Joking! Too.

These films were candid camera sketches and Schuster made many more of these films as well as slap-stick films, including Mr Bones, his most successful film, which earned more than R33 million at the South African box office.

On 16 September 2011 it was reported that Schuster's next movie, Mad Buddies, would be partly financed by the Walt Disney Company, which would also handle the distribution and marketing of the film. The film was released in 2012 and starred Schuster opposite funnyman Kenneth Nkosi. It received poor reviews, and garnered R4.5 million in the opening weekend from a budget of R20 million.

Filmography

Discography

Albums

• Wat Kan Lekkerder Wees - Vinyl album with Cora Marie
• Leon Schuster (1982) Re-released on CD in 1993
• Broekskeur (1983)
• Waar En Wolhaar (1983) Re-released 2009 EMI Music South Africa (Pty) Ltd
• Briekdans (1984)
• Rugby (1985) Including songwriters C Pops (Daisyblom), L. Carstens (Doring Van Despatch-co-write), B. Louw (Bokbusters-co-write), Symile, Delancray (Ekke Boo co-write), H. Bierman (Lekker In Suid-Afrika co-write), B. Louw (Rugbyklanke co-write)
• You Must Be Joking! (1986)
• Dasiefoutie (1988)
• "Shakin" Schuster En Sy Opkikkers (1992)
• Hie' Kommie Bokke (1995)
• Gautvol in Paradise (1997)
• Die Vrypostige Mikrofoon, Volume 1 (1998)
• Die Vrypostige Mikrofoon, Volume 2 (1998)
• Baas Funny Plaas (1999)
• Springbok Rugby Hits - Bring it Home (1999)
• My Beste Jare (2001) Including songs by Steve Hofmeyr, David Kramer, Patricia Lewis, The Bats, Zoon Stander and PJ Powers
• My Mates – Die Bokke(2001)
• Groen, Goud En White (2002) Compilation album with Steve Hofmeyr, Johnny Clegg, Claire Johnston, Jeff Maluleke, Zoon Stander, Pieter Smith, Patricia Lewis, Guillaume, Pieter Koen, Mandoza and Boet Pretorius
• Catchup Song And Every Cricket Hit (2003) CD released 2005
• Oh Schuks... I'm Gatvol (2004) Feat Dig a Little Deeper (Don Clarke) re-released in 2015 for Musicians Against Xenophobia
• Op Dun Eish (2006) Feat songs written by Don Clarke and Mike Valentine
• Hie' Kommie Bokke 2! (2007)
• Dra Die Bok (2008)

Singles

• Hou Jou Bek (Dolce/Schuster) / Ek Was Op Jou Troue (Robinson/Schuster/Rautenbach) (1981)
• She Sells Sea Shells / Dis Lekker Innie Army (1982) 7" single on vinyl
• Hey, Bokke! (2019) With Don Clarke, performed with Drakondale Girls' Choir and Michaelhouse Choir Digital

See also

In Spanish: Leon Schuster para niños