Confessions of a Technophobe, New Series 30
Part 2 continued
1956–1966
As Ronnie and I started to work together, I quickly realized that he did not have much if any experience with film. He was also clumsy and once dropped a roll of film on the floor. Despite this, he was clearly very bright, and we started to have interesting conversations on a number of subjects. He was very political and strenuously opposed to the Apartheid regime. As we discussed possible solutions, however, I discovered that he was politically far to the left of my own beliefs. I had recently aligned myself to the more moderate South African Liberal Party. Although he never admitted to being a member of the Communist Party (banned at the time in South Africa), it was clear that his political leanings pointed that way. He foresaw armed conflict between the white South African government and the African National Congress. I, on the other hand, remained convinced that a peaceful solution was possible. Ronnie introduced me to a Durban lawyer who took me out to coffee and proceeded to try and recruit me for the Communist Party. The whole thing made no sense to me, and I was not re-approached by the man.
However, I still enjoyed debating with Ronnie and he suggested that we share an apartment. I was looking for something better than the place where I was living at the time and agreed. We took a place conveniently close to Lintas. It was quite comfortable, and I was happy to have moved in there. But Ronnie was very seldom at home. One day he took me to see a young lady whom he described as his ex-wife. I discovered much later that they were in fact still married and she was just as radical as her husband.
A few weeks after making this arrangement, Ronnie simply disappeared. He did not turn up for work and for some days the mystery of his whereabouts deepened. I began to fear he had been murdered. Suddenly Ronnie’s name appeared on the front page of the local press. He was being sought by the police who suspected that he had been responsible for blowing up some electricity pylons on the outskirts of the city. My first reaction was that at least he didn’t choose a target that could have caused loss of life.
A few days passed and those of us that knew Ronnie settled down to our daily routines. Then one morning I was summoned to the office of Lintas’ managing director. I literally had no idea why he wanted to see me. I had only met the man once before and I had formed a good impression of him. However, the meeting was short and shattering. He bluntly told me that he was terminating my employment with Lintas. Shocked, I asked what had I done? He waved my terms of employment at me and said “When we employed you, you agreed in writing that in the event that we let you go, we do not have to give you any reason. It is not open to discussion. Please pack up your things and leave immediately.”
I was suddenly unemployed and had no idea what to do. Although he had not spelled it out, I quickly realized that my friendship with Ronnie and, worse still, the fact that I was sharing an apartment with him, pointed to the probability that I shared his extreme political views. What hurt me more than anything was the way in which I was not permitted to discuss the issue with the managing director. It should be understood that in the early 1960s South Africa was paranoid about anyone who seemed to be actively opposed to the government.
Looking around for another job, I discovered that a British film company was setting up a production outside of Durban of a film called “Zulu.” One of the stars as well as a producer on the film was the actor Stanley Baker whom I had met briefly while working in television in Britain. Furthermore, an unknown young actor by the name of Michael Caine had been given his first starring role in the picture. I had. in fact. also met him when he appeared in a TV show in Britain. I contacted Stanley Baker, who seemed quite interested and sent me to the production manager for an interview for the post of second assistant director (2nd AD).
The role of 2nd AD varies according to the wishes and style of the director and his 1st AD. However, the main tasks of the 2nd AD are to make up call sheets for the daily shooting schedule as well as checking on the progress of the cast through make-up, wardrobe, etc. Very often the extras can be positioned by the 1st or 2nd AD with their movements choreographed to complement the foreground action of the main actors. This allows the director to concentrate on the performances of the leads. The interview went well but I was not the only candidate. A young man called Howard Renee was interviewed just before me. When I came out of the production manager’s office, Howard was still hovering around and suggested that we go for a coffee.
Over a couple of cappuccinos, Howard explained that he had a problem, should he be successful in getting the job. He had just been signed up by a British theatre producer as production manager for two stage plays to be staged in Durban’s largest theatre. He explained that his background was primarily in theatre, but he wanted to make the transition to film. He expected that I would get the job because of my experience in TV and film – but, should he get the job, would I be interested in taking the theatre job? I thought about it and having nothing else to look forward to, I agreed. Howard then added that the only advantage he had over me was that he spoke fluent Zulu.
A few days later, I was contacted by the movie company to say that despite my greater experience they were going with Howard as the film would feature a large number of Zulus and his knowledge of the language trumped my skills. Although I was disappointed, I saw the logic of their decision. Howard then took me to meet the theatre producer/director David Barnett. He was upset with Howard but realized it was a great opportunity for the young man. I explained the functions I had performed in television studios as well as mentioning that I had stage managed a couple of plays at school. He rather reluctantly accepted me and some days later I turned up at the Playhouse Theatre for the early rehearsals of a Jean Cocteau play, “The Eagle Has Two Heads.”
I had no idea of the standard of theatre in South Africa at the time. Having worked in television with a number of internationally famous actors in the UK, I hoped that the local production would be of a reasonable standard. David Barnett was British and had produced a number of quality plays in Britain. He was very demanding, and I was quickly impressed by the high standard of performances he was getting from the cast. The leading role was played by a Durban-born lady, Rae Hoffenberg, who was already regarded as one of South Africa’s most talented interior designers, as well as a fine amateur actress. It was a huge role keeping her on stage for most of the play.
She was very good indeed and could easily have graced any of London’s West End theatres. This remarkable woman eventually immigrated to Britain where she made an international name for herself, not in theatre but as a designer and property developer. She was the first person to realize the potential of London’s ageing Dockland warehouses for development as an upmarket residential area. After fighting the local authorities for years, she finally started renovating warehouses into spacious light-filled modern apartments. Areas such as Limehouse, Canary Wharf and West India Quay are now considered some of the most prestigious residential areas in London, thanks to Rae’s foresight and talent.
I managed to fit into the theatre world quite well, but I still missed movies and TV as well as stage management, I was often called upon to drive cast members home after the show. Rae lived on the outskirts of Durban and when her husband could not fetch her, I would drive her home – only getting to bed well after midnight. I also drove the first African actor in South Africa to appear in a “white” play back to his home in the African township of Kwamashu. Every time I took him home, I was stopped by police who wanted to know what I was doing as a white man entering the township. I explained I was returning the actor home which confused the cops because they could not conceive of a black man acting in a play outside of the townships. Fortunately, I did not encounter any of the more “bloody-minded” cops that usually obstructed anyone that appeared to be breaking the Apartheid laws. One night, after successfully delivering our actor home, I suddenly went cold, realizing that in the boot (trunk) of the car I had a revolver, which was used as an important prop for the play. Had the cops found the gun, I would have almost certainly ended up in jail!
The second play, “Five Finger Exercise,” by British playwright Peter Shaffer (later Sir Peter) was completely different. It was a contemporary study of a young German man who came to England, becoming both enmeshed and confused by the vagaries of British culture. Shaffer went on to write the stage play “Equus” and the Oscar-winning film “Amadeus” (on the life of Mozart). Incidentally his twin brother Anthony and I worked together in the BBC before he too became a playwright. The lead actor in this production had only just left school. He played the part of the young German brilliantly, even capturing a soft German accent. He was highly praised at the time, but I have no idea if he went on to make a career as an actor. All I remember is that we shared a love of the game of rugby.
The only major mistake I made during the course of both productions was when with “Five Finger Exercise” I had to warm up some scrambled eggs for one of the scenes. The eggs were already scrambled and were stored in a plastic container. I put both the eggs and the container into an oven to warm them up and, just before the breakfast scene, took the container out and spooned the eggs onto a plate. The actor who was to eat the eggs took one mouthful and tried to stifle his disgust. He did not touch the eggs again and the scene worked perfectly well. Afterwards he came to me and asked what I had done to the eggs. I had no idea, but the make-up lady had a look and started laughing. “Did you put the eggs in the oven still in the plastic container?” she asked. I suddenly realized that the plastic must have melted into the eggs and have seldom felt more foolish than at that moment. I have become somewhat more familiar with the culinary arts in subsequent years!
During the course of both plays, Dennis Bughwan (who owned about five photographic studios both in Durban and the province’s capital city Pietermaritzburg about 60 miles away) came to take photos of the cast and the productions themselves. He was a charming and amusing man. We got chatting and when he heard about my film and television background, he said that it had always been his wish to try his hand at cinematography. I replied by saying that although I had enjoyed the experience of working in theatre I was still determined to return to the world of film as soon as I could.
Dennis was a fascinating and multi-talented person. His father was born in India and came to South Africa as a photographer. His mother was Irish. She and old man Bughwan had met and married long before the start of Apartheid in 1948. There were no laws forbidding interracial marriage in the early days although Dennis said that they did encounter considerable prejudice over the years of their marriage. Bughwan senior was a quite remarkable man. He would walk over 200 miles from Durban to distant places like Newcastle or 150 miles to Ladysmith and take family photos of Indian families living along the way. Natal (now KwaZulu Natal) had many Indian families scattered throughout the province since the arrival of Indian indentured laborers who worked on the sugarcane estates in the late 1800s. Bughwan would catch a train back to Durban, process and print the photos, then walk all the way back to deliver the photos to the families.
Dennis had followed in his father’s footsteps but had also travelled to England where he apprenticed to Baron, the Royal Photographer of the time. Dennis learned the craft of portrait photography from one of the most famous people in the world in this field. He also picked up the art of taking photos of theatre productions. As a result, he returned to South Africa and built his father’s studio into one of the leading photographic businesses in the country.
Dennis and his wife Devi had three children. They were regarded as part of the elite of the Indian community in Durban. They also mixed with elements of the white community and had a magnificent house on the very edge of the proclaimed Indian area, with white neighbors across the street. Their circle of friends included many people of all races in the arts as well as somewhat perilous connections with anti-Apartheid political figures. Dennis was not very political but Devi, an equally remarkable person, was a leading academic and was involved with various political groups.
As I drifted into their world, I found it very stimulating and exciting in much the same way that I have found the evolution of ExoTech – with its potential to steer the world into a new era of purer communication and, hence, open the door to genuine truths that are fast escaping all of us today.
An ExoTech Ltd shareholder, Chris is currently authoring two of the four books to be published the day ExoBrain launches and has helped to create ExoBrain’s introductory video to the Confidential Technical Briefing. Chris has spent his working life in the film and television industry, starting with BBC Television in London, then ATV in Birmingham becoming, at the time, the youngest Studio Manager in Britain.
Later, in South Africa, he wrote and directed film and TV commercials, having four South African entries at the Cannes Advertising Festival. After a number of years of writing and directing or producing documentaries (eight international awards) and corporate videos, he concentrated on writing feature film screenplays (five screened) and television series (seven screened). He has a novel, ”Pursuit of Treachery,” with a literary agent and is currently obtaining finance for an action adventure feature film he has written and is co-producing. He is a published poet and has given many readings.