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Edward Joffe
Born, bred and semi-educated in Johannesburg, Edward (Eddie) Joffe experienced a vibrant childhood as a privileged white South African. After dropping out of Witwatersrand University, he fumbled th...view moreBorn, bred and semi-educated in Johannesburg, Edward (Eddie) Joffe experienced a vibrant childhood as a privileged white South African. After dropping out of Witwatersrand University, he fumbled through tiresome jobs while searching for some challenging creative occupation. In 1955 an opportunity arose to write and direct his first film Tent of Stars during a 7,000 mile African safari incorporating the only motorised attempt to scale Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
Unable to come to terms with apartheid or the Victorian mores of most white South Africans he escaped to Britain expecting movie moguls to be clamouring for his services. But alas, he again had to settle for odd jobs, including stints as a pop star roadie and a television critic for The Stage newspaper. He enrolled at the London School of Film Technique where his graduation film featured Soho’s iconic coffee bars.
Eddie became the first South African born director, producer, writer in ITV, the UK’s commercial channel. His international award winning career encompassed over 4,000 films and television productions of every genre plus consultancy work and lecturing on production techniques in the UK and abroad.
A founder member of Britain’s Director’s Guild who remains a member of BAFTA he relished working with top British entertainers and thespians as well as paupers, prime ministers, and lashings of famous nonentities.
In 1968 he was Tony Hancock’s producer / director in Australia. The comedian’s tragic death in Eddie’s home inspired his first book Hancock’s Last Stand which was well received and highly acclaimed for its style and candour.
He then set about recording his reminiscences of life in apartheid Africa and claims it took him longer to write than it did to live.
Eddie unashamedly committed opsigamy in 2011 and is currently serving a life sentence.view less