Documentary series about remarkable life of Leon Schuster ventures beyond the gags and disguises of the legendary comedian and filmmaker.
Leon Schuster is more than just a filmmaker, comedian and prankster – the man is a cultural icon.
From slapstick comedy and unforgettable pranks to blockbuster movies and hit songs, the “king of the candid camera” forms an integral part of South Africa’s popular culture.
The 74-year-old Schuster was recently honoured at the Silwerskerm Awards for his contribution to the entertainment industry with a five-part documentary series about his life story premiering on 1 October on kykNET.
Schuster promises to reveal a side of Leon Schuster that most South Africans have never seen before. While there will be plenty of humour and light-hearted anecdotes, viewers can also expect raw emotion and the proverbial “tears of a clown”.
‘Schuster’: Deep-dive documentary into man behind the laughter
The doccie series takes a closer look at the man behind the laughter – exploring his journey from a radio broadcaster and candid camera prankster to a household name in cinema.
Beyond the gags and disguises, Schuster’s story is however also one of resilience, creativity and harnessing the power of humour to unite a diverse nation.
“Leon Schuster is a national treasure and probably, after Madiba, the most well-known South African across generations,” said producer Rian van Heerden whose production company, Provoco, is behind the series.
“It always struck me as strange that his story had never been told in depth before. I wanted to take on the challenge and in the process help immortalise his legacy.”
WATCH: ‘Schuster’ trailer
The series explores Leon’s childhood in Bloemfontein, his early years as a radio presenter and the phenomenal success he later had with films like You Must Be Joking and Mama Jack.
‘That’s where everything started’
“There are many highlights in my career, but my very first candid movies (You Must Be Joking and Oh Shucks… It’s Schuster) really stand out, because that’s where everything started,” says Leon.
“Oh Shucks… It’s Schuster put me on the map and I’ll always be grateful that audiences loved it so much. But Mama Jack was the biggest learning curve. Developing that character was a huge challenge, but I loved it.
“Not everyone was crazy about the movie, but my heart was in that role and I learnt so much from it.”
‘The Leon truth’
“I hope viewers get the truth. The raw truth. Not the Schucks truth, the Mr Bones truth or the Mama Jack truth – the Leon truth. Comedians are usually associated with clowns and jokers, but inherently they are actually very deep people. And I think a little of that depth shines through.”
Schuster says the biggest challenge in making the series was Rian’s probing questions.
“Rian is very, very smart and usually asks you the question you least expect. Then you have to think on your feet, otherwise you’re going to sink. Think or sink. I promise it was more difficult than Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
“Rian has a certain approach and is not your usual interviewer. It’s deeper, it’s different.”
Shared experiences featured in ‘Schuster’
The series also features interviews with people who have worked alongside Leon Schuster and some of those on the receiving end of his famous pranks.
Eddie Eksteen, Carike Keuzenkamp, Jack Parow, Helen Zille, Alfred Ntombela (aka Shorty), Rob van Vuuren and Desmond Dube are among the well-known faces sharing their stories.
Health challenges
But it’s not all laughs. In recent years, Schuster has faced health challenges, particularly with his back, which has left him in near-constant pain.
For the first time, he speaks candidly about these struggles, as well as the mistakes he has made in both his professional and personal life.
So, how does Leon Schuster want to be remembered?
As someone who brought joy to South Africans – someone who brought people together. There’s nothing better than making someone laugh.
Did you know? Five fast facts about Leon Schuster
- When Leon Schuster was a child, he and his brother Ottoh would play jokes on their family and film them.
- He once said that he enjoyed watching comedians like Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin.
- Schuster studied at the University of the Orange Free State. He even played rugby for the university’s main team.
- After finishing his studies, he worked as a teacher for two years at Jim Fouché High School in Bloemfontein.
- During his stint at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, he created the radio show Vrypostige Mikrofoon. For this show, he would change his voice and play phone pranks on people who didn’t know they were being recorded.
- Schuster premieres on 1 October at 8pm on kykNET (DStv channel 144) and will also be available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
