Jokester, Prankster, Filmmaker and Storyteller. Mention the name Schuster and everyone knows who you’re talking about.
Leon Schuster has been a national phenomenon for decades, and now, for the very first time, his remarkable life story will be told in a five-part documentary series. Schuster premieres on Wednesday 1 October at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv channel 144).
“Leon Schuster is a national treasure and probably, after Madiba, the most well-known South African across generations,” says producer Rian van Heerden. His 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.”
Last week, Leon was honoured at the Silwerskerm Awards for his contribution to the entertainment industry in South Africa. This new documentary series is yet another feather in the cap of a true icon. Across five episodes, 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.
“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 learned so much from it.”
“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.”
Leon 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.”
The series also features interviews with people who have worked alongside Leon 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.
But it’s not all laughs. In recent years, Leon 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.
Schuster promises to reveal a side of Leon Schuster that 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.”
How does Leon 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,” he says.
Schuster premiered on 1 October at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv channel 144) and will also be available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
Bongi Sikelo 
admin 