Top 10 movies the late Lieb Bester starred in

Lieb Bester, 72, has died from kidney failure after having been admitted to hospital with Covid-19 twice.

We look back on his life and the impact he had on South Africa’s television scene. Known for his prominent role as Fritz Retief in the kykNET drama series Villa Rosa, the talented actor also starred in various South African movies.

Seun van die Wildtemmer (1973)

Directed by Bernard Retief, the drama Seun van die Wildtemmer played off 20 years after the game farmer, Kobus la Grange, left the farm where his wife died after being attached by a lion. Lieb Bester played the role of Rupert la Grange.

Six Soldiers (1974)

Bester played Liebling in Six Soldiers, directed by Bertrand Retief. In the movie, six young men get drafted into the South African Defence Force and amidst their hard, yet realistic training and their new life in the army, their different personalities are portrayed.

Skadu’s van Gister (1974)

Cast as Leon Cilliers in Skadu’s van Gister, Bester starred alongside Marié du Toit, Louis van Niekerk and Petru Wessels in the movie directed by Francois Swart. The movie, filmed in Johannesburg, was released in August, 1974.

Mirage Eskader (1975)

Lieb Bester was cast as Lieutenant Martin Bekker in the movie, Mirage Eskader, which was dedicated to the South African Air Force. In this drama, Lieutenant Gerhard Muller is the son of a pilot who was killed while flying with the South African Air Force in Korea. Muller’s best friend is Martin Bekker (Lieb Bester), who joins a Mirage squadron at Waterkloof Air Force Base with him.

Liefste Madelein (1976)

In this romantic drama, Bester played Kobus Fourie in the story about a man wrestling with a difficult decision where he has to choose between his wife and his darling Madelein.

Hank, Hennery en Vriend (1976)

This movie was made in a time when South Africans were constantly being reminded of the communist onslaught. In the movie, two secret agents, Hank (English) and Hennery (Afrikaans), together with their black collegue, Vriend, manage to foil a terrorist plot to take over the country. Bester played the role of Hennery.

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Savage Encounter (1980)

Directed by Bernard Buys, this thriller from the 1980s starring John Parsonson, Lieb Bester and Tessa Ziegler had everyone on the edge of their seats. Lieb Bester played China in the movie, which is about a woman who gets raped and her husband seeking revenge.  

Sterk Skemer (1999)

Bester played Balt Otto in the film, Sterk Skemer, which was directed by Danie Joubert.

Een Skoenlapper (2002)

This sci-fi drama was released in 2002 and Bester was cast as Niek Bloem, starring alongside Elize Cawood and Eric Nobbs. The movie was directed by Paul C. Venter.

Stof (2003)

Directed by Jacobus Roos, Stof is a short drama starring Renier Basson, Lieb Bester and Stephen Simm. The film is about a man stopping at a service station on a car trek through South Africa and meeting a man young enough to be is son. When the young man becomes his travel companion, the man’s troubled relationship with his son resurfaces.