Ian Roberts

Ian Roberts (born 30 November 1951) is a South African actor, playwright and singer. A native English speaker, he is also fluent in Afrikaans and Xhosa.

Early life

Roberts was born in Fort Beaufort in the Cape Province, Union of South Africa, and grew up on his father's citrus farm near the town. He attended St. Andrew's Preparatory School and St. Andrew's College in Grahamstown. After completing high school, he performed his compulsory national service in the South African Army, which he completed in 1971.

After holding a variety of jobs and taking a course in photography at the Port Elizabeth Technical College from 1973 to 1975, Roberts enrolled at Rhodes University in 1976 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in speech, drama and social anthropology.

Acting career

Roberts became a well-known figure in South African for his role as Boet in a long-running series of television advertisements for Castrol motor oil. This character, along with others such as Swaer and Moegoe, has also appeared in M-Net's comedy series Kalahari Oasis and in his band, Radio Kalahari Orkes.

In the Oscar-winning South African film, Tsotsi, Roberts played the role of a police captain.

He was married to South African actress Michelle Botes, but the couple divorced in 1999. They had two children.

Filmography

+ List of performances by Ian Roberts in film Year Title Role Other notes 1987 Jane and the Lost City Carl 1989 Arende Sloet Steenkamp 1989 A Private Life Sergeant Smit Television Movie 1992 The Power of One Hoppie Gruenewald 1993 Triptiek – Television Series 1993 Daisy de Melker Sid de Melker Television Movie 1995 Cry, the Beloved Country Evans 1996 Rhodes Colenbrander Television Miniseries 1997 Mandela and de Klerk Kobie Coetsee Television Movie 1998 Paljas Frans 1998 Tarzan and the Lost City Captain Dooley 1998 Sweepers Yager 1999 A Reasonable Man Chris Van Rooyen 2000 I Dreamed of Africa Mike Donovan 2001 Malunde Kobus 2001 Askari Ripshaw 2002 Promised Land Gerhard Snyman 2003 Hoodlum & Son Earl 2004 King Solomon's Mines Sir Henry Television Movie 2004 Red Dust Piet Muller 2005 Wah-Wah John Traherne 2005 Tsotsi Captain Smit 2005 3 Needles Hallyday 2006 Number 10 Marius Kramer 2008 Bakgat! Basjan Du Preez 2010 Bakgat! II Basjan Du Preez 2013 Bakgat! tot die mag 3 Basjan Du Preez 2013 Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux Oom Frans 2016 Cape Town Gerbrand Vos Television Miniseries 2017 Van der Merwe Oupa Schalk van der Merwe

In addition to the above, Roberts has played leading roles in Afrikaans-language television series, including Sloet Steenkamp in Arende ("Eagles") and Jack Degenaar in Arsenaal ("Arsenal"), as well as a supporting role in Kwelaman (1986). He has also written a number of scripts, including Honeytown 1 and the musical Palang van Dwaal ("Palang from Dwaal").