User:Jonathan Taylor - South African actor

Born in Hadera, Israel, 5 April 1952,of South African parents, Jonathan came to the Rainbow nation at age 2 when the colours were still not allowed on the same flag. Educated at Northview High School and then Johannesburg College of Education, he was supposed to be a teacher but the performing bug had already hit hard. While still a teenager, he had tasted success with The Jugless Jug Band and when he was offered a role in the original touring production of Joseph, he jumped at it. Early musicals included Grease, The Me Nobody Knows, while in later years he appeared in such blockbusters as March of the Falsettoes(Vita nomination, Best Supporting Actor), Joburg Follies, Buddy and toured South Africa and the Far East with Phantom of the Opera, for which he was again nominated for a Naledi award as Best Supporting Actor.

Recent Productions: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Love Letters, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, Saturday Night Fever, Beauty and The Beast

In between acting jobs, he regularly did 3-month stints as resident guitar-entertainer in various hotels, pubs and restaurants around the, singing and playing 4 hours a night, 6 nights a week to anyone who would listen.

He spent a number of years travelling the cities and dorps of South Africa doing schools theatre during the daytime and legit theatre at night, in productions such a Don’t Just Lie There Say Something, Canterbury Tales, My Fat Friend and The Fool in Shakespeare.

TV roles followed, including a lead in The Best of Mates, and supporting roles in many productions, including Justice For All, Backstage, Generations, You Be The Judge to name but a few. Most recently he has been seen in Isidingo, 7de Laan and Egoli. Features include Red Phone, Stander, The Emissary and District 9.

In the good old days of Springbok Radio, he appeared in many dramas and wrote the popular series Squad Cars until the station closed in 1985.

His voice is heard regularly on TV and Radio commercials, currently the voice of Renault Clio.

He is a Premier-League cricket umpire, and has advanced motoring skills acquired at the BMW Driver Training Academy at Kyalami. Other interests include photography and horse-riding, not necessarily at the same time.

He is a member of the band DeepFineLeg.

Would like to be a racing driver when he grows up. link title