Men from the Ministry at Nederberg Theatre, Durban

MEN FROM THE MINISTRY on location

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"The Men from the Ministry" was not always recorded at the Springbok Radio studios of the SABC in Old Fort Road, Durban. "Men", and "Father, dear Father" performed at schools as school fund raisers; they sometimes went to the Natal south coast holiday resort of Margate in July while Springbok Radio did numerous outside broadcasts from their mobile studio on the beachfront. "The Men from the Ministry" went to Oranjemund in what was known as South West Africa (now Namibia) and even provided on-board entertainment on a cruise liner en route to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. Recordings of the shows were most often made on these special occasions.

Below are some shots taken from a video tape of the penultimate recording session of "Men" and "Father" for Springbok Radio at the Nederberg Theatre, a small restored German Lutheran church which is on the property of the Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery plant in New Germany, a town 20 km outside Durban, South Africa.

John: General Assistance Department, Number 1 speaking.
Roger: Hello, this is Number 2.
Sir G: Pitkin here.
Humbert: Excuse me...
Announcer: Later little man, later... and now Springbok Radio invites you to lean back, put your feet up and spend the next half hour with the briefcase, brolly and bowler brigade....
Mildred: The Men from the Ministry!
DISC: MUSIC UP AND UNDER

Mildred Murfin explaining how "cutting me thingies... me nails kinda slanty", improves her typing. And accordig to an amazed Lamb, she makes no mistakes in the carbon copy either!


Roger Service and John Simpson as Number 2 and Number 1		Sir Gregory Pitkin played by Tom Meehan

Number 2, Richard Lamb giving his tupence worth		Lennox-Brown receiving instructions from Sir Gregory over the phone.

		Tommy Read and Maureen Adair as Humbert and Lolita (Lol) Snetherswaite


The hat swopping scene	Humbert and Lol

Number 1 on the line to Sir Gregory	Sir Gregory with Lamb and Lennox brown

An hilarious scene where Tommy Read (right) plays Rumpersad Harribai Spoonilal V. Muckerjee from Frankistan with Frank Graham (left) playing his brother Ranjid. Tommy was also playing Humbert Snetherswaite and Tom Meehan stood behind Tommy and changed hats as he swopped characters.

Sir Gregory explaining there has been a bit of "bungling" over the latest task assigned to the General Assistance Department.

Taking a bow at the end of the recording. (Maureen always acknowledged the recording crew on the side)

CLICK FOR THE OPENING OF "The Men from the Ministry"

The cast of "Father, dear Father" (l-r) Margaret Milner-Smythe (Karen), Maralyx Stafford-Meyer (Anna), Maureen Adair (Nanny), Tom Meehan (Patrick Carter with back to camera), at the microphone, Brian Squires (Jeremy) and Frank Graham


Karen, Patrick Carter and Anna	Brian Squires played Jeremy Tanner, Anna's fiancée

Maureen Adair playing the girls' faithful Nanny Harris	Members of the audience enjoying the show

Announcer: Tuesday at seven thirty means it's time for you to meet....
Girls: (Giggle) Father, dear Father.

Karen and Anna signing on at the beginning of the show.

HOME PAGE	MY PERSONAL ACCOUNT	"RADIO & TV" ARTICLE	"SUNDAY TRIBUNE" ARTICLE	FATHER, DEAR FATHER 100 EPS.	NEDERBURG THEATRE RECORDINGS	RADIO SOUTH AFRICA
"SABC" ARTICLE	TECHNICAL TEAM	"KEUR" ARTICLE	MAUREEN ADAIR	JOHN SIMPSON	TOM MEEHAN