Bill Van Dijk
Encyclopedia
Willem Edsger van Dijk (born December 22, 1947 in Rotterdam
) is a Dutch
singer and musical performer.
He is best known for his rendition of the Wilhelmus (the national anthem of the Netherlands
), which he performed on countless occasions in football stadiums. Moreover, Van Dijk worked on various musical productions. In 1982, he represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest. His song, "Jij en ik", written by Dick Bakker (music), Liselore Gerritsen (lyrics) and Peter Schön (musical arrangement), failed to make an impression in Harrogate: it finished 16th with only 8 points.
He performed voices on Sesamstraat
, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street
. Van Dijk did the voices of Roosevelt Franklin
, Clementine, and many of the rock singers on the show (such as Little Chrissy and Bip Bipadotta). He was active on Sesamstraat until the early 1990s.
Van Dijk portrayed the title character in both the Dutch and Broadway
productions of Cyrano: The Musical in the early 1990s.
He also played Clopin
in the Disney movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)
in the Dutch version.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
singer and musical performer.
He is best known for his rendition of the Wilhelmus (the national anthem of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
), which he performed on countless occasions in football stadiums. Moreover, Van Dijk worked on various musical productions. In 1982, he represented the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest. His song, "Jij en ik", written by Dick Bakker (music), Liselore Gerritsen (lyrics) and Peter Schön (musical arrangement), failed to make an impression in Harrogate: it finished 16th with only 8 points.
He performed voices on Sesamstraat
Sesamstraat
Sesamstraat is a children's television show in the Netherlands, spin off the popular U.S. children's program Sesame Street. In its early days the show was broadcast in Flanders as well. It is the second longest running foreign adaptation of Sesame Street without interruptions, behind only...
, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
. Van Dijk did the voices of Roosevelt Franklin
Roosevelt Franklin
Roosevelt Franklin was a Muppet featured on the children's television series Sesame Street during the early 1970s. He is purple with shaggy black hair that stands on end. His name is word play on the name of US President Franklin Roosevelt...
, Clementine, and many of the rock singers on the show (such as Little Chrissy and Bip Bipadotta). He was active on Sesamstraat until the early 1990s.
Van Dijk portrayed the title character in both the Dutch and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
productions of Cyrano: The Musical in the early 1990s.
He also played Clopin
Clopin
Clopin Trouillefou is a fictional character first created in the 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by French author Victor Hugo, and subsequently adapted.-In the novel:...
in the Disney movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a 1996 American animated drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released to theaters on June 21, 1996 by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fourth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is inspired by Victor Hugo's novel of...
in the Dutch version.