Wim Sonneveld
Encyclopedia
Willem 'Wim' Sonneveld (June 28, 1917 - March 8, 1974) was a Dutch
cabaret
artist and singer. Together with Toon Hermans
and Wim Kan
, he is considered to be one of the 'Great Three' of Dutch cabaret. Sonneveld is generally viewed as a Dutch cultural icon
for his work and legacy in theatre
, musicals and music. He died in 1974 following a heart attack.
In 1932 he started singing in an amateur choir, the Keep Smiling Singers, after which he teamed up in 1934 with Fons Goossens to form a duo and perform at anniversaries of associations and institutions. Later that year he met reviewer Huub Janssen and after a journey through France
in 1936 they started living together in Amsterdam, at first on the Westermarkt, later on the Prinsengracht. In the same year he worked for Louis Davids, during the day as an administrator and at evenings playing small roles and singing chanson
s. In the same period he performed with his friend Huub in his own association De Rarekiek. In 1937's France he sang in cabarets of Suzy Solidor
and Agnes Capri.
After the declaration of war of 1940 he returned to the Netherlands, where he acted in plays and in the revue
of Loekie Bouwmeester. In 1940 he performed in the Theater der Prominenten and at Abraham van der Vies' De Sprookjesspelers. Here he met Conny Stuart
. In 1943 he formed his own association, consisting among others of Conny Stuart, Lia Dorana
, Albert Mol
, Joop Doderer
, Hetty Blok and Emmy Arbous.
(1957) and Wasp End (1957).
After 702 performances of the musical My Fair Lady
, since 1960, after his own association went bankrupt in 1959, with which he ‘wore out’ three Eliza Doolittles (Margriet de Groot, Dorien Mijksenaar and Jasperina de Jong) in his role as dr. Higgins, he went solo with television shows like Doe es wat, meneer Sonneveld (1962) and Blijf in Holland (1963). In 1964 he again took the stage with Een avond met Wim Sonneveld.
Remarkable was his threefold guest role in episode 16 of the television series Ja zuster, nee zuster by Annie M.G. Schmidt and Harry Bannink
in 1967, as himself, Arie Pruijselaar junior and Arie Pruijselaar senior. In 1967 he performed alongside Ina van Faassen
in a theater show and in 1971 with Willem Nijholt and Corrie van Gorp. His last film was Op de Hollandse toer (1973).
He would have liked to end his career singing French chansons, because his heart lay in France, where he had a house in Roquefort-les-Pins
.
On 1974-03-08 Wim Sonneveld died at the age of 56 in the VU hospital in Amsterdam from his second heart attack.
Even though Wim Sonneveld never publicly stated that he was homosexual, he shared his life only with men, first with Hubert Janssen, later with prop designer, text writer and painter Friso Wiegersma (1925–2006) whom he met in 1947 and who created the character Nikkelen Nelis for him.
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...
cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
artist and singer. Together with Toon Hermans
Toon Hermans
Antoine G. T. "Toon" Hermans was a noted Dutch comedian, singer and writer. He was born in Sittard, now part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen....
and Wim Kan
Wim Kan
Willem Cornelis "Wim" Kan was a Dutch cabaret artist. Together with Toon Hermans and Wim Sonneveld, he is considered to be one of the Great Three of Dutch cabaret....
, he is considered to be one of the 'Great Three' of Dutch cabaret. Sonneveld is generally viewed as a Dutch cultural icon
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
for his work and legacy in theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, musicals and music. He died in 1974 following a heart attack.
Biography
Wim Sonneveld was born in Utrecht to Gerrit Sonneveld and Geertruida van den Berg. In 1922, at a very young age, he lost his mother. After his time at school, where he was the class clown, he had a few unsuccessful jobs.In 1932 he started singing in an amateur choir, the Keep Smiling Singers, after which he teamed up in 1934 with Fons Goossens to form a duo and perform at anniversaries of associations and institutions. Later that year he met reviewer Huub Janssen and after a journey through France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1936 they started living together in Amsterdam, at first on the Westermarkt, later on the Prinsengracht. In the same year he worked for Louis Davids, during the day as an administrator and at evenings playing small roles and singing chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
s. In the same period he performed with his friend Huub in his own association De Rarekiek. In 1937's France he sang in cabarets of Suzy Solidor
Suzy Solidor
Suzy Solidor was a French singer and actress, appearing in films such as La Garçonne.Suzy Solidor was born in 1900 in the Pie district of Saint-Servan-sur-Mer in Brittany, France, under the name of Suzanne Louise Marie Marion. She was the daughter of Louise Marie Adeline Marion, a 28-year-old...
and Agnes Capri.
After the declaration of war of 1940 he returned to the Netherlands, where he acted in plays and in the revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
of Loekie Bouwmeester. In 1940 he performed in the Theater der Prominenten and at Abraham van der Vies' De Sprookjesspelers. Here he met Conny Stuart
Conny Stuart
Conny Stuart , pseudonym of Cornelia van Meijgaard, was a Dutch actress, singer, and cabaretière.-Biography:...
. In 1943 he formed his own association, consisting among others of Conny Stuart, Lia Dorana
Lia Dorana
Lia Dorana was a Dutch comedian and actress. Dorana was born Beppy van Werven in The Hague on July 18, 1918. She was discovered by Dutch singer and cabaret singer Wim Sonneveld, with whom she launched her early career...
, Albert Mol
Albert Mol
Albert Mol was a popular Dutch author, actor and TV personality, who appeared in movies and TV shows in a career that spanned nearly 60 years....
, Joop Doderer
Joop Doderer
Johan Heinrich Doderer was a Dutch actor, well known for his role as the tramp Swiebertje in the eponymous television series. The series ran for 17 seasons between 1955 and 1975, and was broadcast by the NCRV...
, Hetty Blok and Emmy Arbous.
Rim Ram
Between 1943 and 1959 he staged with his own cabaret association Rim Ram a great number of shows:- 1943 Alleen voor dames (text by Hella HaasseHella HaasseHélène "Hella" Serafia Haasse was a Dutch writer, often referred to as "the Grand Old Lady" of Dutch literature, and whose novel Oeroeg was a staple for generations of Dutch schoolchildren. Her internationally acclaimed Magnus opus is "Heren van de Thee", translated to "The Tea Lords"...
) - 1944 Sprookjes
- 1944 Opus drie
- 1945 De bloemetjes buiten
- 1945 Tingeltangel
- 1946 Verre reizen
- 1946 Tutti frutti
- 1946 Leidscheplein
- 1947 Vanavond om acht uur
- 1947
' t Is maar comedie - 1948
' t Is historisch - 1949 We spelen pantomime
- 1949 Iene-miene-mutten
- 1950
' t Is mij een raadsel - 1951 Herhalingsoefeningen
- 1951 Artiestenpension
- 1952 Boekenfeest
- 1952 Gastenboek
- 1952 Het meisje met de grote voeten
- 1953 Bloemlezing (compilation show)
- 1953 In de winckel van Sinckel
- 1954 Waar de blanke top der duinen
- 1955 Huis tuin en keuken
- 1957 À la carte
- 1959 Rim Ram
Willem Parel
A famous creation of Wim Sonneveld was Willem Parel, son and grandson of a Dutch street organ grinder as well as chairman of the En-pé-gé, the Dutch ParelAssociation (Nederlands ParelGenootschap). This brought him great success on the VARA-radio in the early fifties. Parel would expose movingly about ‘organ grinding in general and the psychology of the penny cup in particular’. Over time Wim Sonneveld came to hate his creation, but he knew that Willem Parel drew a large audience and he couldn't live from just singing chansons. In 1955 a movie was shot called The Wondrous life of Willem Parel.Film, musical, solo
Wim Sonneveld has played in some movies: the aforementioned The Wondrous life of Willem Parel as well has the Hollywood thriller The Pink Hippopotamus (1956) and a later the films Silk stockingsSilk Stockings (film)
Silk Stockings is a 1957 MGM musical film remake of Ninotchka. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse...
(1957) and Wasp End (1957).
After 702 performances of the musical My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, since 1960, after his own association went bankrupt in 1959, with which he ‘wore out’ three Eliza Doolittles (Margriet de Groot, Dorien Mijksenaar and Jasperina de Jong) in his role as dr. Higgins, he went solo with television shows like Doe es wat, meneer Sonneveld (1962) and Blijf in Holland (1963). In 1964 he again took the stage with Een avond met Wim Sonneveld.
Remarkable was his threefold guest role in episode 16 of the television series Ja zuster, nee zuster by Annie M.G. Schmidt and Harry Bannink
Harry Bannink
Harry Bannink was a Dutch composer, arranger and pianist. He wrote over 3,000 songs....
in 1967, as himself, Arie Pruijselaar junior and Arie Pruijselaar senior. In 1967 he performed alongside Ina van Faassen
Ina van Faassen
Gesina Maria van Faassen was a Dutch actress and comedian.Van Faassen was born the daughter of Gerard Heinrich van Faassen and Johanna Christina Heerding. One of the leading Dutch stage actresses with more than 600 performances, she also starred in several television series.In 1960, she married...
in a theater show and in 1971 with Willem Nijholt and Corrie van Gorp. His last film was Op de Hollandse toer (1973).
He would have liked to end his career singing French chansons, because his heart lay in France, where he had a house in Roquefort-les-Pins
Roquefort-les-Pins
Roquefort-Les-Pins is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Population:-External links:* *...
.
On 1974-03-08 Wim Sonneveld died at the age of 56 in the VU hospital in Amsterdam from his second heart attack.
Even though Wim Sonneveld never publicly stated that he was homosexual, he shared his life only with men, first with Hubert Janssen, later with prop designer, text writer and painter Friso Wiegersma (1925–2006) whom he met in 1947 and who created the character Nikkelen Nelis for him.
Famous characters
- Willem Parel
- Nikkelen Nelis the street singer
- Friar Venantius
- The Stable Master
Famous conferences
- Artificial insemination
- Hello, man behind the counter
- Croquettes
- Grandfather
Famous songs
- Het dorp
- Catootje
- Margootje
- Tearoom Tango
- Zo heerlijk rustig
- Daar is de orgelman
- In een rijtuigie
- Doe het doek maar dicht
Albums noted in the Dutch Album Top 20/50/100
| Title | Release date | Entrance date | Highest position | Weeks | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wim Sonneveld, Willem Nijholt & Corry van Gorp | 16-10-1971 | 9 | 7 | with Willem Nijholt and Corry van Gorp | |
| Muziek mozaïek, 10 maart 1974 (Recording of Duys' radio show) | 30-3-1974 | 1 | 11 | with Willem Duys Willem Duys Willem Duys , was a Dutch radio and television presenter, commentator, tennis player and music producer.Duys was born in Bussum. Having made the final NK Older Youth in 1946, he won the Spieghel Hilversum and Heide B tournament, took the semi-finals Plaswijck Kralingen and won the B tournament in... |
|
| Complete discografie | 5-10-1974 | 24 | 16 | ||
| De beste van Wim Sonneveld | 9-11-1974 | 7 | 11 | ||
| Het beste van Wim Sonneveld | 24-2-1979 | 24 | 21 | ||
| Een herinnering aan Wim Sonneveld | 2-11-1985 | 50 | 13 | ||
| Haal het doek maar op | 21-5-1994 | 39 | 5 | ||
| Voor altijd | 10-4-1999 | 32 | 9 |
Singles noted in the Dutch Top 40
| Title | Release date | Entrance date | Highest position | Weeks | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frater Venantius | 16-1-1965 | 10 | 15 | ||
| Tearoom tango | 26-3-1966 | 11 | 12 | ||
| De kat van Ome Willem | 2-3-1968 | 2 | 10 | ||
| Mooi Amsterdam | 23-3-1968 | tip | with Willy Alberti Willy Alberti Willy Alberti , born Carel Verbrugge, was a Dutch singer, who sang in Dutch and Italian. He was also an actor and a radio and TV personality.... |
||
| In een rijtuigje | 23-3-1968 | 12 | 6 | with Leen Jongewaard | |
| Het dorp | 18-5-1974 | 27 | 5 |