Danie Odendaal, a seasoned TV producer and creator of the local soapie “7de Laan,” died at the age of 77.
According to several accounts, the acclaimed producer, director, and writer died in Langebaan, Western Cape, on Wednesday evening, October 30.
The cause of his death is currently unknown.
Odendaal has had a remarkable career spanning decades. He created the nation’s beloved long-running soapie “7de Laan” through his firm Danie Odendaal Productions, which broadcast on SABC 2 for 23 years.
It premiered in April 2000, and the last episode aired in December of last year.
Set in the close-knit Hillside community, Odendaal and his team created beloved characters like Oubaas, Hilda, Charmaine, Aggie, and the Meintjies family, who became household names, as did the actors who played them.
The multi-award-winning producer also produced “Egoli: Place of Gold” and directed “Dennekruin 12”, “Galery”, “Die man met ‘n lyk om sy nek”, “Beelde” and “Saartjie”, amongst several others.
Meanwhile, tributes have started pouring in for Odendaal.
Fellow director, Henry Mylne, who worked with the veteran film-maker on “7de Laan” and “Egoli: Place of Gold”, wrote on Facebook: “RIP my dear friend and colleague Danie Odendaal. A friendship that started at TV1 at the SAUK in the eighties. Both of us as directors.
“He at serious music and I at the drama department. (sic). We were also neighbours for many years. After that, he was head writer and I director among our friend and colleague Franz Marx’s ‘Egoli’ for the first 8 golden years.
“Our offices were all over each other. Then he started ‘7de Laan’ with our beloved Annie Basson. He dresses me off at ‘Egoli’. He was producer and head writer and I was director.
“Both ‘Egoi’ and ‘7de Laan’ grew in our living rooms. Being able to work with Danie at ‘Egoi’ and ‘7de Laan’ were, to quote Charles Dickens, ‘the best of times!’ Being Danie’s friend and colleague ‘was the ultimate of times!’”
Meanwhile, Izelle Bodenstein, who was a hairstylist on “7de Laan” added: “RIP Danie Odendaal. This is very sad news. Danie was a brilliant man and looked so beautiful to all of us at ‘7de Laan’.
“It was an honour to work for ‘7de Laan’ for many years. We were like a family at the Laan.
“Uncle Danie always called me Bettie. I miss the phone calls, he said: ‘The muzzle looks like a curtain, I have to open it a little’, or ‘just want a nice hair wash and blow dry on a Friday every now and then’.”
Johan Engelbrecht wrote: “RIP Danie Odendaal. It was so tragic to see this man decline after being robbed of his purpose by people who had no respect for his artistry as a television producer. May his spirit reach his final destination in peace.”