Ken Gampu(1929-2003)
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ken Gampu was one of the first black South Africans to be featured in
Hollywood films, working alongside such stars as Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster. A
former schoolteacher, law clerk and interpreter, he spoke seven native
dialects in addition to English and Afrikaans. Discovered by playwright
Athol Fugard, he was cast in the play "No Good Friday" in 1958. In the 60s
he moved to films and earned international distinction for his role in
the movie adventure Dingaka (1964). He earned excellent notices as well a year
later in Cornel Wilde's African adventure The Naked Prey (1965) as a warrior leader.
Several of his films have earned cult status with time, including
Zulu Dawn (1979) and The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980).
