Thomas William Saymoir Meyer (28 February 1928 – 6 November 2017) was a South African film producer.
Producing career His first movie as producer was released on 18 June 1969. He produced 33 movies between 1969 and 1994. He joined a company belonging to Jamie Uys, but they split up after a few years. He formed his own company Tommie Meyer Films (Pty) Ltd. His productions are shown below.
Movies produced Year Movies name Translated name Co-Producer 1 Co-Producer 2 Director1994 Ipi Tombi Stefan SwanepoelDonald Hulette1981Birds of Paradise Rex Garner1979Charlie word 'n ster Charlie becomes a starDirk de Villiers1978'n Seder val in Waterkloof A tree falls in WaterkloofFranz Marx1977Die winter van 14 Julie The winter of 14 JulyJan Scholtz1976Springbok Bob Riley1976Daar Kom Tant Alie Aunt Alie is on her waySias OdendaalKoos Roets1975Somer SummerSias Odendaal1974'n Sonneblom uit Parys A sunflower from ParisBill VenterSias Odendaal1974Babbelkous ChatterboxKoos Roets1972Pikkie Sias Odendaal1971Freddie's in Love Elmo De WittBen VlokManie van Rensburg1971Z.E.B.R.A.Ben VlokElmo De Witt1971A New Life Elmo De WittBen VlokDirk de Villiers1971LindieWally Green1970Vicki Elmo De WittBen VlokIvan Hall1970Die drie Van der Merwes The three Van der MerwesElmo De WittBen VlokDirk de Villiers1970Sien jou môre See you tomorrowBen VlokElmo De Witt1970Lied in my hart Song in my heartElmo De WittBen VlokIvan Hall1969Geheim van Nantes The secret of NantesElmo De WittBen VlokDirk de Villiers1969Danie Bosman: Die verhaal van die grootste komponis in Suid Afrika Danie Bosman: The story of the biggest composer in South AfricaElmo De Witt1967Hoor my lied Hear my songElmo De Witt
Springbok (1976)
In 1977, the University of Pretoria tried to stop the release of this film, due to the fact that it portrayed a coloured person as a student at the institution. The case was brought to trial in Universiteit van Pretoria v Tommie Meyer Films 1977 (4) SA 376, where Meyer won (and again on appeal).
Ipi Tombi (1994)
This movie was an adaptation of the musical Ipi Tombi, by South African writers Bertha Egnos and Gail Lakier. Meyer bought the movie rights from Egnos and Brian Brooke. Meyer had financial problems with this movie and the new investors decided to cast actor Jan-Michael Vincent.
Personal life
Meyer grew up in Boksburg, the son of Petrus Frederik and Catharina Magaritha Meyer. He attended Hoërskool Voortrekker, of which three other South African movie producers, Jamie Uys, Jans Rautenbach and Jan Scoltz, were also pupils. He was married to Emmarentia Truter (whom he later divorced) and they had 6 children. Before producing movies, he acted in the film “Doodkry is min” (translated: "Death is no big deal"), produced by Jamie Uys and released on 22 May 1961. His son, Pietie, played the lead character in his film Pikkie, assisted with the sound in Birds of Paradise, and was the assistant producer for Ipi Tombi. Meyer retired in 1994 and died in 2017.
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