Wam Heskes
29th of July, 1891 - 20th of August, 1973
Willem Frederik (Wam) Heskes was born in Delft, Zuid-Holland. Heskes was a visual artist, and (radio play) actor.
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Heskes did radio plays from 1925 - 1966, and played around 140 roles each year. Also he illustrated many childrens books.
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Heskes studied at two different academies for visual arts, without finishing them both. He performed at the theatre company of Willem Royaards, and he worked as an illustrator for the newspaper Het Algemeen Handelsblad. In the 30's he got famous due to the new media of radio. His comical creation Koos Koen, became rather popular.
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On the 17th of June, 1941 Heskes was no longer allowed to perform, as long as he couldn't proof that his (Jewish) wife was of Aryan decent. After the libration he no longer worked for broadcaster AVRO, but instead went to broadcaster KRO. Heskes became a member of the Hoorspelkern. A company of radio play actors. He played the leadrole in the radio play De Wadders as Piet Loerink for example.
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Heskes stopped working for the broadcaster in 1966, he died in Zeist, Utrecht. He was 82-years-old
