Louisa Johanna Theodora "Wieteke" van Dort (16 May 1943 – 15 July 2024) was a Dutch actress, comedian, singer, writer and artist of Indo descent. On 29 April 1999, Queen Beatrix appointed her Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
She appeared on many children's television programmes and was best known for her Indo character of Tante Lien in The Late Late Lien Show on Dutch prime time television. Her show was the only television programme ever to showcase Indo (Eurasian) culture[citation needed] and introduced many Indo artists and music to mainstream audiences in the Netherlands.
After three seasons, the television series ended in 1988, but her Tante Lien character is popular to this day and in 2007, she was awarded the Silver Medal of Merit for her contributions in this role from the Dutch State Secretary for Defence.[1]
Van Dort attended two primary schools in Surabaya, and began attending the HBS. When she was thirteen years old, the Van Dort family went on vacation to the Netherlands. While they were abroad, Sukarno nationalized the properties of foreigners in Indonesia and the family ended up settling in The Hague.
In The Hague, she left middle school without a diploma. Because she was too young for the academy of dramatic arts, she first underwent training to become a nursery school teacher. Still, she did complete three years of the HBS. In 1962 and 1963, she attended Toneelgroep Rederijkers (the academy of dramatic arts). While at the academy, she played Laura Wingfield in a performance of The Glass Menagerie. In 1964, she dropped out of the academy and signed a contract with the Nieuwe Komedie. In 1968, she began working with Wim Kan and Corry Vonk as a comedian.
Early career
Van Dort in 1973
After her marriage to Theo Moody, she concentrated with much success on radio and television. In De Stratemakeropzeeshow with Aart Staartjes and Joost Prinsen, she played the 'distinguished lady'. In the 1970s, she appeared on the children's programme Lawaaipapegaai. The writer's collective consisted of Hans Dorrestijn, Karel Eykman, Ries Moonen, Fetze Pijlman, Jan Riem, during which time Willem Wilmink (a scriptwriter) died. Wieteke van Dort also participated in the television programme Het Klokhuis by overseeing the text in the scriptwriting collective.
Tante Lien
Her most successful character is Tante Lien, which she introduced through her popular television programme The Late Late Lien Show. She had to push hard to get the concept produced as the TV production companies and broadcasters initially did not believe there was a market for this. Eventually three seasons were aired in 1979, 1980, 1981 and finally in 1988. The show became the only platform ever for Indo culture on national television.
Each episode shows funny, old Tante Lien hosting a cosy gathering (Koempoelan) at her home in which she and her guests snack on Indo food and reminisce about life back in the good old days (tempo doeloe) of the Dutch East Indies. Her guests are usually famous Indo and Totok (full blooded Dutch settlers of the colonial Dutch East Indies) artists that perform solo or together with Tante Lien or each other. Artists that have appeared in the show include the Blue Diamonds, Sandra Reemer and Willem Nijholt.[2]
Within the Indo community itself the show was viewed by some to be rather controversial, mainly because the Tante Lien character speaks Dutch with a strong Indo accent. Certain factions in the Indo community claimed this as the reason they could not identify with the show and considered it not representative of well educated and assimilated Indos. In one episode, the show makes fun of this criticism by having a posh speaking Indo woman party crash Tante Lien's gathering.
Later career and death
In the parliamentary elections of 1994 she was fourth on the list of the Natural Law Party.
Van Dort in 2009
On 29 June 2007, during the official Dutch Veterans Day in the Hague, Wieteke van Dort received the Silver Medal of Merit from the Minister of Defence for her role of Tante Lien in which she has performed on veterans' gatherings for over thirty years. "Through her efforts she highlights our solidarity and strengthens the bond between Dutch society and the ex-soldiers making a substantial contribution to the welfare of veterans. In her performances she also bridges the gap between the older and younger veterans.".[3]
In 2008 she starred in the feature film Santa Claus and the Secret of the Great Book by director Martin Nellestijn. In 2009 she played the role of Queen in the film Santa Claus and the Lost Packet Boat from the same director.
Van Dort often cooperated with benefits and non-profit events for good causes. In 2010 she voluntarily contributed to music made to relief women suffering from the loss of a baby, just before, during or soon after birth.
Wieteke van Dort was still active in the fine arts and regularly performed her popular character Tante Lien. Her voice can be heard narrating the stories in the Dutch fairytale theme park Efteling.
Van Dort announced in May 2024 she was diagnosed with liver cancer that had metastasised to her lungs and brain.[4] She died two months later, on 15 July 2024, at the age of 81. Her husband died a week prior to her.[5]
Theatre roles
1960 "An Angel Of Inaction" by Claude Puget, the role of angel.
1961 Les Jours Heureux by Claude Puget, the role of Pernette.
1962 "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams, the role of Laura Wingfield.
1964 De Knecht van twee meesters van Goldoni by Henk Votel, the role of a small servant.
1964 "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder, all of the children's roles.
1964 "The Paris Wedding" by E. Labiche / Marc-Michel, silent role of Suzanne, in a review.
1965–1966 De Schilderijenoorlog by Jan Staal, first leading role, the 11-year-old girl Jannie Koperslager.
1966 "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, the role of Juliet with Lex Schoorel as Romeo, translated by Adrian Brine.
1967 De grote en de kleine koning by B., children's play, the role of B. Minoli.
1967 Een huwelijk onder Lodewijk de XV by A. Dumas père, the silent role of Moortje.
1967 Ploeft, kindervoorstelling by M.C. Machado, the role of Maribel.
1967 En het geschiedde in die dagen… Cabareteske Kerstcantate by J. van Hoogland with music by Han Reiziger
(in Dutch)Lijst van programma's (oude catalogus)in het archief vanBeeld & Geluid[1]
(in Dutch) List of programmes (new catalogue) in the archive of Beeld & Geluid[2]
Other sources
(in German) Kortendick, Oliver. "Indische Niederländer und Tante Lien: eine Strategie zur Konstruktion ethnischer Identität.“ (Master Thesis, Canterbury University of Kent, Social Anthropology, 1990). ISBN0-904938-65-4[3]
