André van Duin

1960s: New Harvest and Snip & Snap

Van Duin was discovered in 1964 when he won the AVRO talent contest show New Harvest (Dutch: Nieuwe Oogst), giving him the opportunity to debut on television alongside singing father and daughter Willy and Willeke Alberti.

From 1967 onwards, he made regular appearances on Dutch television and took apprenticeship at comedians Snip & Snap's theatre shows.

1970s: Revue, Dik Voormekaar Show, big hits

In the 1970s André van Duin set up his own Revue with Frans van Dusschoten (the straight man) and Corrie van Gorp. These shows were televised on TROS and in 1975 Van Duin won an award for Dag Dag Heerlijke Lach. During this decade Van Duin had hits such as "Het bananenlied" (1972, parody of the Banana Boat Song), "Angelique", "De tamme boerenzoon", "Doorgaan", and "Willy Alberti, bedankt".

In 1972, André van Duin began the radio program Dik Voormekaar Show. First with broadcasting company Radio Noordzee Internationaal, later with the NCRV and TROS. He involved his then technician, Ferry de Groot, in the show, becoming the character "Meneer de Groot" (Mister de Groot). The show continued to air as recently as 2009. The same year André van Duin debuted as an actor in Het Meisje Met De Blauwe Hoed (The Girl With The Blue Hat), playing an army recruit.

In January 1976, Van Duin had a massive hit with "Willempie". Parents of mentally challenged children considered it offensive. The song was banned while a controversy lasted, and "Willempie" was number 1 on AVRO's Top Pop-chart for three weeks. Van Duin escaped legal actions by apologising on television.

In 1976 Van Duin released And're Andre (The Other Andre), an album stripped of wackiness (except for File, a traffic jam cover version of Morris Albert's "Feelings") that became the first of five volumes. Besides And're Andre, Van Duin went on to explore his serious side on Wij (Us), Wij Twee (Two of Us), an album full of Perry Como-translations and Recht Uit Het Hart (Straight From The Heart).

1980s: Films, more hits, and tv

In the 1980s, "Er staat een paard in de gang" (1981) and "Ik heb hele grote bloemkolen" (1989) became hits that grew from stage performances. His fun hits were "interrupted" by tributes to the sunny weather (including a cover version of Because I Love You) and durable friendship (a duet with Willeke Alberti).

In 1981 he starred in his own movie; Ik Ben Joep Meloen, which was a reasonable success.

In 1982 Van Duin released De Boezemvriend, partly an adaptation of the Danny Kaye movie The Inspector General, which portrays charlatan dentist Fred van der Zee mistaken for Napoleon's delegate. De Boezemvriend was considered a failure. Van Duin hasn't returned to the big screen since.

The TV-special that accompanied the 1985 volume of And're Andre triggered off the WWF-promoting Animal Crackers-series.

In 1989 Van Duin, alongside stable-mate Ron Brandsteder, was taken over by TV Tien, the commercial station that never happened due to transmission problems; instead they ended up being team-captains in Wie ben ik? hosted by Caroline Tensen.

1990s: Pizza Song and the RTL years

In 1993 he scored a major hit with "Pizzalied (Effe Wachten)".

Between 1993 and 1999 Van Duin made television shows for RTL.

2000s: New Revue and Dik Voormekaar Show

In 2007 the André's Nieuwe Revue-tour was launched; Belgium was visited in November 2008 for five shows in Antwerp.

After 18 years with RTL, Van Duin happily returned to the TROS. In 2009 he made a new series of Dik Voormekaar Shows.

2010s; new directions

In March 2010, Van Duin released Dubbel, a 2CD made up of both serious and wacky songs (with the mother's day-tribute "Moederdag" another compromise and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" becoming the cattle-themed "Alle Koeien").

In 2016 Van Duin released a Wim Sonneveld covers-album and hosted the fourth season of The Great Dutch Bake Off. He currently tours with a stage-adaption of The Sunshine Boys preparing himself for a role in a new drama-series.

Personal life

André van Duin was in a relationship with Wim van der Pluym from 1974 until 1995, when Van der Pluym died. Van Duin married Martin Elferink on 23 December 2006.