It’s a black boy Madam” one of the iconic lines the veteran actor and comedian Lazarus Boora will forever be remembered for. He has been battling cancer for a while and was last week hospitalised at Westview Hospital in Ruwa.
By Plot Mhako
Aged (47) popularly known as Gringo, Boora was born in Harare. He attended Mutare Teacher’s college and studied drama. Later on he went to the University of Zimbabwe where he studied theatre and dance. He appeared on his first TV commercial for a beer commercial of Castle Lager. He later on worked for Joy TV and he appeared on some African TV shows.
His biggest break was in 1997 when he starred in the Enock Chihombori produced comedy drama Gringo which airred on ZBC TV. The primetime headliner became a household name. The naughty and witty Gringo character was developed by Chihombori through a cartoon series in the Kwayedza newspaper and later adapted it for the television.
He subsequently featured in other spin-offs of the show like “Gringo Ndiani” and “Gringo Mari Iripi”
In the year 2000 Boora featured in the feature film Yellow Card written by John Riber and Andrew Whaley with the former directing it. SA based filmstar Leroy Gopal played the lead alongside Kasamba Mukumba, Ratidzo Mambo and the late veterant Walter Mparutsa among others.
It is in this movie that Gringo made the phrase, ” its a Black boy Madam” which became synonymous with him till today.
Lazarus also starred in Gringo the movie in 2013 playing the leading role as Gringo, the film premiered.
“Boora was a rare breed of comedian. “Boora will be remembered forever as the master of local television with his signature makeshift khaki short, black vest, barefoot and his witty humour which kept millions of Zimbabweans glued to their television sets”
National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Director, Nicholas Moyo
Despite health challenges, Gringo never stopped cracking jokes and acting as he recently starred in the ZTV series Village Secrets as Gibbo.
“He was one of the country’s most recognisable television personalities. May his Soul rest in eternal peace”,
The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Director said.
Creatives, fans, politicians and people from all walks of life have taken to social media to pay their homage to an artist who made them laugh and entertained.
His son Taurai is also an artist who acts and is a dancer working with Mambo Dhuterere as a backing dancer.
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