Bloemfontein – The comedian Al Debbo has died at the age of 87 in a Bloemfontein hospital.

About three weeks ago Debbo was taken up at the Bloemfontein Medi-Clinic where he was treated for a mild lung infection, reported Karen Ebersohn.

Hospital spokesperson Amanda Appelgryn said that Debbo also received treatment for heart failure.

The comedian, actor and singer was honoured earlier this year at the Comics Choice Awards for his lifelong contribution to the entertainment industry.

More than 60 years ago, Debbo made his debut in the film Die Kaskenades van Dokter Kwakin 1949. Debbo followed this performance with 20 others, with his last film appearance being in Leon Schuster’s Oh Shucks I’m Gatvol released in 2004.

His latest album Pieringoog Potpourri was released in 2000 featuring al the idiosyncratic acts that made him famous such as Hasie, Die Tantes van Nantes, (Die) Brakke van Turffontein and Bolandse Nooientjie.

Tribute

TV journalist Thinus Ferreira reports that the weekly entertainment magazine show Kwêla on the Afrikaans satellite television channel kykNET (DStv channel 111) is fast changing its line-up for this evening’s episode at 19:30.

As a tribute to Al Debbo Kwêla will re-run the last interview the show did with him and his family in 2005. "Our last visit with Al Debbo was in 2005 when he was already frail. As a tribute Kwêla looks back at the visit."

Watch: A scene from the 1969 film Stadig oor die Klippe, in which Al Debbo (as the detective Boetie Vlenters) performs the song Wie is bang vir daardie spook ('Who's afraid of the ghost'). The song was written by Aubrey van Eeden.