Aart Staartjes

Aart Staartjes (born March 1, 1938) is a Dutch actor, director, television presenter and documentary maker from Amsterdam. He is well known for his role on Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street. On this show, his character's name is Meneer Aart (Mr. Aart) and in this persona he authored a book called Meneer Aart: Leven en werken van de man die geen kindervriend wil heten (Mr. Aart: Life and work of the man who does not want to be named a friend to children).

Staartjes used to present the annual arrival of Sinterklaas in the Netherlands. As of 2005, he retired from this job.

Early life

Aart Staartjes was born in Nieuwendam, a neighbourhood of Amsterdam-Noord. He had an older brother, and a younger sister. They lived in a house on the Nieuwendammerdijk. His father, his grandfather, and an uncle of his worked in a carpentry shop located behind the house. Staartjes started his primary education at the age of eight. After that, he went to the mulo in Amsterdam, followed by the Kweekschool, a teachers' college. He dropped out of the Kweekschool in 1958, and went to the theater school instead. He graduated in 1961.

Career

Staartjes made his debut in 1961 in Meneer Topaze, based on a play written by Marcel Pagnol in the 1930s.

Personal life

Staartjes was twenty-two years old when his first child was born. He divorced his first wife sixteen years later. He later married a woman named Hanna.

Filmography (selection)

• De Fabeltjeskrant (as Rocus de Vrije Vogel)
• De Stratemakeropzeeshow
• J.J. de Bom, voorheen de Kindervriend
• Het Klokhuis (among others as Fetze Alsvanouds)
• Pinkeltje (starring)
• De Film van Ome Willem
• Waltz

External links

• Aart Staartjes at the Internet Movie Database