
Jef Bruyninckx
Acting
Biography
Jef Bruyninckx (1919–1995) was a Belgian actor, film editor, and director, born on 13 August 1919 in Duffel and died on 15 January 1995 in Antwerp. He became widely known for his iconic performance as Whitey (De Witte) in the 1934 film adaptation of Ernest Claes’ novel, a role that made him a household name in Flanders. From the late 1930s onward, Bruyninckx also worked behind the camera as an assistant director, editor, and later director, contributing to both film and television in Belgium. His career spanned several decades, during which he became involved in numerous comedies, documentaries, and short films.
Known For

A good bourgeois couple have adopted Monneke, a country boy. Maybe they should not have as their peaceful life is turned upside down by the antics of the little rascal.
A Nice Case

Biopic about Father Damian and his life and work on the island of Molokai.
Pilgrimage to Hell

The film follows the occasionally slapstick misadventures of Sergeant Sestig, a fire brigade sergeant and widower, with his attractive daughter Martje by his side. At one point, three women attempt to woo him as a husband, but after a whirlwind of panic-filled complications, Sestig decides, with quiet resolve, to remain a dedicated firefighter—and a widower..
Fire, Love and Vitamins

The first movie version, from the age of black & white, of Flemish (heimat-)author Ernest Claes' classical novel, titled after the nickname (Dutch 'the White', referring to a blond male) of the main character: a smart but naughty farmhand's son whose eternal mischief, pranks and disobedience drive his elders (especially teachers, family and father's grumpy employer, a rich farmer) and classmates to despair in a time when a boy's punishment was still inevitable, swift and often severe.
Whitey

Smugglers try to ship their products via Pol Knol, a trader in medical products. Due to circumstances, the package remains on Mr Knol's desk. The smugglers think that Pol has deliberately withheld it. They come to pay him a "visit."
Antwerp Through and Through

The film follows a prison warden (played by Charles Janssens) who is utterly miserable because his prison is empty. When Max (played by Paul Cammermans) is mistakenly arrested for murder, the warden is thrilled to finally have a "guest." A delightfully absurd situation ensues, with the warden looking after his prisoner like a doting father. In the end, Max is proven innocent and marries the warden’s daughter. Based on the play of the same title by Jos Janssen.
The Tale of the Good Murderer

Four aspiring young artists live together in the same apartment: Monika wants to be an actress ; Sonny, her sister, studies at the Academy of Fine Arts ; Marina dreams of being a professional dancer ; and Lena hopes to be a singer. One day, Victor and Helena, Monika and Sonny's uncle and aunt, come to visit them unannounced. As they are conservative people, the four friends do their best to hide their free lifestyles from them. On the other hand, the girls realize that it is now or never for them and one by one they end up landing the long hoped-for assignments. But, sentimentally, Monika is not happy. She does not care for her rich fiancé. The one she would like to share her life is a mere garage mechanic...
Good Luck, Monique!

A local brass band rehearses for a music competition in Bruges. They are confident that a new march by a young music teacher will get them the first prize. Their chance of winning seems to get an awful lot smaller when a a fight breaks out between the chairman and the music teacher -- urging the latter to sell the march to another band.
Uilenspiegel Still Lives

Five rather frivolous musicians seize the opportunity to perform on a cruise in the Mediterranean. Alas: they are under contract to engage a female singer - and they fear to fall in love with her, which would endanger their friendship.
What Do We Do With Love?

A beautiful, mysterious femme fatale arrives out of the blue in a small village spreading conflict and discontent throughout the community.
The Damned

Meldodrama/folk comedy about a lower class guy who falls in love with the daughter of the lord of the castle ... .
Met den helm geboren

Sequel to the hugely popular folk comedy Janssens versus Peeters.
Janssens en Peeters dikke vrienden

Frits and Jef are mates on a ship and have been friends for long. Frits, who is the steward, is also engaged to Jef's sister Marieke. When the two men disembark in Antwerp, their birth town, Frits realizes to his shock that a drug runner has hidden his contraband in his baggage. He informs the police at once and starts his own investigation...
Music in the Harbour
A group of Antwerp students steal a doll from a museum just for fun. But then they get arrested ... .
The Theft of Hop-Marianneke

There is a beautiful windmill near Winkelbroek. The miller is Wannes Coppens, someone who knows all the ways, but especially the detours, to achieve his goal. He is particularly proud of his son Antoon. He is a teacher, conductor of the brass band, painter... and has the reputation of being the biggest joker in Winkelbroek. Through Antoon's marriage to Louisa from the brewery, the miller hopes to regain possession of a piece of land. But the old brewer is unyielding. Wannes then takes a detour via the mayor.
Antoon, de flierefluiter

Isidoor lives with his niece and a housekeeper in a little provincial town. One day he receives a letter: he is to be the heir of a distant and wealthy relative. There is only one condition: he has to go and live for a year in "Home lux et vita", otherwise he will loose his inheritance. The home is a home for abandoned children and now this bachelor becomes the father to 40 children...
Bachelor with 40 children

A musical comedy about a rich girl Jenny who falls in love with a a poor but beautiful singing hairdresser's assistant.
Alleen voor U

A popular comedy in which the daughter of baker Peeters is set to get married with the son of innkeeper Janssens but then the parents start to argue and are opposed to the marriage but the couple elopes.
Janssens versus Peeters
Life could be so sweet for Gus Vermeulen and Achille Mironval. They are partners in a cheese trade and business is good. So what they plan to do is to marry their two children so as to perpetuate this blissful situation. However two annoying facts cast a shadow over their happiness. Jean-Pierre Mironval, Achille's son, won't hear of anything connected with cheese and would rather be a jazz band leader and Gus, with his passion for spiritism, sows the seeds of discord between the two men. But all is well that ends well.
Ah! How good it is with us

Each year Thomas goes an a pilgrimage but he has more difficulty to complete it, but then he is offered a footbath that appears to contain a miracle drug. Wouldn't this make a huge seller during Expo 58 in Brussels... .