Jamie Bartlett was a British-born South African actor who was best known for his role as the wicked puppet master, David Genaro, in South Africa’s soapie- Rhythm City as well as his work in a dozen other films and theatre work.
The veteran actor who was born in 1966 suddenly passed on in May 2022 leaving his family, friends, and fans in shock and grief.
Here is a look back at the details surrounding Jamie Bartlett’s cause of death, as well as a look back at the actor’s incredible career profile.
Jamie Bartlett's cause of death
Jamie Bartlett died suddenly on the 23rd of May 2022, at the age of 55 years old and although the news of his demise spread quickly, the cause of his death was not immediately revealed as his family was waiting for doctors to release his autopsy report.
A couple of days after his death, Jamie Bartlett’s partner Rosie Onious revealed that they had received the late actor’s autopsy result which confirmed that Bartlett had suffered from a cardiac arrest which had claimed his life.
Rosa revealed that Jamie had not been working on the unfortunate afternoon that he passed on and had decided to take a nap. He was unresponsive when she tried to wake him up around 17:00.
"I said Jamie, Jamie, [but] Jamie didn't look up," she told the publication. She said she then called her mom to assist her. An emotional Rosa said they called an ambulance for help within 15 minutes it arrived, but he did not make it. "They tried everything to resuscitate him, CPR, everything, but it was too late," she said.
His funeral service was held in Cape Town on the 2nd of June 2022 and was attended by his family, close friends and colleagues. A memorial service was held in his honour on the 6th of June 2022 in Johannesburg.
Jamie Bartlett’s career
Jamie Bartlett began his acting career in the early 1980s as a theatre actor in South Africa’s Market Theatre.
He landed his first role in 1986 as a gay boxer in Cock and Bull Story. His performance in the play won him a Vita Award for Most Promising Actor and he appeared in a good number of other theatre productions including East in 1987, Mojo in 1997, and Death of a Colonialist in 2011.
He made his debut in film in the late 1980s when he appeared in a number of American films including American Ninja 2 in 1987 and American Ninja 5 in 1993. He went on to appear in a good number of films throughout his career including Beyond Borders (2003), Red Dust (2004), Prey (2007) and White Lion (2010).
Besides theatre and film, Jamie Bartlett also had credits in television series and although his most famous role was as David Genaro in Rhythm City, the late thespian also had roles in other soapies including Isindigo. Additionally, he was also a judge on SA’s Got Talent seasons 6 and 7.
Widely regarded as a legendary thespian, Jamie Bartlett's death left a significant gap in South Africa’s film industry and he will always be missed.