# Barry Ronge

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**Barry Johann Ronge**[2] (30 December 1947 – 3 July 2022) was a South African journalist, columnist, writer, broadcaster, movie reviewer and [raconteur](/source/Raconteur). He was one of the country's best-known movie critics as well as one of its most widely read (and discussed) columnists.[3][4]

## Early life

Ronge was born in [Hillbrow](/source/Hillbrow), [Johannesburg](/source/Johannesburg), and grew up on the [West Rand](/source/West_Rand) where he attended [Florida Park High School](/source/Florida_Park_High_School). He completed his studies at the [University of the Witwatersrand](/source/University_of_the_Witwatersrand), after which he began a teaching career at [St. John's College](/source/St_John's_College_(Johannesburg,_South_Africa)), followed by a ten-year stint as a lecturer in literature at the University of the Witwatersrand.[5][6]

## Career

He later moved on to become a print and electronic journalist, specializing in the arts. In addition to writing movie reviews he was also a food critic in his early career writing under the pseudonym *Rebecca Parker*.[4][1]

Ronge is best known for his *Spit and Polish* column in the [*Sunday Times*](/source/Sunday_Times_(South_Africa)), his movie reviews for the same newspaper,[7] and his Sunday evening show on [Radio 702](/source/Radio_702) where he worked with is partner Albertus van Dyk.[8] After writing for the *Sunday Times* for 27 years, he wrote his last column on 23 February 2014.[7] In 2015, the *Sunday Times* renamed its prize for South African literature to the Barry Ronge Fiction Prize.[9][10]

During the 1990s and 2000s Ronge was a film critic on [M-Net](/source/M-Net) where worked on a number of movie review shows most notably *Front Row, Revue Plus* and *Cinemagic with Barry Ronge*.[11][5] He also appeared on the [SABC 3](/source/SABC_3) movie review show *Screenplay.*[11][5]

## Death

He died in his hometown, Johannesburg, on 3 July 2022.[12][13][1][14]

## Books

- *Spit 'n Polish*, 2006, Penguin Books SA, ISBN 9780143025252

## Awards

- [Thomas Pringle Award for Reviews](/source/Thomas_Pringle_Award_for_Reviews), [English Academy of South Africa](/source/English_Academy_of_South_Africa), 2005
- [Barry Ronge Fiction Prize](/source/Barry_Ronge_Fiction_Prize) longlist.[15]

## References

1. Ferreira, Thinus. ["South African film critic Barry Ronge, 74, has died"](https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/celebrities/news/south-african-film-critic-barry-ronge-74-has-died-20220709). *Life*. Retrieved 2023-10-07.

1. Wyk, Ferdie Van. ["Barry Ronge"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161120003821/http://www.genza.org.za/index.php/en?id=321&catid=0). *www.genza.org.za*. Archived from [the original](http://www.genza.org.za/index.php/en?id=321&catid=0) on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-19.

1. ["BARRY RONGE QUOTES AND BOOKINGS – RADIO PERSONALITY"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161120004234/http://www.entertainment-online.co.za/barryronge.htm). *www.entertainment-online.co.za*. Archived from [the original](http://www.entertainment-online.co.za/barryronge.htm) on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 2016-11-19.

1. ["Film critic Barry Ronge dies at 74"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3umIsm7ntHM). *[YouTube](/source/YouTube)*. [eNCA](/source/ENCA). 9 July 2022.

1. ["Barry Ronge has died"](https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/15/229530.html). *Bizcommunity*. Retrieved 2023-10-07.

1. Barros, Luiz De (2022-07-12). ["Barry Ronge left behind a 45-year queer love story"](https://www.mambaonline.com/2022/07/12/barry-ronge-left-behind-a-45-year-queer-love-story/). *MambaOnline - Gay South Africa online*. Retrieved 2023-10-07.

1. Bristow-Bovey, Darrel. ["The Big Read: Time to write a Ronge"](http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2014/02/24/the-big-read-time-to-write-a-ronge). *Times LIVE*. Retrieved 2016-11-19.

1. Reporter, Voice (2022-07-11). ["Movie critic Barry Ronge dies aged 74"](https://dailyvoice.co.za/lifestyle-entertainment/2022-07-11-movie-critic-barry-ronge-dies-aged-74/). *Daily Voice*. Retrieved 2025-10-29.

1. ["The 2016 Sunday Times Barry Ronge Fiction Prize longlist"](http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2016/04/04/the-2016-sunday-times-barry-ronge-fiction-prize-longlist/). *Sunday Times Books LIVE @ Sunday Times Books LIVE*. Retrieved 2016-11-19.

1. ["Barry Ronge Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sunday Times"](http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2014/06/30/barry-ronge-receives-a-lifetime-achievement-award-from-the-sunday-times/). The Sunday Times. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2016.

1. Ferreira, Thinus. ["SA biz pays tribute to Barry Ronge: 'His contribution to cinema appreciation is immeasurable'"](https://www.news24.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/celebrities/news/sa-biz-pays-tribute-to-barry-ronge-his-contribution-to-cinema-appreciation-is-immeasurable-20220711). *Life*. Retrieved 2023-10-07.

1. ["South African film critic Barry Ronge, 74, has died"](https://www.news24.com/channel/The-Juice/News/south-african-film-critic-barry-ronge-74-has-died-20220709). *Channel*. Retrieved 2022-07-09.

1. ["Media personality and raconteur Barry Ronge has died"](https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-07-09-media-personality-and-raconteur-barry-ronge-has-died/) (in en-ZA). *TimesLIVE*. Retrieved 2022-07-09.

1. Pillay, Yogashen (2022-07-10). ["Film producer Singh pays tribute to journalist Ronge"](https://iol.co.za/mercury/news/2022-07-10-film-producer-singh-pays-tribute-to-journalist-ronge/). *IOL*. Retrieved 2025-10-29.

1. ["The 2015 Sunday Times Barry Ronge Fiction Prize Longlist"](http://bookslive.co.za/blog/2015/04/06/the-2015-sunday-times-barry-ronge-fiction-prize-longlist/). *Sunday Times Books LIVE @ Sunday Times Books LIVE*. Retrieved 2017-11-21.

## External links

- [Barry Ronge's page at the *Sunday Times*](https://web.archive.org/web/20071023220848/http://www.thetimes.co.za/Columnists/BarryRonge/Default.aspx)
- [Barry Ronge's page at 702](https://web.archive.org/web/20071212145551/http://www.702.co.za/shows/barry.asp)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Barry Ronge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Ronge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Ronge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.