Wij, Heren van Zichem
Wij, Heren van Zichem was a Flemish TV drama series, originally broadcast between 1969 and 1972 in 26 episodes on the BRT. The program was based on several novels by Ernest Claes, who died just a few months before the show first aired. All episodes were shot in the Flemish village Zichem. At the time it was one of the most popular TV series in Flanders, attracting almost 2,960,000 viewers which is about 3/4 of all Flemish people. Tourism to the village boomed, while it hardly had enough bars, let alone restaurants to accommodate the tourists. In a 2004 interview with Het Nieuwsblad actor Fons Exelmans remembered that tourists were often confused because certain houses and buildings were located less close to each other than in the series. The actors were also invited to appear during annual festivities as promotional stunts.
Wij, Heren Van Zichem has been repeated several times since. The show was also broadcast on Dutch television.
In 1971 it won Humo's Prijs van de Kijker.
An audio play record based on the series was released on vinyl in 1970.
Cast
Pastoor Munte: Luc PhilipsMoeder Cent: Jenny TangheDe Witte: Fons ExelmansJef de smid: Robert MarcelVrouw Coene: Dora van der GroenBoer Coene: Bob StormHerman Coene: Jo De MeyereWannes Raps: Gaston VandermeulenElza van Berckelaer: Denise ZimmermanRozelien: Martha DewachterClementine: Jenny Van SantvoortMeneerke Parmentier: Frans VandenbrandeFien Janssens: Ann PetersenFrans Hofkens: Walter MoeremansGabrielle: Rita LomméeLiza Mettes: Greta VerniersNotaris Dutry: Jacques AubertinSchoolmeester Baekelandt: Michel VanattenhovenVictalis van Gille: Miel VanattenhovenFons Coene: Jacky MorelBroos Aspelagh: Walter CornelisGeert Boonejan: Ray VerhaegheBet Kek: Jan ReussensDries: Lode Van BeekDokter Volders: Piet BergersSepke: Bernard VerheydenNiske: Roger BoldersPeerke Grune: Jan MuësKoster Fideel: Maurits Goossens
The TV series was referenced twice in the Belgian comics series The Adventures of Nero. Meneer Pheip says in the album "Magelaan 2" that he prefers watching Wij, Heren van Zichem, while the Maasai doctor Zongo in "Zongo in the Kongo" also happens to own a TV set in the middle of the jungle where he watches Wij, Heren van Zichem.