Biography

Adriana Geertruida Labij (born 2 August 1943) is a Dutch actress. Although she is best known to the general public for TV series such as Joop ter Heul and Pleisterkade 17. She was noted for her comedic ability in the musicals such as Madam and Foxtrot, but since her stage debut in 1965 she has mainly played roles in classical and modern plays with the Haagse Comedie, Toneelgroep De Appel and the Ro Theater. Labij also played with the cabaret group Purple. Trudy Labij attended the Girls' School in Arnhem. After hearing Vondel in the municipal theater of her hometown, her love for theater was stimulated. She studied at the Arnhem Theater School and graduated in 1965. Almost immediately after graduating she was recruited into the subsidized theater with the Haagse Comedie company. She made her debut in 1965 in Peter Weiss's play The Persecution and Murder of Jean Paul Marat. She gained great fame in 1968 with her role as Joop ter Heulin the television series of the same name. Labij, who, in addition to her education at drama school, had also taken tap, singing and ballet lessons, was perfect for this series, a musical adaptation of the books by Cissy van Marxveldt.In addition to her stage career with the Haagse Comedie, Toneelgroep De Appel and the Ro Theater, Labij also acted in feature films such as What see ik!? and television series. In one of these series, Pleisterkade 17, she was noticed by Annie MG Schmidt, who had written the series. Schmidt would put Labij forward in musical and stage productions of her hand, such as Foxtrot, Madam and A tear falls on the tompoes. She also appeared in stage and musical productions by other writers, such as De Stunt by Guus Vleugel. In 1981 she was awarded the Johan Kaart Prijs. Her role in the TV series Zonder Ernst (1992) felt like a personal failure and in 1994 she was replaced by Sjoukje Hooymaayer. Her solo performance Shirley Valentine in 2002 was much appreciated.