Join Ted Botha at the Cape Town Club for an illuminating talk on his new book, Hollywood on the Veld.

In 1913, a secretive American millionaire who had immigrated to South Africa had a crazy idea: to make movies in the gold-mining town of Johannesburg. And not just any movies, but the biggest in the world, huge spectacles with elaborate sets, thousands of extras and epic story lines. Isidore Schlesinger – better known as 'IW' – built a studio on a farm called Killarney, where, quite outrageously, he set out to challenge a place in America that was in its infancy: Hollywood.

And he not only matched them but outdid them.

Moreover, he did this while he was also running dozens of other companies, from insurance to real estate to advertising. So after a meteoric rise and incredible achievements, how come hardly anyone has ever heard of him?

Date: Saturday, 25 October 2025
Time: 11h00 to 12h00
Tickets: Guests R50 | Members FREE
Venue: The Cape Town Club (18 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town)

Tickets are available on Quicket and can also be purchased at the door on the day.

Breakfast, lunch & refreshments available at the fabulous Victoria’s Cafe. 

Download the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) map here.