Dawid Johannes van Lill (born 15 February 1957) is a writer, journalist, translator and editor, specialising in the creation of quiz programmes for radio, television, magazines and the Internet. He conceptualised, compiled and presented more than 2 000 episodes of radio quizzes, and compiled questions for a number of TV quizzes.

Dawid van Lill
Dawid van Lill, South African author.
Dawid van Lill, South African author.
Born (1957-02-15) 15 February 1957 (age 67)
Omaruru, Namibia
OccupationAuthor, editor, translator
SpouseMarina
ChildrenDawie (33) and Wimpie (30)
Website
www.dawidvanlill.com

He contributed the sports section for the South African Encyclopaedia (for MWeb Learning), compiled questions for the previous South African version of Trivial Pursuit, and verified the questions and answers for five series of The Weakest Link. In 1984 and 1986 he was the winner of the popular TV quiz series Flinkdink and he is also the author of several books. Dawid is currently the CEO of Think Media, a quiz and trivia company.

Life and career

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Dawid van Lill was born in South-West Africa (Namibia) in 1957. He graduated from Stellenbosch University in 1984 with a master's degree in Theology. In 1984 and 1986 he was the winner of the popular TV quiz series Flinkdink. He joined the SABC in 1985, and became a well-known radio personality after his Flinkdink experience. From 1985 to 1997 he was a broadcaster at the SABC, where he created, compiled and presented quiz and trivia programmes for radio.

Dawid van Lill is currently a writer, journalist and broadcaster. He has specialised in the creation and presentation of general knowledge programmes and quiz shows for radio, TV, books, magazines and notable publications for 25 years.

In 1998 Dawid and his wife, Marina, founded Think Media, a research company. In 2000 and 2001, Think Media provided the questions and scripts for quiz programmes such as 100%, Blitsvinnig, and Vat 'n Kans! They also compiled questions for the M-Net sports quiz programme Going for Gold, as well as for two series of the SABC 3 quiz show Greed, e.tv's Mahala on e and he was a consultant and researcher for SABC2's Flinkdink and SABC3's Weakest Link. Think Media provided the questions for the M-Net quiz series Temptation and Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? The writing of the Sports section of the South African Encyclopedia (which appeared on M-Web in April 2001) proved to be another major highlight.

Dawid also compiled general knowledge questions for a South African version of Trivial Pursuit. Other achievements include quiz and trivia books, as well as a number of books about Africa, including Amazing Africa,[1] Amazing Animals of Southern Africa, Wonders of African and Man-made Wonders of Africa. His hobbies include reading, movies, travel, sport and general knowledge.

In 2000 Dawid and his wife, Marina, started a General Knowledge and News quiz programme for schools and the public, called I KNOW![2]

He also collects books on everything and anything that will enrich one's general knowledge repertoire. He also loves a good whodunit. One of his specialities is the collection of information and books on sports, especially rugby, cricket, athletics and tennis.

“Incurable curiosity is a thousand times better than terminal ignorance.”

Books

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Title Year Publisher
Ontdek die Bybel (Larousse) Editor 1993 Daan Retief
Die Groot Familievasvraboek 1998 Human & Rousseau
The Big Family Quiz Book 1998 Human & Rousseau
Wat 'n Vraag! 2001 Human & Rousseau
Fassinerende Feite 2000 LAPA Publishers
Van Lill's South African Miscellany 2004 Zebra Press
Van Lill se Suid-Afrikaanse Trivia 2004 Zebra Press
Wonderlike Afrika 2004 LAPA Publishers[3]
Amazing Africa 2007 LAPA Publishers
Van Lill's South African Sports Trivia 2005 Zebra Press
Wonderlike Diere 2005 LAPA Publishers
Amazing Animals 2007 LAPA Publishers
Wonders van Afrika 2006 LAPA Publishers
Wonders of Africa 2006 LAPA Publishers
African Wildlife Trivia 2008 Struik Publishers
Afrika se Natuur-trivia 2008 Struik Publishers
Manmade Wonders of Africa 2008 LAPA Publishers
Mensgemaakte Wonders van Afrika 2008 LAPA Publishers
Britannica Junior vir Suidelike Afrika (Editor) 2010 Jacklin Enterprises
Amazing Africa (New edition) 2010 LAPA Publishers
Wonderlike Afrika (New edition) 2010 LAPA Publishers

TV Quizzes

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Compiled questions

No Title Station Year Episodes
1 100% kykNET 2000 30
2 Blitsvinnig kykNET 2000 26
3 Going for Gold M-Net 2000 26
4 Greed SABC3 2000 26
5 Mahala on e e.tv 2001 20
6 Waag 'n kans M-Net 2001 13
7 Flinkdink 1 SABC2 2003 13
8 Flinkdink 2 SABC2 2004 13
9 Flinkdink 3 SABC2 2005 13
10 Genius SABC1 2004 26
11 Mega Minds SABC1 2004 13
12 Whizz Quiz SABC1 2004 13
13 Friday Face-Off SABC1 2004 39
14 Test the Nation SABC2 2005 01
15 Sho't Left SABC2 2005 07
16 In die Kryt kykNET 2005 08
17 Tweestryd kykNET 2006 26
18 Beautiful Country SABC2 2006 13
19 Om-i-Wêreld 1 & 2 kykNET 2006 52
20 Dlala Skhokho 1 SABC1 2006 26
21 Dlala Skhokho 2 SABC1 2007 26
22 Treasure Hunter SABC3 2006 26
23 Temptation: SA M-Net 2006 30
24 Temptation: Nigeria M-Net 2006 26
25 Eish! I know! 1 SABC2 2007 13
26 Eish! I know! 2 SABC2 2008 13
27 Are you smarter than a 5th Grader? M-Net 2008 13
28 SoccaGame SABC1 2010 13

References

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  1. ^ "Amazing Africa" (in Afrikaans). LAPA. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012.
  2. ^ "About I KNOW!". Dawid van Lill. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Skrywersprofiel: Dawid van Lill" [Authors Profile: Dawid van Lill] (in Afrikaans). LAPA. Archived from the original on 28 December 2010.
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