David Dontoh

David Kwame Dontoh and affectionately called Uncle David, “Ghanaman” and “Kofi Abranteɛ”, is a veteran Ghanaian actor and television personality who has starred in numerous local and international films, drama, theatre and other stage productions. He has been very influential in the development of television and drama, especially during the golden age of theatre in Ghana in the 80s and 90s. He took up acting in 1980 after seeing a National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) newspaper advert inviting potential actors to come forward for training in stage and film acting. His first NAFTI film was The Way To Shame, a short seven minute stage production which was directed by Alex Bannerman as part of his formal assessment in drama production. Bannerman who was a student of NAFTI at the time had chanced upon Dontoh and persuaded him to play the lead role, as the intended person had not showed up during shooting. The film’s assessment panel, especially Mike Hagan, recognised Dontoh’s potential in theatre and drama and highlighted this to the young Alex Bannerman. Subsequently, Dontoh’s acting potential became more noticed when he played the lead role in Gus: The Theatre Cat, a short stage adaptation of a poem by T. S. Eliot. The play was directed by George Andoh Wilson of Wilson Acting Academy fame.