Actor and clown Joop Dikmans, known to many as crook B2 of Bassie and Adriaan,has passed away. Last Wednesday night, he died in his sleep at the age of 92,his grandson Rick Hof told NH News. “He has reached a very nice age, but theloss of ‘grandpa crook’ hurts us a lot just before the holidays.”
Joop Dikmans, better known as B2, passed away at the age of 92 – Photo: RickHof
Joop Dikmans was born on January 31, 1930 in Rotterdam and lived inHeerhugowaard until his death. From the late 1940s to the late 1980s heperformed regularly in Dutch and Belgian circuses.
As a clown Handy Fool, he was well known in the entertainment industry. Underthis name he also performed with his wife Trudy, who died 20 years ago,including in Circus Krone. In addition, he appeared as a cabaret artist invarious theater shows.
The Baron and Japie
Yet most know him as B2: one of the crooks from the children’s series Bassieand Adriaan. The hearing-impaired crook made sure with his: “What say?”, andhis thick mustache and hat for many smiling children’s faces. Together withthe Baron and accomplice Japie, he chased Bassie and Adriaan for three series.He played the role of B2 in The secret of the treasure (1987), The lostcrown (1988) and The sunken city (1989).
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His three grandchildren affectionately called him ‘grandpa rascal’. “We allwatched Bassie and Adriaan, so saw him on television at a young age,” saysgrandson Rick. “From my mother’s stories I know that I always recognized mygrandfather despite his crook costume. He never fooled me, despite the factthat I was about four years old.”
And he wasn’t just a clown on stage. “Grandpa Boef was the joke teller. As areal variety man, he always told a nice joke or joke. Or did one of his magictricks. He was a great fun grandpa. A sweet clown who always made it fun.”
Grolls and oil balls
When his wife Trudy was still alive, he always baked donuts for the wholeneighborhood on New Year’s Eve. “The whole neighborhood really came to that,”Rick describes. “My grandpa and grandma were very loved. It was just alwaysjokes and jokes with those two.”
In the portrait below (2011), Joop Dikmans looks back on his life and how theloss of his wife changed that forever. “We have lived very close. Since shepassed away, I don’t really care anymore. Not even my clown stuff andinstruments. But I don’t want to get rid of it either.”
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After the death of his beloved Trudy, Joop has never been the same again,continues his grandson. “When grandma died, part of him also died. For thecircus they traveled all over the world together and often lived together 24/7on ten square meters. That was also noticeable in the deep bond between them.As they were together, so I want to be myself with my wife. The example of abeautiful marriage.”
Dementia
A few months ago, Dikmans was told that he was suffering from dementia. “Hisheart and lungs were perfectly healthy, but his brain became less. He livedindependently for a long time, but was no longer able to do so on his own.”
He was supposed to be transferred from a rehabilitation center to a care homein Heerhugowaard last week, but his family was told the night before that hehad died in his sleep. “His old age does not diminish the sadness we all feel.This loss is never easy.”
Joop Dikmans will be cremated on Friday 23 December in the presence of his