Percy Tucker

Percy Tucker was born on 10 July 1928 in Benoni, Gauteng. His family lived across the street from Benoni Town Hall and at the age of 10 he rented the lounge suite of his family home to a touring theatre company, receiving tickets to their production in exchange.[3] He completed his primary education at the Benoni High School and pursued his higher education at the University of the Witwatersrand where he obtained his B. Com. In 1942, he became a backstage worker and later served as stage manager at the East Rand Theatre Club.[4]

In 1954, he opened Show Service which was eventually the first South African professional theatre office in Johannesburg.[5] It was also the first centralised ticket-booking agency in South Africa. His decision to pursue his professional career as a ticket seller did not go well with his father as he was not pleased to see his son doing such a job after graduating from the university.[2]

Tucker travelled to the United States in 1969, looking for a computerised means of handling inventory. He and other investors purchased the Computicket software and an IBM System/360 Model 50.[6] In 1971, Tucker launched Computicket which was the world's first full-fledged operative computerised, centralised ticket booking system which drastically changed the fortunes in the global entertainment industry.[1] It also changed the complexion of the marketing strategy of entertainment tickets worldwide.[7]

He retired in 1994 after serving in as the CEO of the Computicket since inception.[5] After his retirement, he focused on making an autobiography titled Just the Ticket - My 50 Years in Show Business about the history of South African theatre.[5] It was published in 1997.

Tucker was partner to Graham Dickason for 50 years until his death in November 2020.[8] Tucker himself died from complications due to COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa on 29 January 2021 at the age of 92.[9][10][11]