Czech actors: Seventies and eighties (1970-1990)

 

This is the time of the severe "normalization" after the Prague spring 1968. Some actors, who had been against the regime, had big problems and some disappeared from TV and movie completely. The normalization also meant the end of film experiments of the New Czech Wave and a lot of filmmakers sought inspiration in the world of fantastic comedies, serials for children or fairy-tales. However, since there was still a big state support, it is paradoxical that this choice was very happy and many of these projects were very successful even abroad. Among the leading filmmakers of this time there are several very successful figures among directors: Oldřich Lipský, the author of excellent comedies; Václav Vorlíček, who was a specialist in comedies and movies for children filled with unlimited fancy; Jiří Menzel, who had conflicts with the regime and returned as late as in the middle of 80's; and Zdeněk Troška, who became the terror of all Czech intellectuals, when he started his enormously successful folk trilogy Slunce, seno... Among the authors of screenplays there are three men, who dwarf all their competition: the duo Zdeněk Svěrák-Ladislav Smoljak that at first collaborated with Oldřich Lipský and then began their own projects; and Vorlíček's court screenwriter Miloš Macourek. Among TV creators, we can't forget Jaroslav Dietl, the author of the screenplay to Nemocnice na kraji města (The Hospital In The Outskirts Of The Town, 1977-1981) and a lot of other successful TV serials and TV movies.

 

On the next page I will discuss the list of the 80's in a more detailed way.

 

1971-1980 1981-1990
  1. JÁCHYME, HOĎ HO DO STROJE (Jáchym, Put It Into The Machine, dir. O. Lipský) - 2 928 609 spectators
  2. TŘI OŘÍŠKY PRO POPELKU (Three Nuts For Cinderella, dir. V. Vorlíček 1973) - 2 849 651
  3. POSTŘIŽINY (The Short Cut, dir. J. Menzel 1980) - 2 747 695
  4. JAK UTOPIT DR. MRÁČKA (How To Drown Dr. Mráček, dir. V. Vorlíček 1974) - 2 573 342
  5. HRA O JABLKO (The Apple Game, dir. V. Chytilová 1976) - 2 237 240
  6. DÍVKA NA KOŠTĚTI (The Girl On The Broom, dir. V. Vorlíček 1971) - 2 146 588
  7. MAREČKU, PODEJTE MI PERO! (Mareček, Pass Me The Pen!, dir. O. Lipský 1976) - 2 062 306
  8. ZÍTRA TO ROZTOČÍME, DRAHOUŠKU...! (Yesterday We Will Get All Wheels Moving, Dear...!, dir. P. Schulhoff 1976) - 1 613 918
  9. VRCHNÍ, PRCHNI (Run, Waiter, Run, dir. L. Smoljak 1980) - 1 533 393
  10. JEN HO NECHTE, AŤ SE BOJÍ (Let Him Be Afraid, dir. L. Rychman 1978) - 1 504 044
  1. VESNIČKO MÁ STŘEDISKOVÁ (My Sweet Village, dir. J. Menzel 1983) - 4 428 556
  2. SLUNCE, SENO A PÁR FACEK (Sun, Hay, And Few Facers, dir. Z. Troška 1989) - 4 058 095
  3. SLUNCE, SENO, JAHODY (Sun, Hay, Strawberries, dir. Z. Troška 1983) - 3 352 398
  4. BONY A KLID (Bons And Rest, dir. V. Olmer 1987) - 2 659 372
  5. S TEBOU MĚ BAVÍ SVĚT (I Enjoy The World With You, dir. M. Poledňáková 1982) - 2 587 136
  6. SESTŘIČKY (The Nurses, dir. K. Kachyňa 1983) - 1 969 687
  7. COPAK JE TO ZA VOJÁKA... (Who is that soldier..., dir. P. Tuček 1987) - 1 876 197
  8. LÁSKA Z PASÁŽE (The Love From The Passage, dir. J. Soukup 1984) - 1 754 147
  9. JAK BÁSNÍCI PŘICHÁZEJÍ O ILUZE (How Poets Lose Their Illusions, dir. D. Klein 1984) - 1 745 229
  10. JAK BÁSNÍKŮM CHUTNÁ ŽIVOT (How Poets Enjoy Life, dir. D. Klein 1987) - 1 731 174
    11.

 

Since there were so many good opportunities in excellent movies, no wonder that I have big problems, when I must choose the best actors of this time. If we look at the list of the most successful movies in the seventies, we can see that from the purely commercial view the most successful figure in the male cathegory was Luděk Sobota and Libuše Šafránková was the "queen" (or rather a princess?) among women. However, besides them there are so many excellent figures that I must inevitably omit some of them, because there wouldn't be enough space. Thus I choose only the really most important ones and further those, who acted in movies known abroad or those that I like. Even then, some very popular actors will be missing, so I can only say "sorry".

 

  • Josef Abrhám+Libuše Šafránková

  • Zdeněk Svěrák

  • Iva Janžurová

  • Dagmar Veškrnová

  • Jiří Hrzán

  • Magda Vašáryová

  • Petr Čepek

  • Jaromír Hanzlík

  • Daniela Kolářová

  • Josef Dvořák

  • Viktor Preiss

  • Ladislav Chudík

  • Pavel Trávníček

  • Jiří Krampol

  • Petr Nárožný

  • Luděk Sobota

  • Jana Švandová

  • Jiří Bartoška

  • Karel Heřmánek

 

 

 

Josef Abrhám (14.12. 1939) and Libuše Šafránková (7.6. 1953 Brno)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I list these two in one place, because they are a married couple and, furthermore, they often play in movies together.

 

Josef Abrhám was born in Zlín (eastern Moravia). He came from an artistic family; his mother was an actress, his father was a respected pianist (but he had to continue in the family tradition and owned a brickmaking in Kunovice), his cousin is a known Slovak director Martin Hollý. After the leaving exam Abrhám was not received at any university due to his "bad background" and worked in the Building Constructions in Bratislava. Here he also successfully passed an entrance exam at the dramatic academy and eventually graduated in Prague (1962). Later (since 1965) he worked in Činoherní klub (a theatre in Prague), where he met his wife, and between 1992-1994 he was in the National theatre. Then he left dramatic scene completely and devoted his time to a restituted brickmaking. Unfortunately, the gap in the family tradition was too big and his business activities ended as a failure. Today he occassionally plays in movies and chooses new roles very carefully.

 

Abrhám's film career began in the middle of the sixties and peaked during the seventies and eighties. At first he usually performed rather immoral figures of bucks, lovers and bad characters, but then film-makers also discovered his big comedial talent. From the early period I can list his double-dyed young officer in Partie krásného dragouna (Matches of a neat dragoon, 1970), lover Mulligan in a comedy Pension pro svobodné pány (The Pension For Unmarried Men, 1967), then again an officer in a drama Morgiana (1972). A comical episode of a teacher in Marečku, podejte mi pero! (Mareček, pass me the pen!, 1976) started his collaboration with the duo Smoljak-Svěrák. Abrhám performed a participant in the "biggest action in the history of removal" Kulový blesk (Ball lightning, 1978), a theatre scientist looking for the fate of the forgotten genius Jára Cimrman in Jára Cimrman, ležící, spící (Jára Cimrman, lying, sleeping, 1983) and an insidious psychiatrist in Rozpuštěný a vypuštěný (Dissolved and efused, 1984). Their collaboration reached its top in a wonderful comedy Vrchní, prchni! (Run, waiter, run, 1980). The enumeration of his further roles would be very rich: an extravagant Russian aristocrat in Konec starých časů (The end of the old times, 1989), a philosophizing robber in Žebrácká opera (The Beggarly Opera, 1991) or Karel Čapek in Člověk proti zkáze (A Man against the Fate, 1989) etc. etc. His most known TV role is dr. Blažej in Nemocnice na kraji města (The Hospital in the Outskirts of the Town, 1978-1981). In 1994 he got a Czech film award (The Czech Lion) for his creation in a musical Šakalí léta (The Jackal's years, 1993). Recently he acted in a drama Všichni moji blízcí (All my loved ones, 1999), one of the most remarkable Czech movies of the nineties. His last role is dr. Blažej in the new series Nemocnice na kraji města po dvaceti letech (The Hospital in the Outskirts of the Town After Twenty Years, 2003). Frankly said, it was not a good choice.

Libuše Šafránková was born in a little town called Šlapanice near Brno. Her father was an amateur actor and her mother worked as a garment designer. Libuše acted in father's amateur theatre as early as a child and this experience led her to a study of acting at the conservatoire in Brno. As a 17 years old student of the conservatoire she performed writer Božena Němcová in Babička (The Grandmother, 1971). Her grace caught attention of both critics and spectators in a similar way like Nataša Gollová 30 years ago and a charming young lady then decided to go to Prague, at first to the theatre Za branou and subsequently to the theatre Činoherní klub (1972). It was a good decision, because here she was closer to the film world and subsequently went from role to role: Cinderella in a legendary fairy-tale Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three Nuts for Cinderella, 1973), young navew in a comedy Jak utopit dr. Mráčka (How to drown dr. Mráček, 1974), again a princess in a fairy-tale Princ a Večernice (The Prince and the Evening Star, 1978), another princess in Třetí princ (The Third Prince, 1982) and an unfaithful wife in Vesničko má, středisková (My sweet little village, 1985). In mid 70's she met Josef Abrhám and in 1976, they closed a marriage that was soon followed by a birth of their first and only son Josef (1977). In 1980 they for the first time appeared together in Svěrák & Smoljak's comedy Vrchní, prchni and they repeated this experience even more times both in movies and on TV. In 1992 she featured in a TV serial Náhrdelník (The Necklace). During the nineties she collaborated with Svěrák & Svěrák on their movies Obecná škola (The elementary school, 1990) and Kolja (1996). For the performance in the latter movie she got the Czech lion. I must also list her role of a mother in Báječná léta pod psa (Wonderful years that sucked, 1997). Her last remarkable movie is Všichni moji blízcí (All my loved ones, 1999), where she performed a wife of her real husband. In 1992 she left Činoherní klub and between 1992-1994 she worked in the National Theatre, but then she returned back to Činoherní klub as a guest actor.

 

By the way, although Libuše Šafránková is more known as a princess, I also admire her ability to perform sly and calculating women, which she often proved in many comedies.

 

Libuše Šafránková with Pavel Trávníček in Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three Nuts For Cinderella, 1973) And with Jaromír Hanzlík in Jak utopit doktora Mráčka (How To Drown Doctor Mráček, 1974) ...and with her husband Josef Abrhám and Zdeněk Svěrák in Vrchní, prchni (Run, Waiter, Run, 1980). See also another images on www.meteleskublesku.cz/

 

Abrhám and Šafránková ride herd on their privacy and usually don't take part in TV ceremonies or parties. However, in 2001 one yellow newspaper accused Šafránková of alcoholism and an alleged stay at a medical institution. Soon it turned out that the article was based on a "guaranteed information" from a local barbershop and Šafránková with Abrhám processed its authors. The momentarily (autumn 2002) running process called "Three judgements for Cinderella" is even more grotesque considering that in the meantime the newspaper crashed and three accused offenders charge each other.

 

By the way, so far I know at least one (unofficial!) fan page of Libuše Šafránková that is in Czech

(http://www.cb.ipex.cz/~wendy/actress/index.htm). However, the guestbook is full of messages for "Cinderella" from the whole world, which doesn't surprise me, because in this role she was really enchanting.

Her younger blonde sister Miroslava Šafránková also acted in movies, for example as a lonely girl in Robinsonka (The Robinson, 1974), a nymph in a fairy-tale Malá mořská víla (The Little Mermaid) - where her sister Libuše performed a strange princess - or in the first part of the "poetic trilogy" called Jak svět přichází o básníky (How the World Loses Poets, 1982). Nevertheless, in the beginning of the 80's she married a German and emmigrated to the West. After 1989 she acted only once as Arabela in the new, not too successful series of the famous serial (1994). According to one source originally she was to be casted as Arabela in the first series (1980), but eventually the role was casted by Slovak actress Jana Nagyová, who was then dubbed by Libuše.

Libuše Šafránková with her sister Miroslava in Malá mořská víla

 

 

 

Zdeněk Svěrák (28.3. 1936)

 

Zdeněk Svěrák was born in Prague - the same day like the "teacher of nations" Jan Amos Komenský - and also became a teacher of Czech language and literature. Therefore, no wonder that some occultists regard him as the reincarnation of Komenský. After the study he worked as a teacher, but only for a short time; after four years he found a job in radio and together with his friends Ladislav Smoljak and Miloň Čepelka, whom he had encountered at the university, fabricated a fictious figure of a national revivalist, versatile genius, inventor, philosophist (etc.) Jára Cimrman. The figure was an object of their comedial radio plays and in 1967 they even founded a peculiar "Theatre of Jára Cimrman" that soon won a huge popularity.

 

The actor's career of Svěrák and Smoljak began long before they started to write screenplays. In 1968 they appeared in Menzel's Zločin v šantánu (The Crime In Cafe), in 1969 Svěrák performed an episode role in another Menzel's movie, a bitter comedy Skřivánci na niti (Larks On A Thread) and in 1970 both friends played in Vorlíček's crazy comedy Pane, vy jste vdova (Sir, You Are A Widow), where they performed theatre critics, who express their astonishment during watching an unexpected final slaughter on the scene. In the beginning of 70's they began to write screenplays for movies. Their first piece Jáchyme, hoď ho do stroje! (Jáchym, put it in the machine!, 1974) directed by Oldřich Lipský was enormously successful (in fact, it was the most successful movie of the 70's) and the collaboration with Lipský continued even later in Marečku, podejte mi pero! (Mareček, pass me the pen!, 1976). In the meantime, Svěrák and Smoljak wrote screenplays for Menzel's comedy Na samotě u lesa (Seclusion Near A Forest, 1976), Podskalský's musical Trhák (The Hit, 1981) and at the same time they started to make creative experiments on their own.

 

Under the supervision of director Podskalský Smoljak directed a "removal drama" Kulový blesk (Ball lightning, 1978) and in 1980 he alone led the direction of Vrchní, prchni (Run, waiter, run, 1980). This movie was the top of their collaboration (it got two awards at a festival of humour in France). In all cases they wrote the screenplays together and usually performed minor or bigger roles (Svěrák featured in Na samotě u lesa). In the beginning of 80's Svěrák began his solo career as a screenwriter. At first he was ordered by Oldřich Lipský to "plough up" a screenplay of Jiří Melíšek to a child movie with fairy-tale motives Ať žijí duchové (Long Live the Ghosts!, 1977) - which was a very happy choice -, and later collaborated with Lipský on another very successful fairy-tale Tři veteráni (Three veterans, 1983). At the same time Smoljak turned to direction.

 

During the 80's the duo screenwriter Svěrák-director Smoljak filmed several adaptations of their theatre plays. At first it was a fictious biography of Jára Cimrman Jára Cimrman, ležící, spící (Jára Cimrman, lying, sleeping, 1983) and later an adaptation of their theatre play Rozpuštěný a vypuštěný (Dissolved and efused, 1984). Their last movie was a bitter comedy Nejistá sezóna (An uncertain season, 1987), which was largely a movie depicting the history of their theatre. These three movies are entertaining, but don't belong to their best. The theatre stylization is visible.

 

During the 80's Svěrák also got very interesting actor's opportunities. I must especially list leading roles in Olmer's very successful bitter comedies Co je vám, doktore? (What's up, doc?, 1984) and Jako jed (As good as poison, 1985), where he created a figure of an aging man, who falls in love with a young girl (in both cases Ivona Krajčovičová). In 1984 Svěrák wrote a screenplay for Menzel's Vesničko má, středisková (My Sweet Village) that was nominated on Oscar and won big commercial success abroad. In 1990 Svěrák wrote a screenplay for a movie of his son Jan Svěrák called Obecná škola (The elementary school) that was again nominated on Oscar, in 1994 he wrote a screenplay for Jan's Akumulátor (The Accumulator), where he performed a natural healer, and in 1997 their family collaboration peaked, when they eventually got an Oscar for Kolja (Kolya, 1996) with Svěrák in the leading role of musician Louka. In all three movies Svěrák acted in a leading role. After another five years they filmed a military drama Tmavomodrý svět (The Dark Blue World, 2001) that didn't achieve comparable success abroad, although in Czech cinema houses it was again the most successful movie of the year (After I have seen it, I really don't know why). I must also list his screenplay to Smyczek's fairy-tale Lotrando a Zubejda (Lotrando and Zubejda, 1997) and Menzel's Život a neobyčejná dobrodružství vojáka Ivana Čonkina (The life and extraordinary adventures of Private Ivan Čonkin, 1994). Svěrák has currently finished a screenplay to a new comedy Vratné láhve (Returnable Bottles). Yet his son Jan refused the text with words "That's everything?!" and there's currently no new movie on the horizon. In the meantime, Jan at least made a film biography of his father called Tatínek (Daddy) that got into cinema houses in late summer 2004.

 

Zdeněk Svěrák is an extraordinarily fertile author. Except screenplays he also writes lyrics to songs, of which a lot became evergreens (e. g. Severní vítr/The Northern Wind from Vrchní, prchni, or Není nutno/It's not necessary from Tři veteráni). Furthermore, he organizes actions for children and paraplegic people. I can say that he is the most remarkable person in today's Czech cinematography. Not long ago there was a rumour that he should stand as a candidate for the president. However, watching the recent development, I am afraid that his best years are gone forever.
 

  Zdeněk Svěrák (on the left - without beard) and Ladislav Smoljak (on the right) often acted in comedies that were based on their screenplays. Here (in Marečku, podejte mi pero!/Mareček, Pass Me The Pen!, 1976) they intrigue against a class truckler performed by Václav Lohniský (in the middle).

 

 

 

Iva Janžurová (19.5. 1941)

 

There exist only few Czech actresses that could compete with Iva Janžurová's popularity. She was born in a teacher's family and after elementary school she studied pedagogic gymnasium in České Budějovice and simultaneoulsy danced and sang in the theatre. During this time she also won an elocutionary competition and this success encouraged her to the study at the dramatic academy in Prague, where she graduated in 1963.

 

Her film debut was a movie Hledá se táta (A Father is sought, 1961), but she won recognition as late as in the end of the sixties. Her first remarkable role was in a drama Kočár do Vídně (The Carriage to Vienna, 1966). Her huge talent - both comical and dramatical - then found its expression in a hardly numerable row of movies that can't be listed here completely. I must especially mention a prostitute in Pension pro svobodné pány (The Pension for unmarried men, 1967), the allegedly raped girl in Svatba jako řemen (The Damn Tidy marriage, 1967), again a prostitute in Světáci (Worldlings, 1969), a mother in Co takhle dát si špenát? (What about taking spinage?, 1977) etc. Perhaps her biggest comical role is an artifical woman in Vorlíček's black comedy Pane, vy jste vdova! (Sir, you are a widow!, 1970), for which she got an award at the festival of fantastic movies in Terst 1970. Another good comical role is Mrs. Bartáček in satirical comedies of Petr Schulhoff Zítra to roztočíme, drahoušku...! (Yesterday we will get all wheels moving, honey!, 1976) and Co je doma, to se počítá, pánové... (What's at home is included, misters, 1980). From her dramatic roles I must list a very remarkable part in a drama Petrolejové lampy (Kerosene lamps, 1971) and I also like her double role in Morgiana (1972). She also worked in TV; TV spectators abroad probably remember her "dull" nurse Huňková in the famous serial Nemocnice na kraji města (The Hospital in the Outskirts of the Town, 1978-1981).

 

After 1990 she largely disappeared from the film screen. However in 1997 she recorded a big comeback in a narrative movie Co chytneš v žitě (What you can catch in rye), for which she got her first Czech lion. Since 1999 she has been collaborating with director Alice Nellis, who gave her big comedial opportunities in Ene Bene (1999) and in a road movie Výlet (The Journey, 2002). Here she also acted with her daughters-actresses Sabina (Remundová, *1972) and Theodora (Remundová, *1974).

 

Until 1987, Iva Janžurová worked in the theatre Na Vinohradech and then in the National Theatre in Prague. Together with her second husband, actor Stanislav Remunda, Janžurová writes comedial plays for a private excursionary theatre.

 

 

 

Dagmar (Dáša) Veškrnová-Havlová (22.3. 1953)

 

We can't forget our First Lady, although she doesn't act anymore. She was born in Brno, her father was a musician and her mother was a singer. Her sister Eva was also an actress and singer. Dagmar (Dáša) studied at the conservatoire and then at the dramatic academy in Brno. She graduated in 1975 and soon became a very popular fixture of Czech cinema and TV. So far she has shot more than 50 movies and about 350 TV roles. She debuted in 1974 as a headless salesgirl in Juraj Herz' comedy Holky z porcelánu (Girls from the crockery shop, 1974) and other opportunities - mostly in comedies - followed: an inquisitive girl in a detective comedy Holka na zabití (A Girl fit to be killed, 1975), a huntsman's daughter in Trhák (The Hit, 1980), a pushing secretary in Křtiny (The Christening, 1981) and especially a niece in Schulhoff's satirical comedies Zítra to roztočíme, drahoušku...! (Yesterday we will get all wheels moving, honey!, 1976) and Co je doma, to se počítá, pánové... (What's at home is included, misters, 1980). Juraj Herz also got her a dramatic opportunity in a sci-fi thriller Upír z Feratu (The Vampire from Ferat, 1982). I can also list a historical musical Dva na koni, jeden na oslu (Two on a horse, one on a donkey, 1986) and TV serials, where she mostly performed mothers of fables: Cirkus Humberto (Circus Humberto, 1988), Chobotnice z druhého patra (Octopuses from the 3rd ground, 1986), Návštěvníci (The Visitors/The Expedition "Adam 84", 1983) or Bylo nás pět (We were five, 1994). In the nineties she got a role of Ester in Jakubisko's Lepšie byť bohatý a zdravý ako chudobný a chorý (It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick, 1992) and her most known part of that time is a frivolous innkeeper in a comedy Dědictví aneb Kurvahoši gutntag (The Inheritance or Fuckoffguysgoodbye, 1992). Some scenes of the movie now work really funny, because on January 4th 1997 she married our widowed president Václav Havel and became the First Lady. The marriage was a very controversial event, because it was only one year after the death of the president's wife, and Dáša Veškrnová (now Havlová, or Havel, if you like) did practically everything to damage her reputation in the public. Her distant and almost arrogant behaviour gradually led to declining popularity of both her and her husband. One public inquiry proclaimed her as one of the least popular persons in the country. After this marriage she shot only one TV serial, Život na zámku (The Life at the palace), where she performed a role that really well reflects her today's popularity - an unsympathetic widow of a castle's former owner, who now wants to unscrupolously empower the whole property of her dead husband. (A note: Since February 2003 she is not the First Lady anymore, because Havel's term of office ended.)

 

Dáša Veškrnová has a daughter Nina, who also added a "bonus" to the unpopularity of her mother. After a grandiose, but top secret wedding with an Israeli musician they were divorced several months later.

 

Complete filmography: www.imdb.com

Detailed anthropometry here

 

 

 

Jiří Hrzán (30.3. 1939 - 24.9. 1980)

 

Jiří Hrzán was born in the family of the president Beneš' gardener. From his early childhood he was a very gifted athlete (excellent 800 m runner), loved adventures and making fun. He got dramatic preparation in the Studio of E. F. Burian and then worked in Činoherní klub. He loved the work in theatre more than cinema and suffered from his forced departure from the scene in the beginning of the seventies. He began his film career around 1960, but he became very popular as late as after roles in comedies Svatba jako řemen (The Damn Tidy Marriage, 1967) and Pension pro svobodné pány (The Pension For Unmarried Men, 1967). Another outstanding comical parts are a hotel officer in Hogo fogo Homolka (1970), an astrologer in Pane, vy jste vdova! (Sir, you are a widow!, 1971), worried cousin Bobin in Slaměný klobouk (The Straw Hat, 1971) or Michal in Drahé tety a já (Dear aunts and me, 1974). I would also list his father in Prázdniny pro psa (Holidays for a dog, 1980), TV redactor Gross in Arabela (1980) and the professor of music, who expressed his admiration to Oswald's music performance in the famous TV serial about Lucie (...and again the Lucie!, 1980).

 

Hrzán belongs to my favourite actors. His comedial talent was practically a guarantee of a wonderful fun. Unfortunately, except sports and cinema he also loved drinking followed by attempts at flying from the window. One of such flights was fatal for him. His daughter Barbora (Hrzánová) is also a known actress.

 

 

 

Magda Vášáryová (26.8. 1948)

 

Daughter of a professor of literature debuted in movie when she was a child. However, the biggest chance came much later, when she left native Slovakia and studied sociology at Charles University in Prague. The role of Markéta Lazarova (1965) was followed by many other opportunities: Mahulena in a melodrama Radúz a Mahulena (Radúz and Mahulena, 1970), Angelika in Karel Zeman's sci-fi Na kometě (On the Comet, 1970), Svatava in a fairy tale Princ Bajaja (Prince Bajaja, 1971) or Hortensia in Babička (The Grandmother, 1971). She performed mainly romantic, tender women, but her biggest role was different: Maryška, a brewer's wife in Postřižiny (The Short Cut, 1980) was a naughty and quick person.

 

At first she played in Nová scéna in Bratislava, but later she left it for the National Theatre in the same town. Since 1990 she worked as a Czechoslovak envoy in Austria, where she utilized her knowledge of languages. After the desintegration of the republic (1993) she worked in public relations and market, but in 1999 (?) she decided to stand as a candidate for the Slovak president.

Her candidature was not successful, although at first it seemed that she could have the biggest chance. In any case, she claimed that she had left cinema and theatre entirely.

 

Her husband Milan Lasica is also a renowned Slovak actor and the same is valid in the case of her sister Emília Vášáryová. Both often act in Czech movies.

 

Detailed anthropometry here

 

 

 

Petr Čepek (16.9. 1940 - 20.9. 1994)

 

One of the biggest actors of his generation. He was born in Prague, but grew up in Ostrava (north Moravia). My university teacher knew him and allegedly didn't believe that he could succeed as an actor. However, Čepek studied at the dramatic academy in Prague and after several years spent in a theatre in Ostrava he returned back to Prague (1965) and played in Činoherní klub until his premature death. In 1966 he débuted as a film actor and in 1967 he performed an unforgettable role of a Teutonic knight in Údolí včel (The Valley of Bees). I think that his life's role was an imperial officer dying of syphilis in Petrolejové lampy (Kerosene lamps, 1971) that he prepared to with Dustin Hoffman's carefulness. I can't forget his imperious soldier in a fairy-tale Tři veteráni (Three veterans, 1983), a member of an executive counsil in a brewery in Postřižiny (The Short Cut, 1980), a jealous husband in Vesničko má, středisková (My sweet little village, 1985), a crazy uncle in Prokletí domu Hajnů (The Damnation of the Hajnýs House, 1988), dr. Jessenius in a historical serial Lékař umírajícího času (The Doctor of a dying time) etc. He was strongly engaged during the revolution in 1989. His last roles was a writer in Díky za každé dobré ráno (Thanks for every good morning, 1994) and Faust in Lekce Faust (The Lesson Faust, 1994). Unfortunately, he didn't wait to see their premiere, because progressing cancer was faster.

 

Čepek was rather a reserve type, performing roles in horrors and dramas (especially his lunatics in Petrolejové lampy or Prokletí domu Hajnů are really fearsome), but he was also good in comedies.

 

 

 

Jaromír Hanzlík (16.2. 1948)

 

Jaromír Hanzlík - the "classical" version

Jaromír Hanzlík was born in Český Těšín, but grew up in Prague. His father was once a chief of an operetta house and his mother was an asistant of director. Thanks to her, Hanzlík got the first role as a 13 years old boy. Another opportunities followed. In 1966 he acted in a drama Kočár do Vídně (A Carriage to Vienna), where he performed a young German soldier, and in a lyric story Romance pro křídlovku (A Romance for a buglehorn). Then he started to appear together with Daniela Kolářová, with which he created a lot of nice roles: King Charles IV. in Slasti otce vlasti (The Delight of the Father of the Homeland, 1969), a page in Noc na Karlštejně (A Night at the Karlštejn Castle, 1973), a sympathetic peasant boy in Léto s kovbojem (Summer with a Cowboy, 1976), a father in a well-known TV serial about Lucie (1984) or a TV trilogy about two lonely siblings (Podnájemník/The Lodger etc.). Another big roles were a young policeman in Na kolejích čeká vrah (The Murderer is waiting on the track, 1970), dr. Mráček in a crazy comedy Jak utopit dr. Mráčka (How to drown dr. Mráček, 1974), a good-hearted Leli in Slavnosti sněženek (The celebrations of snowdrops, 1983) and especially the loose-mouthed uncle Pepin in Menzel's Postřižiny (The Short Cut, 1980). He was also frequently casted in TV serials (Sanitka/The Ambulance Car) and TV plays (Ikarův pád/Ikaros' fall). His last remarkable role was a king in a fairy tale Nesmrtelná teta (The Immortal Aunt, 1993).

 

Hanzlík has never finished any dramatic academy, although in 1966 he successfully passed an entrance exam. He rather decided to enter the theatre Na Vinohradech, where he played for 26 years. He was three times married, the second marriage - with actress Jana Brejchová - crashed in 1992. Then he completely left both theatre and cinema, and together with his new wife, a former Miss Czechoslovakia, went away to Switzerland, where he lives now. Today he occassionaly visits Prague, where he shoots a TV programme maping comical roles of Czech actors (Úsměvy českého filmu/Smiles of the Czech Cinema). Recently he proclaimed that he would return back to playing in theatre.

 

His present look is very different than that on the picture above (see below). Today he has short grizzle hair and bears grey beard. Hardly anybody would recognize him. However, recently he appears without the beard.

 

Jaromír Hanzlík - the version of the 90's

One of the most known film roles of Daniela Kolářová and Jaromír Hanzlík - a summer comedy Léto s kovbojem (Summer With A Cowboy, 1976) about a love of an university student and a village youngster.

 

 

 

Daniela Kolářová (21.9. 1946)

 

Daniela Kolářová was born in Cheb (western Bohemia) and grew up in Karlovy Vary. Even before her graduating at dramatic academy (1969) she had a film experience as a frivolous young girl in Soukromá vichřice (A private thunder, 1967). In 1969 she got a role of Blanche of Valois in a historical comedy depicting the life of King Charles IV. Slasti otce vlasti (The Delight of the Father of the Homeland, 1969). Here she for the first time encountered Jaromír Hanzlík, with which she then featured in several other movies (see above).

 

Kolářová usually performed sympathetic, kind and very quick girls and she often used her sense of humour in successful comedies. (Nevertheless, she has also performed a lot of dramatic roles.) I especially like her performance in a musical comedy Noc na Karlštejně. Here - dressed as a medieval page - she looks really amazingly. She allegedly refused a lot of film screenplays, because she didn't like them, so her film roles are less numerous than her appearances in TV. One of big opportunities was a mother in Smoljak & Svěrák's comedy Na samotě u lesa (Seclusion near a Forest, 1976) followed by Kulový blesk (Ball Lightning, 1978) and a romantic holiday story Setkání v červenci (The Encounter In July, 1978). In the eighties I can list a good drama from WW II Ta chvíle, ten okamžik (That While, That Moment, 1981) or not too successful a comedy Babičky dobíjejte přesně (Grandmas must be recharged accurately, 1983). In 1990 she got a good role of a teacher terrorized by her pupils in Jan Svěrák's smiling Obecná škola (The elementary school) nominated on Oscar, and four years later she again acted in Svěrák's Akumulátor (The Accumulator, 1994). From her roles in serials I list Nemocnice na kraji města (The Hospital in the Outskirts of the Town, 1978-1981), Synové a dcery Jakuba Skláře (Sons and daughters of Jakub the Glassmaker), and from roles in TV movies (again with Hanzlík): Podnájemník (The Lodger), Dopis psaný španělsky (The Letter written in Spanish).

 

Daniela Kolářová has two sons and is divorced, but today she again lives with her former husband, actor Jiří Ornest (at least in 1997 it was true). After 1989 she for some time worked as a member of the parliament. It's sad that during the last decade she got old very quickly and her vivid grace has gone forever.

 

 

 

Josef Dvořák (25.4. 1942)

 

Josef Dvořák was born in Horní Cerekev. After finishing basic school he became a repairman, but soon began to play in an amateur theatre in Kadaň and since 1965 acted in a theatre in Ústí nad Labem. Around 1970 he started to appear in episode roles in movies or in TV, from which I would especially list a housekeeper in a successful TV serial Byli jednou dva písaři (Once Upon A Time There Were Two Scribes). In 1972 he eventually got an engagment in the theatre Semafor in Prague, where he became a colleague of future popular comedians like Sobota and Nárožný. His first big film role came in 1974, when he performed repairman Béďa Hudeček, colleague of František Koudelka (Luděk Sobota), in Jáchyme, hoď ho do stroje! (Jáchym, Put It Into The Machine!,). This movie started his very fertile career. It is true that his film roles are not many and after "Jáchym" almost none of them is worth mentioning, but he created tens of excellent parts in TV, especially in serials and programmes for children. His speciality are roles of water sprites (he is actually something like an archetype of a Czech water sprite). So far he has created more than 20 such roles including the water sprite from Arabela (1980). He also acted in the famous TV serial Nemocnice na kraji města (The Hospital in the Outskirts of the town, 1978-1981), where he created a part of a courageous man, who saves his colleagues from fire and then catches the attention of nurse Huňková (Iva Janžurová), who then becomes his wife. He also acts in the new series of this serial.

 

From his serial roles I must also list a title part in Rozpaky kuchaře Svatopluka (The Dilemma Of Cooker Svatopluk, 1984?) and one of title roles in a sci-fi serial Návštěvníci (The Visitors, 1983). His TV roles are innumerable and it is no use to list them. However, he was also the voice of the narrator in two very successful animated serials, Maxipes Fík (The Maxi-Dog Fík) and Králíci z klobouku (The Rabbits From The Hat). Besides this he moderated tens of TV programmes.

 

After 1990 he performed only one film role, lieutenant Mazurek in Tankový prapor (The Tank Battalion) and almost disappeared from TV. A part of the reason was his conflict with the owner of the theatre Semafor that he had to leave in 1990, but he subsequently founded his own road show, with which he has been travelling until today.

 

By the way, Dvořák was four times married (with three women) and has three daughters and three grandsons.

 

 

 

Ladislav Chudík (27.5. 1924)

 

During his youth Ladislav Chudík played in amateur theatre and in 1943, when he graduated at high school, he was invited to play in Bratislava. However, his father wanted him to become an educated man, so Chudík began to study philosophy, but few months later he was also enrolled in a conservatoire in Bratislava. Since 1944 he started to play in the Slovak national theatre. So far he has performed more than 100 roles in TV movies, serials and full-length pictures. As a film actor he debuted soon after WW II, but the first big opportunity came in Otakar Vávra's Nástup (The Lining up, 1952) about colonizing border regions in 1945. His perfect accentless Czech allowed him to act in another Czech movies, mostly military dramas like Sokolovo (1974), where he performed General Svoboda, or in Vávra's Putování Jana Amose (The Wandering of Jan Amos, 1983) depicting the life of Jan Amos Komenský. Nevertheless, all his film and TV parts are shadowed by the role of dr. Sova in Nemocnice na kraji města (The Hospital in the Outskirts of the town, 1978-1981) that won him a huge popularity. Now it is well known that the role had been written for Karel Höger, but Höger died shortly after the beginning of filming and the creators decided to offer it to Chudík. Chudík acted even in the new series of this serial.

 

 

Ladislav Chudík in his most known role as doctor Sova. On the left Miloš Kopecký as doctor Štrosmayer

 

 

 

Pavel Trávníček (26.10. 1950)

 

Pavel Trávníček was born in Moravská Třebová in a musically oriented family. He says that he wanted to be a sports reporter, football player or dentist, but eventually he fell in love with theatre, because one theatre group played in the house, where he lived. He studied "musical specialization" at the dramatic academy in Brno and during the study he got an episode role in Hry lásky šálivé (Games of deluding love, 1971). Soon after he began to shoot a fairy-tale Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three nuts for Cinderella, 1973), where he performed a leading role (a prince). The success of the movie overcame all expectations and although in the Czech version he was dubbed by Petr Svojtka because of strong Moravian accent, he suddenly became an idol of young girls and a prototype of a fairytale prince. (I must confirm that in this movie he really looked like a typical prince should look). However, his princes also led to oppressive stereotypes that influenced his further career. In 1982 he again played together with Libuše Šafránková in a fairy-taile Třetí princ (The Third Prince). His TV roles are more numerous than his film ones. He usually performed little or more comical roles of devils, ebullient youngsters or fulsome hustlers.

 

Trávníček's first theatre engagment was in Brno, in the Theatre Of Mrštík Brothers (Divadlo bratří Mrštíků) and since in 1977 he played in Městská divadla pražská in Prague. After 1989 he hasn't got adequate opportunity in movies. In 1997 he founded his own theatre in Prague called Skelet. Nevertheless recently he returned back on TV and with Sabina Laurinová moderates a popular TV musical programme Do-Re-Mi.

 

Although Trávníček is now over 50 years old, he still looks very young (well, his hair is a little bit coloured). However, his private life is quite far from the character of his princes: he was three times married (and now has been waiting for the third divorce) and has two sons (one of them with a woman that was not his wife). As he himself says, the reason of these crashes was that he often lets himself be manipulated by women and contracts marriage too quickly. His wives allegedly resented that he had been very busy in theatre and had deceived him. On the other hand, declarations of Trávníček's wives and colleagues speak about his tendency to alcoholism and agressiveness. God knows, what's true.

 

Pavel Trávníček with Libuše Šafránková in Tři oříšky pro Popelku (Three Nuts For Cinderella, 1973).

 

 

 

Jiří Krampol (11.7. 1938)

 

Jiří Krampol waited to his 30's, until he bacame a more known actor. In 1962 he graduated at the dramatic academy and although he got a couple of film opportunities even during the study, bigger roles came as late as during the seventies. Due to his physiognomy he usually performed mashes, dull musclemen, cheats and butches. He found use especially in comedies like Holky z porcelánu (Girls from the crockery shop, 1974), Ten svetr si nesvlíkej (Don't put off the jersey, 1980), Tři chlapi na cestách (Three fellows on a journey, 1973) etc. However, he also performed dramatical roles of soldiers in Sokolovo (1974) or in a British movie depicting the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich The Operation Daybreak (1976), where he got a role of Adolf Opálka, the leader of the paratroopers. Further he acted in TV serials like Synové a dcery Jakuba Skláře (The sons and daughters of Jakub the Glassmaker) or Malý pitaval z velkého města (A Little Pitaval from a Big City) and won big popularity during his working in the Semafor theatre in Prague, where he acted in comedial sketches with Sobota and Šimek that often ran on TV. After 1989 he featured in an unsuccessful attempt at thriller Nahota na prodej (Nakedness for sale, 1994) and today he is still very active. I have heard that he acted even abroad, but mostly in second-rate movies from the Canadian shopfloor of a Czech emmigrant Simandl. In fact, today his popularity reaches its top, especially thanks to a very successful TV programme Nikdo není dokonalý (Nobody is perfect) that he moderates. By the way, he was four times married and still keeps his physical condition by training in the gym. Recently he acted in a narrative movie Waterloo that ended...as a real film Waterloo. But he already prepares something new, allegedly an international coproduction.

 

 

 

Petr Nárožný (14.4. 1938)

 

Originally he wasn't an actor, but a civil engineer. In the beginning of 60's he began to compere concerts of a popular music group The Rangers and since 1969 he worked in this area professionally. In 1973 he received an offer of his friend and played in the Semafor theatre in Prague, where he created a comical group with Sobota and Šimek. In the same year he got the first film opportunity in a comedy Jáchyme, hoď ho do stroje! (Jáchym, put it in the machine!, 1974), where he performed a nervous car racer. Both his theatre and film debut was very successful and he got one role after another: a school director in Páni kluci (Boys the Masters, 1975), a sauna-loving husband in Marečku, podejte mi pero! (Mareček, pass me the pen!, 1976), an inventive soliciting agent in Já to tedy beru, šéfe! (I take it, boss!, 1977), a furious cooker in Což takhle dát si špenát? (What about taking spinage?, 1977), a former husband of the singer performed by Helena Vondráčková in Jen ho nechte, ať se bojí (Let him be afraid, 1978), a father suspected of infidelity in Ten svetr si nesvlíkej (Don't put off the jersey, 1980) and many others. His biggest TV role was "a chief" in a comedial set about a gang of cheaters. I should also list a characterless barber in a children's serial Létající Čestmír (The Flying Čestmír/Der Fliegende Ferdinand, 1984). He also often acted in fairy-tales. Frankly, the list of his roles is innumerable. Among others, he narrated stories of Mach and Šebestová (in English version: Max and Sally), an animated serial created by Miloš Macourek. Recently he appeared in a new TV serial Pojišťovna štěstí (The Assurance Of Happiness), where he performs a former physician, now a pensionist.

 

Petr Nárožný is married and has one son and one daughter. Since 1980 he works in a different theatre, Činoherní klub (other source lists a different year - 1982). At present he is very active especially in TV. For several years he moderated a TV programme called Zlatíčka (The Darlings).

 

 

 

Luděk Sobota (27.5. 1943)

 

Luděk Sobota was born in Prague and after graduating at industrial school he decided for dramatic academy. After the academy he worked at a theatre in Liberec, where he wasn't too satisfied, so he eventually left it for the Semafor theatre in Prague (1973), where he created a very popular comical group with Miloslav Šimek and Petr Nárožný. Next year he was chosen for the leading role of a shy mooncalf in a comedy Jáchyme, hoď ho do stroje! (Jáchym, put it in the machine!, 1974) written by Smoljak & Svěrák. The movie had huge success and sympathic puzzlehead Sobota became the most popular Czech comedian of the seventies. His other movies were not so successful, but still well received by spectators: a son in a satirical series Zítra to roztočíme, drahoušku...! (Yesterday we will get all wheels moving, honey!, 1976) and Co je doma, to se počítá, pánové... (What's at home is included, misters, 1980), an inventive soliciting agent in Já to tedy beru, šéfe! (I take it, boss!, 1977) or a fearful musician, who composes his best pieces only during feeling lethal peril in Jen ho nechte, ať se bojí (Let him be afraid, 1978). During making this movie he fell in love with Helena Vondráčková, but their love affair lasted only for a very short time. Subsequently he met his future wife Adriana, with which he has been living until now.

 

Sobota's big fault was that he didn't choose film roles too carefully and his huge popularity soon began to desintegrate in second-rate projects that didn't reach the quality of Jáchym even remotely (I think that there would be a nice parallel with Leslie Nielsen). Moreover, in the end of 80's he had some controversy with the lead of his theatre, which eventually ended in his long-term absence both on the stage and in movies. In 1994 he performed a minor role of a valet in the new set of Arabela and then got a leading role in a comedy Ještě větší blbec, než jsme doufali (Even a bigger idiot than we hoped), but this film was his "swan song". Sobota got too old and his proven comicality didn't work anymore. He acted in one more similar piece Nebát se a nakrást (Don't be afraid and steal, 1999), but it was again a total failure. By the way, "Idiot" was proclaimed as the worst Czech movie of the nineties and the latter attempt holds in the Top Ten. He then tried to revive his reputation in TV, but his programmes were sooner or later broken off. Fortunately, he found use in a TV show of his friend Ivan Mládek and his popularity is again rising.

 

 
Golden Ages in the Semafor theatre: from the left Sobota, Šimek and sitting Nárožný Luděk Sobota is now over 60 years old and the cruel truth is that his charm of muddleheaded František Koudelka has already disappeared.

 

 

 

Jana Švandová (3.7. 1947)

 

A woman that hadn't belonged to the absolute elite, but after her photos published in Playboy (1994) she began to be casted very frequently even abroad, though often in second-rate pieces. Frankly, she still looks incredibly well (although she is now 55!) and I think that a lot of people rather look forward to her naked buttocks than to her artistic performance. But back to film art: When she was young, she danced, acted in the Black theatre and in musicals. Then she was enrolled at dramatic academy and graduated in 1971. At first she performed naive girls and subsequently mostly negative roles of self-confident, egocentric ladies and mistresses. I would list her role in a historical drama Sarajevský atentát (The Assasination in Sarajevo, 1975), a disappointed girl in  Milenci v roce jedna (Lovers in the year 1, 1973), a comedy Hotýlek v srdci Evropy (A little hotel in the heart of Europe, 1994), a TV children's serial Křeček v noční košili (Křeček in a night shirt) or a lesbian woman in Antonyho šance (Antony's chance, 1986).  Recently she got a bigger opportunity in a Slovak movie Zahrada (The Garden, 1995), as a minister's mistress in Ceremoniář (The Master of Ceremonies, 1996) and in Jakubisko's drama Nejasná zpráva o konci světa (An unclean report on the end of the world, 1997).  She also acted beside Brigitte Nielsen in an imbecile erotic thriller Peklo v řetězech II (The Hell in chains II) and with Michel Piccoli in Lásky barona Leisenburga (Loves of baron Leisenburg). Not long ago she also shot a movie with Charles Aznavour. If you wanted to learn more about her anthropometry and lung capacity, the first movie that should be recommended is Nejasná zpráva o konci světa, then Zahrada and Ceremoniář.

 

Detailed anthropometry here

 

 

 

Jiří Bartoška (24.3. 1947)

 

Jiří Bartoška was a big idol of women in the seventies and eighties. He got to his profession by chance: his former schoolmate Jana Švandová, who studied at the dramatic academy in Prague, forced him to try an entrance exam. Bartoška was successful. After leaving the academy he changed several theatres and eventually ended in Divadlo Na zábradlí in Prague. In 1991 he and his colleagues founded a new theatre called Divadlo Bez zábradlí, but since 1994 he plays there only as a guest actor, because he devotes all his time to his "baby", the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary (he is its president).

 

Bartoška débuted in a leading role of Hřiště (The Playground, 1975) and then he won big popularity as a prehistoric hunter Sokolí oko (The Hawk-eye) in a trilogy based on novels of Eduard Štorch: Osada havranů (The Settlement of the Crows, 1977), Na Veliké řece (On the Big River, 1977) and Volání rodu (Calling of the Kin, 1977). Another roles were a border-guard in a dramatic post-war story Drsná Planina (The Rough Planina), a philanderer in Katapult (Catapult, 1983), Duke Oldřich in Oldřich a Božena (Oldřich and Božena, 1984) and recently a Jewish musician in a drama Všichni moji blízcí (All my loved ones, 1999). I can also mention a doctor in a TV serial Sanitka (The Ambulance Car, 1984). During the ninities he became director of the international film festival in Karlovy Vary and his "child" (as many people say) really prospers very well. Recently he acted in a criminal drama called Bolero (2004), a movie based on a true criminal case from Slovakia, where a group of youngsters kidnapped, raped and then murdered a young girl.

 

 

 

Karel Heřmánek (17.10. 1947)

 

Karel Heřmánek studied building industry and then he tried to get to the dramatic academy in Prague. His attempt wasn't successful, but later was received at Janáček's academy in Brno. His schoolmates were Polívka, Zedníček, Bartoška, Švandová, Balzerová. He graduated in 1972 and in 1978, after changing several theatres, he eventually stayed at Divadlo Na zábradlí in Prague. In 1992 he was one of founders of Divadlo Bez zábradlí and became its director. He débuted together with his friend Bartoška in Hřiště (1975) and in the second half of 70's he appeared mostly in episode roles (i. e. a young policeman in Smrt stopařek/The Death of Hitchhikers, 1977). The break was Oldřich in Žena pro tři muže (A Woman for three men, 1979) and especially a smuggler in Krakonoš a lyžníci (Krakonoš and skiers, 1980). During the seventies he got a lot of nice roles, often comical, in commercially successful movies like a police officer in Anděl s ďáblem v těle (An angel with the Devil in the Body, 1983), a vulpine cheater in Fešák Hubert (The Pretty Hubert, 1984), a photographer in Dobré světlo (The Good light, 1986) or an idealistic architect in Kam pánové, kampak jdete? (Where are you going, misters?, 1987). An outstanding dramatic role was a Jewish hyper in Smrt krásných srnců (The Death of Beautiful Roebucks, 1989). His TV roles are also numerous. His wife is Hana Heřmánková, born Vávrová, a former TV announcer, today a manager of Heřmánek's theatre. Her sister Dana Vávrová was a very known children's star, who later emmigrated to Germany and married a German director. Probably thanks to her Heřmánek performed one of title roles parts in her husband's large-scale movie Stalingrad (1992). Recently his name appears in magazines especially in connection with a financial affair in his theatre, where his false "close friend"-accountant embezzled a big sum of money.

 

 

 

Viktor Preiss (13.3. 1947)

 

Viktor Preiss' mother was an actress of an excursionary theatre, but Preiss originally didn't want to become an actor. However, in the middle of 60's he was received at the dramatic academy in Prague, where he met his wife Jana Drchalová (later Jana Preissová). He graduated in 1969 and debuted in 1972 as a young man in Svatba bez prstýnku (A Wedding without a Ring). In 1973 he got the first leading role as a light-headed student of film direction in Milenci v roce jedna (Lovers in the Year 1). Another chance followed as late as in 1980, when he acted in Romaneto (1981) as a writer Jakub Arbes. During 90' he performed a vampire in Soukup's comedy Svatba upírů (A Wedding of Vampires, 1993), a vulpine insurance agent in Klein's  Andělské oči (Angelic eyes, 1994) and recently again in Klein's comedy Konto separato. Although his film roles are not many, he frequently acts in TV, where he performed a lot of outstanding roles in TV plays, movies and serials. He is also a highly respected dubber (he also dubbed Sandokan, by the way). During the last years he was several times proclaimed as the most popular Czech actor in a public TV inquiry. Therefore, I think it is worth to list him here.

 

 

 

 

There also other actors worth mentioning, but I confine myself to rough data:

  • Pavel Zedníček (*7.11. 1949)

  • Petr Kostka (*11.6. 1938)

  • Jan Kačer (*3.10. 1936)

  • Jiří Kodet (6.12. 1937-25.6. 2005)

  • Pavel Landovský (*11.9. 1936)

  • Vlado Müller (*19.3. 1936 - +20.6. 1996)

  • Helena Růžičková (*13.6. 1936-4.1. 2004)

  • Věra Galatíková (*19.8. 1938)

  • Václav Postránecký (*8.9. 1943)

  • Jaroslava Obermaierová (*10.4. 1946)

  • Ladislav Mrkvička (2.2. 1939)

  • Rudolf Jelínek (*27.2. 1935)

  • Josef Bláha (*8.6. 1924 - + 6.12. 1994)

  • Karel Augusta (*20.6. 1935 - 30.5. 1998)

  • Oldřich Vízner (*6.5. 1947)

  • Jana Šulcová (*12.2. 1947)

  • Ivan Vyskočil (*21.5. 1946)

  • Hana Maciuchová (*25.11. 1945)

  • Jana Preissová (*7.2. 1948)

  • František Němec (*9.8. 1943)

 

 

 

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