Jiří Sovák
Jiří Sovák | |
---|---|
Born | Jiří Schmitzer 27 December 1920 Prague, Czechoslovakia |
Died | 6 September 2000 Prague, Czech Republic | (aged 79)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1942–1999 |
Jiří Sovák (
Early life
Jiří Sovák was born Jiří Schmitzer to the family of an innkeeper in
Career
In 1943 he got his first professional engagement with Horácké Theatre in Třebíč.[1] During military service he met Miroslav Horníček (who became famous actor too) and made friends for life.
In 1947 he went to Prague where he played in the E.F. Burian Theatre (1947–1952), Vinohrady Theatre (1952–1966) and National Theatre (1966–1983).[1]
Film and TV career
Jiří Sovák first appeared in a movie in 1942 and then played many minor roles. He played his first main character in Dařbuján a Pandrhola (dir.
Sovák entered Czechoslovak television as soon as it came into existence in 1953. He played in TV film and serial microcomedies such as Uspořená libra (A Pound on Demand, based on a play by Seán O'Casey; Vladimír Svitáček, 1963), and Bohouš (1968); and children's TV serials such as Pan Tau, Arabela, and Létající Čestmír. His most successful roles were in the serials Byli jednou dva písaři (with Horníček; based on Bouvard et Pécuchet by Gustave Flaubert; dir. Ján Roháč, 1972) and Chalupáři (Cottagers; 1975).[1]
Personal life
He married three times.[2] His son from his first marriage, Jiří Schmitzer (b. 1949), became an actor and folk singer. Sovák had a poor relationship with his son (with whom he appeared in many movies[3]) after he left his wife that worsened when Schmitzer caused a fatal car crash in 1976.[4]
He retired on 31 March 1983.[3] In 2000 he fell on his terrace, broke his hip and had an embolism during his operation.[2] He died in a Prague hospital before reaching 80. He is buried in small town Stříbrná Skalice, in a private grave closed to the public.[4]
References
External links
- Jiří Sovák at IMDb