Jan Werich
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Between 1916 and 1924, Werich attended "reálné gymnasium" (equivalent to high school) in Křemencova Street in Prague (where his future business partner, Jiří Voskovec, also studied). He studied law at the Charles University Law School from 1924 to 1927, from which he made an early departure to begin his artistic career and forge one of the most important partnerships of his life. For more than 10 years he worked in theatre Jiří Voskovec and Jaroslav Ježek. Their partnership was a platform for their numerous left-wing political satires, most notably in the Osvobozené divadlo (Liberated Theatre). The trio's work took inspiration from Dada, with its love of the absurd, a reaction against bourgeois values and the horrors of World War I. In 1955 he begun working in cinema, and 1960s were a peak in his actor career. From the creation of the ABC Theatre he moved to the City Theatres of Prague and then to the Musical Theatre of Karlin and Nusle. Werich was originally cast by producer Harry Saltzman to play Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Upon his arrival at the Pinewood set, both producer Albert R. Broccoli and director Lewis Gilbert felt that he was a poor choice, resembling a "poor, benevolent Santa Claus".
Known for
Credits
The Creation of the World (1958)
as Narrator (voice)
The 25th Hour (1967)
as Sgt. Constantin
The Emperor and the Golem (1951)
as Emperor Rudolf II / Matheus Kotrba, The Baker
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962)
as kapitán holandské lodi
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King... (1955)
as král Já I.
Czechoslovakia: Portrait of a Tragedy (1968)
as Self
Two Little Frosts (1955)
as Brave Frost (voice)
When the Cat Comes (1963)
as Oliva
Herecké Vánoce (1970)
as Jan Werich
Fimfarum - To the good of all (2011)
as (voice)
The Fall of Berlin (1950)
as Goering
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkova budějovická anabase (1956)
as Narrator (voice)
The Good Soldier Svejk (1956)
as Narrator
Jan Werich's Fimfarum (2002)
as Vypravěč
Pekařův císař (1951)
as Rudolf II. / Matěj Kotrba
Večer s Jaroslavem Haškem (1953)
Actor
Pan Tau – der Film (1988)
as (archive footage)
Jan Werich: Když už člověk jednou je… (2021)
as Self (archive footage)
Mean Barbara (1989)
as Narrator (voice) (archive footage)
The World Belongs to Us (1937)
as kamelot
Here in Kocourkov (1934)
as Ferdinand Kaplan
Císařův pekař (1951)
as Rudolf II. / Matěj Kotrba
When the Oak Leaves Fall (1991)
as Narrator (voice) (archive footage)
Silvestr 1957 (1957)
Actor
Tears the World Can't See (1963)
as Fedor Akimič Rjebrotěsov
Powder and Petrol (1932)
Actor
Echoes of the Blue Room (1983)
Actor
Assignment K (1968)
as Dr. Spiegler
Jaroslav Hasek's Exemplary Cinematograph (1956)
as Commentary (voice)
Heave-Ho! (1934)
Actor
The Cry (1964)
as Narrator (voice)
Your Money or Your Life (1932)
as Tonda
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Z Hatvanu na hranice Haliče (1954)
as Narrator (voice)
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkovy nehody ve vlaku (1955)
as Narrator (voice)
The Golden Fish (1951)
as Narrator (voice)
King and Women (1967)
as Jindřich VIII.
Pražská strašidla (1966)
as Narrator (voice)
The Dear Departed (1964)
as Dědeček
Magnetické vlny léčí (1965)
as léčitel Wohu
Hudba z Marsu (1955)
as Nadšený divák
Královna Koloběžka první (1981)
as Narrator (archive footage) (voice)
Dog's Heads (1955)
Actor
Medvěd (1961)
as statkář Grigorij Stěpanovič Smirnov
Cecílie (2026)
as Voice (archive footage)
Italienisches Capriccio (1961)
as Don Marzio
Crisis (1939)
Actor
Kočár nejsvětější svátosti (1963)
Actor
To jsou Bratři v triku (1957)
as Himself
Balada z hadrů (1960)
as strážný Holofern
Fimfarum 2 (2006)
as Narrator
Pouť noci silvestrovské (1953)
Actor
Jonáš a Melicharová (1986)
as (archive footage)
Těžká Barbora (1960)
Actor
Uspořená libra (1963)
as Sam Adams