POLISH FILM ACADEMY

He is most famous for his performances in the Elder Gentlemen’s Cabaret. Some of the songs he performed together with Mieczysław Czechowicz are now Polish evergreens, covered by many other artists. He also starred in a feature sequel to the Cabaret Upał [Heat] (1964) directed by Kazimierz Kutz, in which he played the ambassador.
He was born on June 3, 1922 in Warsaw. Graduate of Karol Borowski’s School of Drama in Lublin (1946). He worked for theatres in Lublin: Dom Żołnierza (1946), Miejski (1946-1947), the Juliusz Osterwa Theatre (1948-1951), as well in Warsaw: Klasyczny (1947-1948), Młodej Warszawy (1951-1956), Komedia (1956-1957), Współćzesny (1958-1970, 1971), and Polski (1970-1971). He performed in numerous cabarets, such as Wagabunda, Szpak, Dudek and – of course – the Elderly’s Getlemen’s Cabaret. He is one of the best comic actors of the Polish theatre and film.
Nevertheless, his screen debut was not a comedy but a socialist realism drama, Pierwszy start [The first start] (1950) by Leonard Buczkowski. He gained great popularity for his role as Anastazy Kowalski, mistaken for a State Trade Inspector, in Alkoholomierz [Alcohol metre], part of the series Gangsterzy i filantropi/Gangsters And Philanthropists (1962) by Jerzy Hoffman and Edward Skórzewski. Also noteworthy are his masterful performances as Malinowski, breeder of fish in Żona dla Australijczyka/Wife for an Australian (1963) by Stanisław Bareja, an official who murders a rich aunt for her car and faces a trial after his death in the fantasy comedy by Stanisław Różewicz Piekło i niebo/Hell and Heaven (1966), Professor Milczarek in Hydrozagadka/Hydro-puzzle (1970) by Andrzej Kondratiuk, a surreal comedy about a Polish superhero on a very important mission, theatre director named Ryszard Kulka-Lalewicz in Halo Szpicbródka (1978) by Janusz Rzeszewski and Mieczysław Jahoda, and His Excellency the Seksmisja/Sexmission (1983) by Juliusz Machulski.
In his last film Skutki noszenia kapelusza w maju [The effects of wearing a hat in May] (1993) by Krystyna Krupska-Wysocka, he starred in the main role as a former professor leading a lonely, sad life, illuminated by a chance encounter with the daughter of his friend. For this performance he won the “Marcinek,” the Children's Jury Award at the 13th National Festival of Films for Children in Poznan (1994).