Rudolf Hrušínský (17 October 1920 – 13 April 1994) was a Czech actor. He was one of the most popular Czech actors. Many of his movies such as ''

The Good Soldier Švejk ''The Good Soldier Švejk'' () is an unfinished satirical dark comedy novel by Czech writer Jaroslav Hašek, published in 1921–1923, about a good-humored, simple-minded, middle-aged man who pretends to be enthusiastic to serve Austria-Hungary ...

'', ''

The Cremator ''The Cremator'' ( cs, Spalovač mrtvol) is a 1969 Czechoslovak dark comedy horror film directed by Juraj Herz, based on a novel by Ladislav Fuks. The screenplay was written by Herz and Fuks. The film was selected as the Czechoslovakian entry for ...

'' or '' Capricious Summer'' are considered classics of the Czech cinema. He was awarded the

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

by France and title ''National Artist'' in Czechoslovakia.

Jiří Menzel Jiří Menzel () (23 February 1938 – 5 September 2020) was a Czech film director, theatre director, actor, and screenwriter. His films often combine a humanistic view of the world with sarcasm and provocative cinematography. Some of these f ...

once described him as "the Czech

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

Biography

Nová Včelnice - pamětní deska R-Hrušínský st-cropped

He was born back stage at the theatre in

Nová Včelnice Nová Včelnice (until 1950 Nový Etynk-Včelnice; german: Neuötting-Vtschelnitz) is a town in Jindřichův Hradec District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,200 inhabitants. Geography Nová Včelnice is located a ...

on 17 October 1920. His parents were Hermina Červičková and Rudolf Hrušínský (born Rudolf Böhm). His family moved from place to place, but eventually settled in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

. He studied law school, but dropped out of to pursue acting. Initially he starred in minor plays, but managed to escalate to famous film roles, many of which won him fame abroad. He spent most of his theatrical career in Czech National Theatre. In 1968 he signed The Two Thousand Words manifesto. As a result he wasn't allowed to star in movies or in theatres until 1976. Director Jiří Menzel planned to make a West German TV series adaptation of '' Good Soldier Švejk'' with Hrušínský in the titular role, however they didn't get the permission from the Czechoslovak government. After the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution ( cs, Sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution ( sk, Nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations agains ...

he entered the Parliament as a member of Civic Forum. His sons Rudolf Hrušínský jr. and

Jan Hrušínský Jan Hrušínský (born 9 June 1955) is a Czech actor. He has appeared in 56 films and television shows since 1970. He starred in the 1974 film '' Kdo hledá zlaté dno'', which was entered into the 25th Berlin International Film Festival. He is ...

are both actors. He died in 1994 and is buried in

Olšany Cemetery Olšany Cemeteries (''Olšanské hřbitovy'' in Czech, ''Wolschan'' in German) is the largest graveyard in Prague, Czech Republic, once laid out for as many as two million burials. The graveyard is particularly noted for its many remarkable ar ...

, Prague.

Selected filmography

*''

Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše ''Journey into the Depth of the Student's Soul'' ('' cs, Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše'') is a Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Martin Frič. It was released in 1939. Cast * Jindřich Plachta - Matulka - Natural science teacher * Jaro ...

'' (1939) *'' Humoreska'' (1939) *''Turbina'' (1941) *''

Nocturnal Butterfly ''Nocturnal Butterfly'' ( cs, Noční motýl) is a 1941 Czech drama film directed by František Čáp based on a novel by Karel Novák. It was shown in 9th Venice Film Festival where it won a prize Targa di segnalazione. The film was dubbed int ...

'' (1941) *''

The Hard Life of an Adventurer ''The Hard Life of an Adventurer'' ( cs, Těžký život dobrodruha) is a 1941 Czech crime- comedy film directed by Martin Frič. Cast * Otomar Korbelář as Fred Flok alias Konzul Binder alias Komisar Niklas alias Ing. Benda * Ladislav Peše ...

'' (1941) *''

Barbora Hlavsová ''Barbora Hlavsová'' is a 1942 Czech drama film directed by Martin Frič. Plot Hlavsa, the manager of a small-town pawn shop, commits embezzlement and shoots himself after being unable to get out of the situation. His mother takes in her widowe ...

'' (1942) *'' Spring Song'' (1944) * ''

Mist on the Moors ''Mist on the Moors'' ( cs, Mlhy na Blatech) is a 1943 Czech drama film directed by František Čáp based on a novel by Karel Klostermann. Cast *Zdeněk Štěpánek as Farmer Josef Potužák * Marie Blažková as Potužák's wife * Vladimír Sa ...

'' (1944) *'' Premonition'' (1947) *''

The Secret of Blood ''The Secret of Blood'' ( cs, Tajemství krve) is a 1953 Czechoslovak biographical drama film directed by Martin Frič about Czech doctor Jan Janský who discovered and classified the four different blood types. It competed at 14th Venice Intern ...

'' (1953) *''

The Strakonice Bagpiper ''The Strakonice Bagpiper'' ( cs, Strakonický dudák) is a 1955 Czechoslovak drama film directed by Karel Steklý. Cast * Jana Andrsová * Josef Bek * Vlasta Fabianová as Nymph Rosava * Květa Fialová * Josef Hlinomaz as Mikuli * Rudolf H ...

'' (1955) *''

'' (1957) *''

Hvězda jede na jih ''Hvězda jede na jih'' is a 1958 Czechoslovak-Yugoslavian comedy film directed by Oldrich Lipský. Cast * Gordana Miletić - Sona Klánová - singer * Rudolf Hrušínský - Conductor * Joza Gregorin - Driver Dargo * Barbara Połomska - L� ...

'' (1958) *''

I Dutifully Report ''I Dutifully Report'' ( cs, Poslušně hlásím) is a 1958 Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Karel Steklý. It is the sequel to '' The Good Soldier Schweik''. Cast * Rudolf Hrušínský as Josef Švejk * Svatopluk Beneš as first lieuten ...

'' (1958) *'' Dařbuján a Pandrhola'' (1960) *'' The Night Guest'' (1961) *'' Capricious Summer'' (''Rozmarné léto'', 1967) *''

'' (''Spalovač mrtvol'', 1968) *''

Larks on a String ''Larks on a String'' ( cs, Skřivánci na niti) is a 1969 Czech film directed by Jiří Menzel. The film was banned by the Czechoslovak government, but was later released in 1990 after the fall of the Communist regime. It tells the stories of va ...

'' (''Skřivánci na niti'', 1969) *''

Dinner for Adele ''Dinner for Adele'' ( cs, Adéla ještě nevečeřela) is a 1977 Czech parody comedy film directed by Oldřich Lipský. Alternative titles were ''Adele Hasn't Had Her Dinner Yet'', ''Nick Carter in Prague'' and ''Adela Has Not Had Supper Yet''. ...

'' (''Adéla ještě nevečeřela'', 1977) *'' Swap'' (''A kétfenekű dob'', 1978) *''

Ball Lightning Ball lightning is a rare and unexplained phenomenon described as luminescent, spherical objects that vary from pea-sized to several meters in diameter. Though usually associated with thunderstorms, the observed phenomenon is reported to last ...

'' (''Kulový blesk'', 1978) *'' Those Wonderful Movie Cranks'' (1978) *'' Lásky mezi kapkami deště'' (1979) *'' Cutting It Short'' (''Postřižiny'', 1980) *''Pozor, vizita!'' (1981) *''

The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians ''The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians'' ( cs, Tajemství hradu v Karpatech) is a 1981 Czech comedy film directed by Oldřich Lipský. It is based on Jules Verne's novel '' The Carpathian Castle''. Production The film marks Lipský's third ...

'' (''Tajemství hradu v Karpatech'', 1981) *'' Unterwegs nach Atlantis'' (1982, TV series) *''The Snowdrop Festival'' (''Slavnosti sněženek'', 1983) *''Three Veterans'' (''Tři veteráni'', 1983) *''Dissolved and Effused '' (''Rozpuštěný a vypuštěný'', 1984) *''

My Sweet Little Village ''My Sweet Little Village'' ( cs, Vesničko má středisková) is a 1985 Czechoslovak film directed by Jiří Menzel. In 1987 it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Plot The film's main storyline follows the life ...

'' (''Vesničko má středisková'', 1985) *'' Forbidden Dreams'' (''Smrt krásných srnců'', 1986) *''

Dobří holubi se vracejí ''Dobří holubi se vracejí'' is a Czech dark comedy from the Alcohol Treatment Centre. It was directed by Dušan Klein, released in 1987. Plot Cast * Milan Kňažko - Miloš Lexa * Rudolf Hrušínský - Masák * Alicja Jachiewicz - Soňa Land ...

'' (1988) *''

How Poets Are Enjoying Their Lives ''How Poets Are Enjoying Their Lives'' ( cs, Jak básníkům chutná život) is a 1988 Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Dušan Klein and written by Klein with Ladislav Pecháček. The third installment in the "Poets hexalogy", the title is ...

'' (1988) *''

The End of Old Times ''The End of Old Times'' ( cs, Konec starých časů) is a 1989 Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Jiří Menzel. Cast * Josef Abrhám - Duke Alexej * Marián Labuda - Stoklasa * Jaromír Hanzlík - Spera * Rudolf Hrušínský - Jakub Lhota * ...

'' (1989) *'' The Elementary School'' (''Obecná škola'', 1991) *''

La piovra ''La Piovra'' (; en, The Octopus, referring to the Mafia) is an Italian television drama series about the Mafia. The series was directed by various directors who each worked on different seasons, including Damiano Damiani (first season), Flores ...

'', (1992, TV series)

References

*Miloš Fikejz: ''Český film. Herci a herečky/1. A-K.'' Prague: Libri, 2006.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hrusinsky, Rudolf 1920 births 1994 deaths People from Nová Včelnice Czech male stage actors Czech theatre directors Czech male film actors Czech male television actors 20th-century Czech male actors Burials at Olšany Cemetery Czechoslovak male actors Civic Forum politicians