Jan Tříska (; 4 November 1936 – 25 September 2017) was a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

actor who played over 160 roles across stage, film, and television. He worked in the United States after emigrating there in the 1970s, but later returned to his native country following the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution () or Gentle Revolution () was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Pa ...

. He was a three-time Czech Lion Award nominee, for Best Actor in Leading Role ( ''Lunacy'', 2005), and twice for Best Supporting Actor (''Rád'', 1994; ''Up and Down''; 2004).

Biography

Tříska was born in Prague on November 4, 1936. He studied at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. After graduating in 1959, he became the youngest member to join the National Theatre, where he acted in

Karel Čapek Karel Čapek (; 9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright, critic and journalist. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel '' War with the Newts'' (1936) and play '' R.U.R.'' (''Rossum' ...

's '' The White Disease'' and Vilém Mrštík's '' Maryša''. He also worked with Otomar Krejča's Za Branou Theater (''Divadlo za branou'': 'Theatre Behind the Gate') and in municipal theatres throughout Prague. He appeared in many Czechoslovak films, and was the official Czech-language dubber of

Jean-Paul Belmondo Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward, frequently portraying police officer ...

from 1965 to 1977.

Life and career in the United States

After signing the

Charter 77 Charter 77 (''Charta 77'' in Czech language, Czech and Slovak language, Slovak) was an informal civic initiative in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1976 to 1992, named after the document Charter 77 from January 1977. Founding members ...

proclamation, he emigrated to the United States via Cyprus and Canada. His first American film role was in ''Ragtime'' (1981), directed by fellow Czech emigre

Miloš Forman Jan Tomáš "Miloš" Forman (; ; 18 February 1932 – 13 April 2018) was a Czech Americans, Czech-American film film director, director, screenwriter, actor, and professor who rose to fame in his native Czechoslovakia before emigrating to the Uni ...

. He played supporting parts in ''Reds'' (also 1981, directed by

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memor ...

), ''The Osterman Weekend'' (1983,

Sam Peckinpah David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received two Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Instit ...

), '' 2010: The Year We Make Contact'' (1984,

Peter Hyams Peter Hyams (born July 26, 1943) is an American film director, screenwriter and cinematographer known for directing the 1977 conspiracy thriller film ''Capricorn One'' (which he also wrote), the 1981 science fiction-thriller ''Outland (film), Outl ...

), '' The Karate Kid Part III'' (1989, John G. Avildsen), ''Apt Pupil'' (1998,

Bryan Singer Bryan Jay Singer (born September 17, 1965) is an American filmmaker. He is the founder of Bad Hat Harry Productions and has produced almost all of the films he has directed, as well as multiple television series. After graduating from the Univ ...

), as well as guest appearances on '' Highlander: The Series'' (1996), and '' Highlander: The Raven'' (1999). One of his more notable roles was as

Joseph Paul Franklin Joseph Paul Franklin (born James Clayton Vaughn Jr.; April 13, 1950 – November 20, 2013) was an American serial killer, white supremacist, and domestic terrorist who engaged in a murder spree spanning the late 1970s and early 1980s. Frankli ...

, the would-be-assassin of Larry Flynt, in Miloš Forman's '' The People vs. Larry Flynt'' (1996).

Return to the Czech Republic

After the

of 1989, Tříska visited the Czech Republic to perform in movies such as ''

The Elementary School ''The Elementary School'' () is a 1991 Czechoslovak comedy-drama film directed by Jan Svěrák. The screenplay comes from the pen of his father Zdeněk Svěrák. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in ...

'' (1991), '' Horem pádem'' (2004), the Academy Award nominated ''

Želary ''Želary'' is a 2003 Czech/Slovak film directed by Ondřej Trojan and starring Anna Geislerová. The film received a 2004 Academy Award nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It was produced by Barrandov Studios in Prague. T ...

'' (2003) and '' Máj'' (2008; based on the poem

Máj ''Máj'' (Czech language, Czech for the month ''May''; ; usually ''květen'') is a Romantic poetry, romantic poem by Karel Hynek Mácha in four cantos. It was fiercely criticized when first published, but since then has gained the status of one o ...

Karel Hynek Mácha Karel Hynek Mácha () (16 November 1810 – 5 November 1836) was a Czechs, Czech Romanticism, romantic poet. His poem ''Máj'' is among the most important poems in the history of Czech literature. Biography Mácha was born on 16 November 1810 ...

). In 2002, Tříska received an Alfréd Radok Award for his performance as Lear in ''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' at the

Summer Shakespeare Festival The Summer Shakespeare Festival (, ) takes place in the courtyard of Burgrave Palace at Prague Castle. The festival was originally initiated by Václav Havel. The performances are also presented at Špilberk in Brno and at Bratislava Castle in Bra ...

Prague Castle Prague Castle (; ) is a castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic serving as the official residence and workplace of the president of the Czech Republic. Built in the 9th century, the castle has long served as the seat of power for List of rulers ...

. In 2005, he was nominated for the Czech Lion Award for Best Actor in Leading Role for his performance in the

Jan Švankmajer Jan Švankmajer (born 4 September 1934) is a Czech retired film director, animator, writer, playwright and artist. He draws and makes free graphics, collage, ceramics, tactile objects and asse ...

film ''Lunacy''.

Later life and death

Although he occasionally visited the Czech Republic, Tříska remained a permanent resident of the United States in Los Angeles, California. On 23 September 2017, for reasons yet to be determined, Tříska fell from the Charles Bridge in Prague. Passengers on a nearby boat rescued him from the Vltava River, after which he was resuscitated and hospitalized in serious condition. He died in hospital two days later on 25 September 2017.

Personal life

Tříska was married to Czech actress Karla Chadimová (born 1943). He has two children, Jana and Karla, and two grandchildren, Augustin and Josephine.

Partial theatre credits

American National Theater

*'' The Children of Herakles'' as

Iolaus In Greek mythology, Iolaus (; Ancient Greek: Ἰόλαος ''Iólāos'') was a Theban divine hero. He was famed for being Heracles' charioteer and squire, and for helping with some of his Labors, as well as for being one of the Argonauts. Fa ...

*''

The Seagull ''The Seagull'' () is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 in literature, 1895 and first produced in 1896 in literature#Drama, 1896. ''The Seagull'' is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramati ...

'' *'' Idiot's Delight''

New York's Public Theater

*'' Master and Margarita'' *'' Zastrozzi''

La Jolla Playhouse

*'' The Hairy Ape'' *'' Arms and the Man'' *'' Cosmonaut's Last Message''

Tylovo divadlo, Prague

*'' Srpnová neděle'' (1959) as Jirka (play by

František Hrubín František Hrubín (17 September 1910 – 1 March 1971) was a Czechs, Czech poet and writer. Biography Frantisek Hrubín was born into the family of a builder at Prague. His family lived in Lešany (Benešov District), Lešany near Prague durin ...

, directed by Otomar Krejča) *''

Don Juan Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni ( Italian), is a legendary fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. The original version of the story of Don Juan appears in the 1630 play (''The Trickster of Seville and t ...

'' (1959) as Young Boy (

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...

, directed by Jaromír Pleskot) *'' Konec masopustu'' (1964) as Rafael (play by Josef Topol, directed by Otomar Krejča) *'' Měsíc na vsi'' (1965) as Aleksej N. Beljajev (play by

Ivan Turgenev Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev ( ; rus, links=no, Иван Сергеевич ТургеневIn Turgenev's day, his name was written ., p=ɪˈvan sʲɪrˈɡʲe(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ tʊrˈɡʲenʲɪf; – ) was a Russian novelist, short story writer, poe ...

, directed by Rudolf Hrušínský)

Divadlo za branou

*'' Kočka na kolejích'' (1965) as Véna (Play by Josef Topol, directed by Otomar Krejča) *'' Three Sisters'' (1966) as Tuzenbach (play by

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; ; 29 January 1860 – 15 July 1904) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer, widely considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his b ...

, directed by Otomar Krejča) *'' Oidipus'' (1971) as Oidipus (play by

Sophocles Sophocles ( 497/496 – winter 406/405 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. was an ancient Greek tragedian known as one of three from whom at least two plays have survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those ...

, directed by Otomar Krejča)

Národní divadlo, Prague

*'' Bílá nemoc'' (1956-1957) as first assistant (play by

, directed by Jaromír Pleskot) *'' Maryša'' (1956-1957) as Second Man (directed by Zdeněk Štěpánek) *'' Saint Jane'' as Page (directed by Jaromír Pleskot) *''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

'' (1963) as Romeo ( National Theatre, Prague, directed by Otomar Krejča)

Others

*'' The Cherry Orchard: The Tempest'' (

Guthrie Theater The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is a center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The concept of the theater was born in 1959 in a series of discussions among Sir Tyrone Gut ...

) *'' Largo Desolato'' ( Yale Repertory Theatre, Connecticut Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Male Performance) *'' The Third Army'' ( Long Wharf Theatre) *'' Arsenic and Old Lace'' (Long Wharf Theatre) *''

'' (2002) as King Lear (

, Prague; Spišský hrad,

Brno Brno ( , ; ) is a Statutory city (Czech Republic), city in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Located at the confluence of the Svitava (river), Svitava and Svratka (river), Svratka rivers, Brno has about 403,000 inhabitants, making ...

, directed by Martin Huba) *''

'' (1961) as Edmund (Smetanovo divadlo, directed by František Salzer) *''

Faust Faust ( , ) is the protagonist of a classic German folklore, German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust (). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a deal with the Devil at a ...

'' (1973) as Dr. Johann Faust (play by

Johann Wolfgang Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on literary, political, and philosoph ...

, Divadlo Jaroslava Průchy,

Kladno Kladno (; ) is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 70,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the region and has a rich industrial history. Administrative division Kladno consists of six municipal parts ...

, directed by Václav Špidla) *'' Kumšt'' (2007) as Mark (play by

Yasmina Reza Yasmina Reza (; born 1 May 1959) is a French playwright, actress, novelist and screenwriter best known for her plays ''Art (play), 'Art and ''God of Carnage''. Many of her brief satiric plays have reflected on contemporary middle-class issues. ...

, Divadlo na Jezerce, Prague, directed by

Jan Hřebejk Jan Hřebejk (; born 27 June 1967) is a Czech film director and actor. Life and career Born in Prague, Hřebejk graduated from high school in 1987 and continued his studies at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague ...

)

Selected filmography

*''Váhavý střelec'' (1957) *''Pět z milionu'' (1959) - Vašek *''Kruh'' (1959) - Honzík *''První parta'' (1960) - Havíř *''U nás v Mechové'' (1960) - Lojzíček *''Všude žijí lidé'' (1960) - Lojza Posvár *''Pochodně'' (1961) - dělnický předák Josef Pecka *''Policejní hodina'' (1961) - Venca *''Srpnová neděle'' (1961) - Tomás *''Kde alibi nestačí'' (1961) - laborant Mirek Zach *''Kohout plaší smrt'' (1962) - Jozka *''Dva z onoho sveta'' (1962) - Robert Ford *''Tarzanova smrt'' (1963) - Clown *''Zlaté kapradí'' (1963) - Jura (voice) *''Mezi námi zloději'' (1964) - Man in Pub *''Začít znova'' (1964) - Jan Stehlík - brigade worker (voice) *''Komedie s Klikou'' (1964) - Rísa *''Hvězda zvaná Pelyněk'' (1965) - Lojzík *''Das Haus in der Karpfengasse'' (1965) - Kowlorat *''Strašná žena'' (1965) - Honza Pokorný (voice) *''Pet miliónu svedku'' (1965) - Vysetrovatel VB Koval *''Lidé z maringotek'' (1966) - Acrobat Vincek *''Martin a cervené sklícko'' (1967) - malír a zámecký pruvodce Syllaba *''Hra bez pravidel'' (1967) - Duda *''Ctyri v kruhu'' (1968) - Michal Donat *''Kulhavý dábel'' (1968) - Rudolf (voice) *''

On the Comet ''Na kometě'' (literally ''On the Comet'') is a 1970 Czech film directed by Karel Zeman, based on Jules Verne's 1877 novel ''Off on a Comet''. The film is a combination of animated and live action film. Animation is based on illustrations for V ...

'' (1970) - Porucík Servadac (voice) *''Radúz a Mahulena'' (1970) - Radúz *''Návstevy'' (1970) *''Lucie a zazraky'' (1970) - Mikulás *''Dost dobrí chlapi'' (1972) - Kamil Gubris *''Slecna Golem'' (1972) - Petr *''Horolezci'' (1973) - Miso Lapsanský *''Wie füttert man einen Esel'' (1974) - Pepi *''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...

'' (1974) - Narrator (voice) *''Zivot na uteku'' (1975) - Vasek *''Tetované casom'' (1976) - Dr. Hocko *''Na samote u lesa'' (1976) - Dr. Václav Houdek *''Desat' percent nádeje'' (1976) - Mato *''Do posledneho dychu'' (1976) - Erich Fischer *' (1977) - Schwerdtfeger *''Ein irrer Duft von frischem Heu'' (1977) - Aventuro *''Talíre nad Velkým Malíkovem'' (1977) - Mine carpenter Salánek *''Nechci nic slyset'' (1978) - Marek's Father (scenes deleted) *''

Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

'' (1981) - Special Reporter *'' Reds'' (1981) -

Karl Radek Karl Berngardovich Radek (; 31 October 1885 – 19 May 1939) was a revolutionary and writer active in the Polish and German social democratic movements before World War I and a Communist International leader in the Soviet Union after the Russian ...

*'' The Osterman Weekend'' (1983) - Andrei Mikalovich *'' Uncommon Valor'' (1983) - Gericault *'' Unfaithfully Yours'' (1984) - Jerzy Czyrek *'' Nothing Lasts Forever'' (1984) - Swedish Architect *'' 2010: The Year We Make Contact'' (1984) - Alexander Kovalev *'' Black Eagle'' (1988) - Captain Valery *'' The Karate Kid Part III'' (1989) - Milos *'' Loose Cannons'' (1990) - Steckler *''

'' (1991) - Igor Hnizdo *'' Undercover Blues'' (1993) - Axel *''Rád'' (1994) - Prior *'' The People vs. Larry Flynt'' (1996) -

*'' Apt Pupil'' (1998) - Isaac Weiskopf *'' Ronin'' (1998) - Dapper Gent *'' Loving Jezebel'' (1999) - Melvin Szabo (uncredited) *'' The Omega Code'' (1999) - 1st Prophet *'' Lost Souls'' (2000) - Melvin Szabo *'' Cahoots'' (2001) - Laphonse *'' The Man from Elysian Fields'' (2001) - Marcus (uncredited) *''Rok dábla'' (2002) *''

Blizzard A blizzard is a severe Winter storm, snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds and low visibility, lasting for a prolonged period of time—typically at least three or four hours. A ground blizzard is a weather condition where snow th ...

'' (2003) - Otto Brewer / Trainer *''Trosecníci'' (2003) *''

'' (2003) - Old Gorcík *''Jedna ruka netleská'' (2003) - Otec Standy *''Horem pádem'' (2004) - Professor Otakar Horecký *'' Lunacy'' (2005) - Marquis *''Máj'' (2008) - Hangman *''Hranari'' (2011) - Bishop *''Bastardi 3'' (2012) - Majeruv obhájce *''

Po strništi bos ''Po strništi bos'' (English - ''Barefoot'', or ''Barefoot on Stalks'') is a 2017 Czech war comedy film directed by Jan Svěrák. It is a prequel to ''The Elementary School''. Plot The film follows the young boy Eda Souček and his extended fam ...

'' (2017) - Eda's grandfather (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Triska, Jan 1936 births 2017 deaths Charter 77 signatories Czech male film actors Czech male stage actors Czech male television actors Czechoslovak expatriates in the United States Male actors from Prague Recipients of Medal of Merit (Czech Republic) Sun in a Net Awards winners Academy of Performing Arts in Prague alumni