Josip Zovko (4 June 1970 – 3 April 2019) was a Croatian actor and director. A native of the Berinovac, Lokvičići municipality in the Imotska

Krajina Krajina () is a Slavic languages, Slavic toponym, meaning 'country' or 'march (territory), march'. The term is related to ''kraj'' or ''krai'', originally meanings ''land'', ''country'' or ''edge''Rick Derksen (2008), ''Etymological Dictionary of t ...

he was best known for playing Joze in the television series ''

Naši i vaši ''Naši i Vaši'' () is a Croatian comedy TV series whose pilot episode aired in 2000 on HRT. The first season of the series had seven episodes, and the second and last season's 15 episodes counters. Synopsis Student of sociology Iva, with He ...

''. He was also acclaimed for his roles in the films ''

Sorry for Kung Fu ''Sorry for Kung Fu'' () is a 2004 Croatian drama film directed by Ognjen Sviličić. The plot follows a pregnant unmarried woman played by Daria Lorenci, who returns to her village in Croatia after living in Germany during the Croatian War of ...

'' and ''

Wish I Were a Shark ''Wish I Were a Shark'' (''Da mi je biti morski pas'') is a 1999 Croatian film written and directed by Ognjen Sviličić Ognjen Sviličić (born 1971 in Split, Yugoslavia, Split) is a screenwriter and film director, based in Berlin, noted for ...

''.

Biography and studies

Zovko was born on June 4, 1970, in Split. He graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb and in 1993 he became a member of the Croatian National Theater ensemble in Split, also known as HNK Split, where he played many roles. At the Theater of Split he was a student of

Mustafa Nadarević Mustafa Nadarević (2 May 1943 – 22 November 2020) was a Bosnian actor. Widely considered one of the greatest actors from the former Yugoslavia, he starred in over 70 films, including '' The Smell of Quinces'' (1982), '' When Father Was Away on ...

with whom Zovko had been on the stage many times.

Early career

Zovko's first television appearance was in 1997 when he appeared in the theater play "Mali libar Marka Uvodića Splićanina". He later played the character “Mate” in the movie "Da mi je biti morski pas" (If I could be a shark) in 1999. Zovko won several awards at the 46th

Pula Film Festival Pula Film Festival () is an annual Croatian film festival, established in 1954. It is held in a Roman amphitheater known as the Pula Arena. Pula Film Festival is the oldest Croatian film festival and is usually held in the summer, in July or Aug ...

. Starting in 2001, Zovko had one of the main roles in the movie "Ante se vraća kući" (Ante is Returning home). He played the character “Kole”, a student from Dalmatia. In the movie "Holding" he played a smaller role as a little brother. In the same year he played a waiter on a cruise ship in the movie "Posljedna Volja" (

The Last Will ''The Last Will'' () is a 2001 Croatian comedy film directed by Zoran Sudar and produced by Vicenco Blagaić. Plot The film focuses on a tour guide in small town of Dalmatia, played by Goran Višnjić Goran Višnjić ( ; born 9 September 197 ...

), with fellow Croatian actor

Goran Višnjić Goran Višnjić ( ; born 9 September 1972) is a Croatian actor. He is best known for his roles as Dr. Luka Kovač in '' ER'' and Garcia Flynn in '' Timeless'', both NBC television series. For ''ER'', he and the cast were nominated for two Scre ...

. Zovko played the character “Jozo” in the Croatian TV series “Naši i vaši“ (Ours and Yours) (2000-2002) along with the actor

Vedran Mlikota Vedran is a Slavic masculine given name of Croatian origin, which is also used among Serbs, Slovenes, and Bosniaks. Vedran means clear or cheerful. People *Vedran Perič, a Slovenian famous account manager *Vedran Celiščak, a Croatian footballe ...

. In this series both actors played men from “Hercegovina” who came to Zagreb. The story goes that both were under the impression that college would be easy since they knew the professor, but it turned out that they actually had to study hard to finish college. Josip Zovko also appeared in the movie “

“ as „Ćaćo“ in 2004. In the TV movie "Trešet" from the year 2006 Josip acted as a cop named "Prekrasni Um" (Beautiful Mind). Domestic people had the desire to corrupt him and lure him to their side because they saw a benefit for themselves. In the movie "Najvećoj pogrešci Alberta Einsteina (The Biggest Mistake of Albert Einstein), Josip acted as a stranger. In 2008, Josip Zovko opened the role in “Bitange i Princeze“. In 2009 he appeared as "Roko" in the movie “Vjerujem u anđele“ (I believe in Angels), where

Oliver Dragojević Oliver Dragojević (; 7 December 1947 – 29 July 2018) was a Croatian singer and composer, who was considered one of the most enduring musical stars and cultural icons in Croatia with a discography that spanned nearly five decades. His style b ...

also participated. In 2011 Josip played a Yugoslav Partisan in the movie “Bella Biondina”. In the music video of the singer

Miroslav Škoro Miroslav Škoro (; born 29 July 1962) is a Croatian politician, musician, TV host and former diplomat. He is the founder and the first president of the conservative Homeland Movement party, which he established in February 2020 and led until July ...

(2003) “Tamo gdje je dom“ (There Where the House Is) Zovko played a knight who is fighting for his homeland.

Death

Josip Zovko was killed in a car crash in Grudsko Vrilo (close to

Grude Grude () is a town and a municipality located in West Herzegovina Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Geography Grude is located 49 kilometers from Mostar, 19 kilometers from Imotski, and 1 ...

) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was buried at the cemetery Sveti Ante in Lokvičići on April 6. A memorial service was held in his honor on April 12, 2019, attended by friends and acting colleagues.

Filmography

Film

* "

Bella Biondina Bella is a feminine given name. It is a diminutive form of names ending in -bella. ''Bella'' is related to the Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Latin words for beautiful, and to the name Belle, meaning ''beautiful'' in French. It increas ...

" as Yugoslav Partisan (2011) * " Vjerujem u anđele" as Roko (2009) * " Najveća pogreška Alberta Einsteina" as stranger (2006) * " Trešeta" as Beautiful Mind (2006) * " Oprosti za kung fu" as Ćaćo (2004) * " Posljednja volja" as waiter on a cruise ship (2001) * " Holding" as Tein little brother (2001) * " Ante se vraća kući" as Kole (2001) * " Da mi je biti morski pas" as Mate (1999) * " Mali libar Marka Uvodića Splićanina" (1997)

Television

* "

Bitange i princeze ''Bitange i princeze'' () is a Croatian sitcom television series. Produced by Interflim for HRT, the series aired from 15 April 2005 to 8 March 2010 on HRT 1 and HRT 2. It was created and directed by Goran Kulenović. Set in Zagreb and loosely ...

" as Peraica (2008) * "

" as Jozo (2001-2002)

Music videos

* Miroslav Skoro "Tamo gdje je dom" (There Where the House Is) as a knight, 2003

Theatre HNK Split

Eugène Ionesco Eugène Ionesco (; ; born Eugen Ionescu, ; 26 November 1909 – 28 March 1994) was a Romanian-French playwright who wrote mostly in French, and was one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre#Avant-garde, French avant-garde th ...

''Nosorog'' as Drugi građanin, Vatrogasac, Prvi čovjek, zbor), 2017 *

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''Mletački trgovac'' as Tubal, 2016 * Ante Tomić ''Čudo u poskokovoj dragi'' as Don Stipe, 2014 * Jean – Baptiste Poquelin Molière ''Učene žene'' as Bilježnik, 2014 *

Bertolt Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known as Bertolt Brecht and Bert Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a p ...

''Majka courage i njezina djeca'' as Vrbovnik, drugi narednik, 2013 *William Shakespeare ''Timon Atenjanin'' as Slikar, 2013 *

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''Pritisci moje generacije'' as Muškarac, 2013 *

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''Amerikanska jahta u splitkskoj luci'' as Lee Prentice, 2013 *William Shakespeare ''Romeo i Julija'' as Escalo, 2012 *

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''Svečana večera u pogrebnom poduzeću'' Grobar Fiki, as Bosanac, 2011 *

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''Hekuba'' as Taltibije, Glasnik helenski, 2011. *

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''Smrt trgovačkog putnika'' (

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) as Howard Wagner, 2011 * Sanja Ivić ''Tartuffeerie'' as Inspicijent, 2011 *

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''Elling'' as Frank Ashley), 2010 *

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''Prije sna'' as Mate 2009 *

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''Skup'' as Drijemalo, 2008 *

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''Velika magija'' as Policijski brigadir, Gregorio, Calogerov brat, 2008 * Nina Mitrović ''Kad se mi mrtvi pokoljemo'' as Fazo, Izbjeglica, Musliman, 2007 *

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''Rosenkranz i Guildstern su mrtvi'' (

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), 2006 *

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''Osmi povjernik'' as Bart Kvasinožić, Muonin muž, Anthonyijev otac), 2005 *

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''Noć iguane'' as Hank, 2005 * Lada Martinac Kralj, prema Ranku Marinkoviću ''Otok svetog ciprijana'' as Mićel,2004 * Arijana Čulina ''Jo ča je život lip'' as Čep, 2004 * Tonči Petrasov Marović ''Antigona, kraljica u tebi'' as Drugi stražar, 2004. *

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''Liliom'' as Drugi policajac, ujedno i Drugi nebeski policajac, 2004 *

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''Don Juan'' as Gusman, Elvirin konjušar), 2003 *

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''Poslije kiše'' as Informatički programmer, 2003. *

Bernard-Marie Koltès Bernard-Marie Koltès (; ; 9 April 1948 – 15 April 1989) was a French playwright and theatre director best known for his plays ''La Nuit juste avant les Forêts'' (''The Night Just Before the Forests'', 1976), ''Sallinger'' (1977) and ''Dans ...

''Roberto Zucco'' as Drugi čuvar, inspektor, drugi policajac, 2002 * Vlaho Stulli ''Kate Kapuralica'' as Manoval, Vlaj, 2002 *

''Tetovirana ruža / Serafin Splićanka'' as Doktor, 2001 *

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''Cyrano de Bergerac'' as Christian de Neuvillette, 2000 *

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''Antigona'' as Hemon, 2000 *

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''Šest lica traži Autora'' as Sin, 2000 * Ivan Leo Lemo – Ana Tonković Dolenčić ''Plinska boca'' as Svećenik, 2000 *

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''Kuća pored Mora'', ballet as interpretator, 2000 *

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''Svećenikova djeca'' as Don Šimun, 1999 *William Shakespeare ''Na tri kralja'' as Antonio, pomorski kapetan, 1999 * Anton Pavlovič Čehov ''Galeb'' as Ilja Afanasjevič Šamrajev, Upravnik kod Sorina), 1998 * Fjodor Mihajlovič Dostojevski ''Braća Karamazovi'' as Rakitin, 1998 * Dubravko Mihanović ''Bijelo'' as Mali, 1998 *

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''Tarampesta / Mototor'' as Marino), 1997 *

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''Pokvarenjak'' as Ronnie, 1997 *William Shakespeare ''Kralj Lear'' as Francuski kralj, 1997 *

''Tartuffe'' as Valere, 1996 *

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''Kako je izdan Isus'' as Apostol Ivan, 1996 *

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''Posljednja noć karnevala'' as Redatelj, 1996 *

''Julije Cezar'' as Tinko Metikoš, 1995 *

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''Vojvotkinja Malfeška'' as Grisolan, dvorjanin, sluga, ubojica, 1995 *

''Edip'' as Mladić, 1994 *

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''Svatković'' as Susjed siromah, 1994 *

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''Arsen i stara Čipka'' as Klein, policajac, 1994 *William Shakespeare ''Hamlet'' as Drugi glumac, 1994 *

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''Saloma'' as Ađutant, Pjesnik, Kuhar, 1993 * Lada Martinac - Snježana Sinovčić ''Živim'' as Grof, 1993 *

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''Stadelmann'' as Konobar, 1992 *

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''Smrt Stjepana Radića'' as Narodni zastupnici, 1992 *

''Kidaj od svoje žene'' as Fotograf, 1992 * Muka spasitelja našega as Anđeli i alegorije, 1991 *

''Helena'', 1990.

Performances outside Split Theatre

* Mail Libar Marka Uvodića Splićanina, GKM Split * performance Ilija Zovko, regie / direction Josip Zovko, GKM Split

Film awards and special honors

* Croatian actress prize for role of Mate in TV movie To be a shark, directed by Ognjen Sviličić, 2000. * Award Veljko Maričić at the International Small Scene Festival for the role of Little in the performance of Bijelo Dubravko Mihanović, directed by John Leo Leme, 1998.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Zovko, Josip 1970 births 2019 deaths 20th-century Croatian male actors Male actors from Split, Croatia 21st-century Croatian male actors Croatian male film actors Croatian male stage actors Croatian male television actors Road incident deaths in Bosnia and Herzegovina