Jan Werich
Known for: Acting
Born: February 6, 1905
Died: October 31, 1980
Place of birth: Praha - Československo
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".
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Filmography
60 movies · 6 TV shows, newest first
NR
Cecílie
2026
9.0
Jan Werich: Když už člověk jednou je…
2021NR
Voskovec & Werich, paralelní osudy
2012
7.0
Fimfarum - To the good of all
2011
7.5
Fimfarum 2
20068.0
Tři strážníci
2005
7.0
Jan Werich's Fimfarum
2002
6.6
RumplCimprCampr
1997
8.8
When the Oak Leaves Fall
1991
8.2
Mean Barbara
1989
6.4
Pan Tau – der Film
19889.0
Jonáš a Melicharová
1986
6.4
Ruffiano and Sweeteeth
1984
7.8
The Three Veterans
1984
NR
Echoes of the Blue Room
19834.5
Přišel na večeři
1981NR
Královna Koloběžka první
1981NR
Herecké Vánoce
1970
7.1
Pan Tau
1970
NR
Přiložte životopis
196810.0
Co tomu říkáte, pane Werich?
1968
6.3
Assignment K
1968
7.0
Klapzubova jedenáctka
1968NR
Czechoslovakia: Portrait of a Tragedy
19688.0
King and Women
1967
7.6
The 25th Hour
19677.0
Golem
1967NR
Pražská strašidla
1966
6.5
Magnetické vlny léčí
19657.0
The Dear Departed
1964
NR
Three veterans
1964
7.0
The Cry
1964
7.8
Uspořená libra
1963
6.7
Kočár nejsvětější svátosti
1963
8.3
Tears the World Can't See
1963
7.0
When the Cat Comes
1963
7.4
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
1962
10.0
Italienisches Capriccio
1961
8.5
Medvěd
19616.2
Těžká Barbora
1960
7.0
Balada z hadrů
1960
6.8
The Creation of the World
1958NR
Silvestr 1957
1957NR
To jsou Bratři v triku
1957
7.3
The Good Soldier Svejk
1956NR
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkova budějovická anabase
1956
5.9
Jaroslav Hasek's Exemplary Cinematograph
1956
6.1
Hudba z Marsu
1955
6.6
Two Little Frosts
1955
5.7
Dog's Heads
1955
8.0
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...
1955NR
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkovy nehody ve vlaku
1955NR
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Z Hatvanu na hranice Haliče
1954NR
Pouť noci silvestrovské
1953
6.5
The Secret of Blood
1953NR
Večer s Jaroslavem Haškem
1953
7.0
The Emperor and the Golem
19516.1
The Golden Fish
1951
5.0
The Fall of Berlin
1950
8.0
Crisis
1939
7.2
The World Belongs to Us
1937
5.2
The Golem
1936
7.4
Here in Kocourkov
1934
6.8
Heave-Ho!
1934
7.5
Your Money or Your Life
1932
8.0
Powder and Petrol
1932