He first acted as a stand-in in a volunteer theater
Čeněk Šlégl, the movie consultant of varied well-to-do and stylish gents, truly bought into appearing by chance. He was born in 1899 right into a Prague service provider household and was initially alleged to change into an engineer. After commencement, nevertheless, he went on trip to his uncle in Rakovnicko, the place he rapidly fell in love with a member of the native volunteer group. And it was then that his love for artwork was born. He began with a number of theater firms and in 1919 he appeared in entrance of a movie digital camera for the primary time. He made two movies that yr. He performed Baron Malenický within the comedy The Thief, and within the historic, however by no means accomplished and preserved movie, Struggling to Glory, he received the position of Jan Amos Comenius.
He usually appeared in entrance of the digital camera alongside Vlasta Burian, his theater boss
Nonetheless, Čeněk Šlégl solely gained the best fame with the appearance of sound movie, when he grew to become well-known because the protagonist of largely comedic characters. Audiences usually noticed him in cinemas within the position of Vlasta Burian’s recorder, in whose theater he labored. They already had many well-known scenes from joint movies polished virtually to perfection, as they’d efficiently carried out them first as stage performs in Burian’s theater. For instance, the 1939 comedy U pokladnya stał… was primarily based on a timeless play about insurance coverage firms and sufferers, which was carried out within the theater close to Burian. As within the well-liked play, so additionally within the later movie, Čeněk Šlégl appeared within the position of guild councilor Richard Pěna, whose theater boss, as a secret medical scholar and hospital nurse, Kryštof Rozruch handled an injured finger.
He largely performed wealthy and influential gents
Because of his elegant look, the characters of bankers, administrators, giant landowners or noblemen most frequently awaited the favored actor. Within the Nineteen Thirties, he made a number of extraordinarily profitable comedies that audiences nonetheless love at this time. Within the comedy To neznáte Hadimršku, Čeňek Šlégl grew to become consul Wieland, who tirelessly sought the favor of the enticing cabaret singer Mica Angora, performed by Meda Valentová. The ageless movie from 1931, which grew to become a field workplace hit after its launch, was co-directed by Karel Lamač and Martin Frič. One other of the wealthy and influential gents was, for instance, the manufacturing unit employee Daněk within the comedy Nezlobte dedečka, the retired corvette captain within the movie Ducháček to rearrange it or the director Kryštof, who was performed by Čeněk Šlégl beneath the path of Martin Frič within the movie Catacombs shot in 1940. place, he met Vlasta Burian, who additionally sang in entrance of the digital camera, in addition to the then well-liked formation Kocourk’s academics.
He wished to save lots of the household of his daughter, who had married a Jewish official
The profitable and well-liked actor, who even directed a number of movies and was additionally the writer of movie and theater scripts, was experiencing a tough dilemma inside. He got here from a Czech-feeling household and confirmed his anti-German mindset in public a number of instances. Amongst different issues, he even distributed anti-fascist leaflets. However the state of affairs quickly modified, and the well-known artist began appearing formally loyal to the German occupiers. For instance, he recorded a number of pro-Nazi radio sketches and briefly grew to become a member of Vlajka, the Czech Nazi motion that had been attacking him and his household for a very long time earlier than he joined. The actor’s solely daughter made the acquaintance of a Jewish official, whom she married just a little later. A spherical of arrests, interrogations and threats adopted. It was for the protection of his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter, who had been born out of a combined marriage, that Čeněk Šlégl sacrificed all the things. As a way to defend his household from the worst, he grew to become a collaborator within the eyes of the Czech public. He traded his status, honor and future for the lives of his family members.
After the conflict, he fell to all-time low
After 1945 got here the inevitable fall. Čenek Šlégl was accused of collaboration and sentenced to 6 months in jail in uranium mines. He was additionally banned from appearing in movie and theater for all times. He misplaced his luxurious Prague villa, the place he was graciously allowed to reside as a subtenant. One of the sought-after actors of interwar Czechoslovakia bought a spot within the coal warehouses due to patronage. To make more money, he offered his hand-painted glass footage in pubs. The daughter and granddaughter emigrated to Austria within the Sixties, and the previous movie dude, whom the viewers may additionally bear in mind from the extremely profitable Kristian because the persistent gentleman with a handkerchief, died in 1970 in poverty and loneliness.
JIRAS, Pavel. Barrandov – Oasis in the course of the rampages III. Prague: Ottovo nakladatelství, 2013. ISBN 978-80-7451-354-1
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