- Born
- Died
- Nickname
- The Wise Clown
- Height6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
- Jan Werich was born on February 26, 1905 in Prague, Austria-Hungary. He was an actor and writer, known for The Emperor and the Golem (1952), Král a zena (1967) and Workers, Let's Go (1934). He died on October 31, 1980 in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
- Children
- Was supposed to play Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond-movie You Only Live Twice (1967). He even posed for publicity photos in character, but fell ill just prior to production and Donald Pleasence was a last-minute replacement.
- Father of Jana Werichová.
- He turned down the lead part in Our Mr. Foerster Died (1963), eventually played by Bohus Záhorský.
- He turned down the part in Archimedov zákon (1964), eventually played by Jirí Sovák.
- He was originally considered for the part of purkrabí in Noc na Karlstejne (1974), eventually played by Jaroslav Marvan.
- If somebody already is, then he should see to it that he be. And when he sees that he be and is, then he must make sure, that he is what he is, and is not what he isn't - as is the case in most cases.
- [on his favorite writers] I like Shakespeare very much and I like Moliere, and I think everybody has to like these people, because there is always something to read. I like Hemingway of course, I like Camus and I like Shaw. I can't tell you off hand like this. I would have to think a long time, because I don't just want to say names, you know? Of course I like Chekhov very much. I think Chekhov is one of the best authors for the theatre, and he started the realistic movement in the theatre, though I'm not one of those actors or theatrical people who just swear on realism only and nothing but realism. I don't believe in methods. I think Stanislavski wrote a marvelous book, which would help an actor, but which can't make an actor of a man just by reading it. And then Thurber I like very much.
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