Jan Werich
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".
Acted in
Jan Werich: Když už člověk jednou je…
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Voskovec & Werich, paralelní osudy
2012
as self
Fimfarum - To the good of all
2011
as (voice)
Fimfarum 2
2006
as Narrator
Tři strážníci
2005
as self
Jan Werich's Fimfarum
2002
as Vypravěč
When the Oak Leaves Fall
1991
as Narrator (voice) (archive sound)
Pan Tau – der Film
1988
as (archive footage)
Mean Barbara
1987
as Vypravěč
Pan Tau
1970
Přiložte životopis
1968
as Self
Co tomu říkáte, pane Werich?
1968
as Self
Assignment K
1968
as Dr. Spiegler
Klapzubova jedenáctka
1968
Czechoslovakia: Portrait of a Tragedy
1968
as Self
King and Women
1967
as Jindřich VIII.
The 25th Hour
1967
as Sgt. Constantin
Pražská strašidla
1966
as Narrator (voice)
Magnetické vlny léčí
1965
as léčitel Wohu
The Dear Departed
1964
as Dědeček
The Cry
1964
as Narrator (voice)
Uspořená libra
1963
as Sam Adams
Kočár nejsvětější svátosti
1963
Tears the World Can't See
1963
as Fedor Akimič Rjebrotěsov
When the Cat Comes
1963
as Oliva
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
1962
as kapitán holandské lodi
Italienisches Capriccio
1961
as Don Marzio
Medvěd
1961
as statkář Grigorij Stěpanovič Smirnov
Balada z hadrů
1960
as strážný Holofern
Těžká Barbora
1960
as druhý žoldnéř
The Creation of the World
1958
as Narrator (voice)
To jsou Bratři v triku
1957
as Himself
Silvestr 1957
1957
The Good Soldier Schweik
1956
as Narrator
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkova budějovická anabase
1956
as Narrator (voice)
Jaroslav Hasek's Exemplary Cinematograph
1956
as Commentary (voice)
Hudba z Marsu
1955
as Nadšený divák
Two Little Frosts
1955
as Brave Frost (voice)
Dog's Heads
1955
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...
1955
as král Já I.
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkovy nehody ve vlaku
1955
as Narrator (voice)
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Z Hatvanu na hranice Haliče
1954
as Narrator (voice)
Pouť noci silvestrovské
1953
The Emperor and the Golem
1952
as Emperor Rudolf II / Matheus Kotrba, The Baker
The Golden Fish
1951
as Narrator (voice)
The Fall of Berlin
1950
as Hermann Goering
Crisis
1939
The World Belongs to Us
1937
as kamelot
U nás v Kocourkově
1934
as Ferdinand Kaplan
Heave-Ho!
1934
Your Money or Your Life
1932
as Tonda
Powder and Petrol
1932