Otto Šimánek
Otto Šimánek (April 28, 1925 Třešť - May 8, 1992 Prague) was a Czech mime, film and theater actor. He has starred in a number of comedies and several fairy tales. Probably his most famous role was the title role in the series Pan Tau.
He trained as an electrician at Tesla in Prague and has so far played the theater only amateuristically. He later got to the Theater on May 5 and also traveled for a few months at the Theater under the Placht of Jindřich Plachta. He gained acting experience in various theaters. He worked in theaters in Zlín, Ostrava and finally in 1958 he was engaged in the Municipal Theaters of Prague, where he lasted until 1990.
He played a number of large roles on the stage. The character of the clown Jean Debureau remains unforgettable for the audience in the dramatization of Kožík's novel The Greatest of the Pierots, where he could fully use his love for pantomime. Acting in the Prague theater also meant an opportunity to win film and television roles. He mainly played smaller roles in about forty films. The most famous is probably the role from the movie I'll Get Up Tomorrow and Bake My Tea.
His character, Mr. Tau, entered the European and, to some extent, world film consciousness in the co-production series of the same name by director Jindřich Polák and screenwriter Ota Hofman. He also taught pantomime at the Prague Conservatory and DAMU. Among his students was, among others, the actor Petr Čepek.
On the site of the pharmacy where Otto Šimánek was born, an ash statue was installed in 2011 depicting an actor in the role of Mr. Tau with a typical hand movement near his hat. The author is Daniel Stejskal.
Acted in
Podnájem na Champs Ellysèes
1991
as Georges De Rillettes
Trezor
1989
as Adámek
Pan Tau – der Film
1988
as Josef Novak (Pan Tau) and Rudolf Karasek
Merry Christmas Octopus
1987
as učitel
Ohnivé ženy se vracejí
1987
Kde bydlí štěstí
1987
as zlatník
The Octopuses from the Second Floor
1986
as Teacher
Statečný Azmun
1986
Santa Lucia
1985
Šach mat
1985
Stalo se jedné neděle
1985
...and again that Lucy!
1984
as Mall Detective
Lucy, the Menace of Street
1984
as Mall Detective
Tři mušketýři
1983
Malý pitaval z velkého města
1983
The Visitors
1983
Poslední návrat
1983
Duch soudce Pauknera
1983
O bílém jadýrku
1983
Zelená vlna
1982
Kamenný orchestr
1982
as Matas
Poručík Petr
1981
Mature Wine
1981
Had z ráje
1981
as Mr. Forchheim
Arabela
1980
Arabela
1980
as (uncredited)
Inženýrská odysea
1980
Švec Janek v pohádkové zemi
1979
No Magic from Tomorrow
1979
as Pan Tau
Alarm in the Clouds
1978
as Pan Tau
Co je platno kárat, co je platno kázat
1978
Básník, služka a král
1977
Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea
1977
as Patrick White
Panenka z vltavské tůně
1976
Muž na radnici
1976
Wine Working
1976
Dva muži hlásí příchod
1975
Honza a Růžová panenka
1975
as táta
Three Wishes for Cinderella
1973
as King (voice) (uncredited)
Touha Sherlocka Holmese
1972
Bakaláři
1972
Lásky Emanuela Přibyla
1971
F. L. Věk
1971
One of Them Is the Murderer
1971
as Adam (voice)
Svatby pana Voka
1971
You Are a Widow, Sir
1971
as průmyslník Alfred Keletti
Pan Tau
1970
as Pan Tau
Pan Tau
1970
as Pan Tau / Alfons
Dobrodružství šesti trampů
1970
Kalif čápem
1970
Maryla
1969
Men About Town
1969
as muž
Hříšní lidé města pražského
1969
O kohoutovi, kose a kocourovi
1969
Úsměvy světa
1969
Das Sonntagskonzert
1969
as Self
Vo modrým ptáčku
1968
Sňatky z rozumu
1968
Údolie večných karaván
1968
Přísně tajné premiéry
1968
as lupič Mareček
Vajíčko
1968
Sedm žen Alfonse Karáska aneb Když holky berou, já nevím kterou
1967
Malá Dorritka
1967
The End of Agent W4C
1967
as Inventor
Ta naše písnička česká
1967
Bidýlko
1967
Pinocchiova dobrodružství
1967
as (voice)
Svatební cesta aneb Ještě ne, Evžene!
1966
Sedm sestřiček
1966
Cesta řeky k moři
1966
Who Wants to Kill Jessie?
1966
Poslední růže od Casanovy
1966
The Phantom of Morrisville
1966
Every Young Man
1966
as voják
Crime at the Girls School
1966
as Prop Man (segment "Jak se koupe žena")
Bejvávalo
1966
A Prayer for Katerina Horovitzova
1965
as krejčí
Případy komisaře Mejzlíka
1965
Bubny
1965
Polka jede do světa
1965
Tři chlapi po roce
1964
as (uncredited)
Fear
1964
as okrskář v Roudné
Začít znova
1964
The Hope
1964
as Fojtar
Zajatci tmy
1964
Šlechetný cowboy Sandy
1964
Tři chlapi v chalupě
1963
Death Is Called Engelchen
1963
Světáci
1963
Táto, přečti to!
1963
Sganarel lékařem
1962
Malý Bobeš ve městě
1962
Černá dynastie
1962
Objev na Střapaté hůrce
1962
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
1962
as Michal Ardan
Chicken on Travels
1962
as Teacher
Tvrdohlavá žena a zamilovaný školní mládenec
1962
Tři chlapi v chalupě
1961
Spadla s měsíce
1961
Where an Alibi Is Not Everything
1961
as Moravec
Policejní hodina
1961
Black Saturday
1961
as Slávek (voice)
Bajaja
1960
Všude žijí lidé
1960
as Rehák
Zkouška pokračuje
1960
as Inspicient
Letiště nepřijímá
1960
as Pilot Dvořák
Dařbuján a Pandrhola
1959
Dům na Ořechovce
1959
Desire
1958
as Brother-in-law (segment "Lidé na zemi a hvezdy na nebi")
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
1958
as The Man on the Train
Tlustý anděl z Rouenu
1958
Měšťáci
1958
Medvěd
1956
Shoesmachine
1954
as laborer
Nedělní dostaveníčko
1954
I andělé ztrácejí trpělivost
1949
Bambi Awards
1948
as Self