Acting
Jan Werich
CS, DE, EN, FR cinema · 62 credits
Born
6 February 1905
Died
31 October 1980 (aged 75)
Birthplace
Praha - Československo
Also known as Ян Верих
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".
Known for
Filmography
Cecílie
2026
Cecílie
as Voice (archive footage)
Jan Werich: Když už člověk jednou je…
as Self (archive footage)
Fimfarum - To the good of all
as (voice), Original Story
Fimfarum 2
as Narrator, Original Story
Jan Werich's Fimfarum
as Vypravěč, Original Story
When the Oak Leaves Fall
as Narrator (voice) (archive footage), Book
Mean Barbara
as Narrator (voice) (archive footage), Book
Pan Tau – der Film
as (archive footage)
Jonáš a Melicharová
1986
Jonáš a Melicharová
as (archive footage)
Královna Koloběžka první
1981
Královna Koloběžka první
as Narrator (archive footage) (voice), Book
Herecké Vánoce
1970
Herecké Vánoce
as Jan Werich
Assignment K
as Dr. Spiegler
The 25th Hour
as Sgt. Constantin
Král a žena
1967
King and Women
as Jindřich VIII., Adaptation
Golem
1967
Golem
Theatre Play
Pražská strašidla
1966
Pražská strašidla
as Narrator (voice)
Magnetické vlny léčí
as léčitel Wohu
The Cry
as Narrator (voice)
Three veterans
Original Story
When the Cat Comes
as Oliva
Uspořená libra
as Sam Adams, Adaptation, Screenplay
Kočár nejsvětější svátosti
Actor, Screenplay
Tears the World Can't See
as Fedor Akimič Rjebrotěsov
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
as kapitán holandské lodi
Medvěd
as statkář Grigorij Stěpanovič Smirnov
Italienisches Capriccio
as Don Marzio
Těžká Barbora
1960
Těžká Barbora
Actor, Theatre Play
Balada z hadrů
as strážný Holofern, Theatre Play
The Creation of the World
as Narrator (voice)
The Good Soldier Svejk
as Narrator, Adaptation
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkova budějovická anabase
1956
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkova budějovická anabase
as Narrator (voice)
Jaroslav Hasek's Exemplary Cinematograph
as Commentary (voice)
Two Little Frosts
as Brave Frost (voice)
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...
as král Já I., Story, Dialogue, Screenplay
Hudba z Marsu
as Nadšený divák
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkovy nehody ve vlaku
1955
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkovy nehody ve vlaku
as Narrator (voice)
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Z Hatvanu na hranice Haliče
1954
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Z Hatvanu na hranice Haliče
as Narrator (voice)
The Secret of Blood
Screenstory
The Emperor and the Golem
as Emperor Rudolf II / Matheus Kotrba, The Baker, Creative Producer, Story, Screenplay
O zlaté rybce
1951
The Golden Fish
as Narrator (voice), Story, Screenplay
Pekařův císař
as Rudolf II. / Matěj Kotrba, Screenplay
Císařův pekař
as Rudolf II. / Matěj Kotrba, Screenplay
The Fall of Berlin
as Goering
Crisis
Actor
The World Belongs to Us
as kamelot, Theatre Play, Screenplay, Lyricist
The Golem
Theatre Play
Heave-Ho!
Actor, Story, Screenplay
Here in Kocourkov
as Ferdinand Kaplan, Lyricist
Your Money or Your Life
as Tonda, Screenplay, Story
Powder and Petrol
Actor, Story, Screenplay, Producer