2017Doyens of Serbian Theatre - First Day Cover

Marija Crnobori

Born in Banjola (Istria), on 1st October 1918. She completed the Actors’ Academy in Zagreb in the class of professor Branko Gavela. Her first engagement was in the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, then in the National Theatre in Rijeka. Invited by Bojan Stupica, she transferred to Belgrade in 1947 to then recently established Yugoslav Drama Theatre. With her mellow air and warm voice, a genuine heroine, Marija Crnobori was a unique Yugoslav actress. She could easily be both Antigone and Phaedra, Lady Macbeth, Iphigenia, Leda... She was a firm supporting column of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre repertoirе, as the theatre where she spent her best acting years. She took part in the founding of the Dubrovnik Summer Games where she played Ophelia, Gertrude, Titania... She won countless awards for her exquisite performance, of which we single out the Federal Award (1945), Belgrade October Award (1960), Sterija Award (1968), Seventh of July Award (1976), Dobrica’s Ring (1992). She wrote and published two books: The World of Acting in 1991 and A Little Life in 2011. She died in Belgrade on 21st October 2014.

Vlastimir – Đuza Stojiljković

Born on 30th June 1929 in Ražanj near Kruševac. He completed the Belgrade Drama Arts Academy and started his career in 1951 in Belgrade Drama Theatre where he performed until 1968, and then transferred to Atelier 212. He returned to Belgrade Drama Theatre in 1978, but in 1985 came back to Atelier 212 as a permanent member. He played in more than 130 roles in Belgrade theatres in the following plays: Enemy of the People, Nikoletina Bursać, Generals or Kinship in Arms, Heron, Miracle in Šargan, Maria Stewart, Fathers and Forefathers, The Beggar’s Opera, Hero’s Square… His film debut was in 1957, with a role in a film titled Foreign Land. He earned a great popularity in the movie Love and Fashion, and with a movie song titled A Little Girl he started his career as a singer. The TV series Guess What Begins with Letter… had brought about a big television popularity to him, which continued in the series that followed, such as Goodnight Children, Theatre at Home, Scales for Precise Measurement, Graduates, Čedomir Ilić and many others. The TV drama Stairways from 2015 stand as a stamp on his entire work. Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković was a gentlemanly actor in the real sense of the word. As an actor limitlessly committed to his work, he devotedly worked together with the younger colleagues and had serious approach to the stage work, refusing to play trivial roles. He died in Belgrade on 17th June 2015.

Borivoje Bora Todorović

Born on 5th May 1929 in Belgrade. He graduated from the Belgrade Drama Arts Academy in 1956 in the class of Professor Joza Laurenčić. He was a member of the Belgrade Drama Theatre till 1957 when moved, together with Mira Stupica and Bojan Stupica, to Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb. In 1961 he returned to Belgrade, to Atelier 212 theatre where he stayed till 1990, when he came to Zvezdara Theatre. In the Atelier 212 theatre he played in the cult plays, such as Arsenic and Old Lace, Pig Trot, Bora Šnajder, Radovan III, Marathon Family, Dogs Heart; while in Zvezdara Theatre he acted in Spawning of the Craps, Larry Thompson, The Professional. He also created numerous significant film roles (Who’s That Singing Over There, National Class, The Balkan Spy...). In 2003, he won the Cannes Grand Prix for his role in the film Professional. He was also present on television. Hot Wind, Balkan Express, Grey Home, Graduates, Procreation of the Working People are some of the series in which he played. He worked with ease and tirelessness, played at the stage as in life. He won a vast number of awards, among which were also Sterija’s Award and Pavle Vujisić Award, Dobrica’s Ring Award... Bora was the embodiment of the Belgrade spirit, charm and warmth. He died on 7th July 2014 in Belgrade.

Dragoslav Dragan Nikolić

Born in Belgrade on 20th August 1943. He graduated from the Theatre, Film, Radio and Television Academy in Belgrade. In 1964, he started his film career in Belgrade, and television career in 1965 in the series It is Enough to be Silent. The main role in the film of Živojin Pavlović, When I’m Dead and Pale (1967), brought him great popularity that continued in the roles in the films Horoscope, National Class, Who’s That Singing Over There, Banović Strahinja, Something In Between, Balkan Express, The Last Lap in Monza, and many others, which brought him numerous awards. His maturity in acting was crowned by Belgrade October award in 1985. His theatre career started in Belgrade Drama Theatre, and in 1967 he transferred to Atelier 212 where he played role of Berger in Hair, directed by Mira Trailović. In Atelier 212 he performed in more than 30 plays, such as Liaison, Ziger-Zager, Dervish and Death, Tom Paine, Saint George and the Dragon, Filumena Marturano, Visitor… He won the greatest popularity by his roles in TV series and musicals: Maximeter (1970), Cheek to Cheek (1972), The Written-Offs (1974) and the Return of the Written-Offs (1976), Better Life (1990), Zona Zamfirova (2002), Wounded Eagle (2008), Jagodić Family (2012), Something Nice (2014). The legendary actor, who was depicted by the fans as a charmer, was special, both an artist and a man. He died in Belgrade on 11th March 2016.

Ružica Sokić

Born in Belgrade on 14th December 1934. As a girl, she took part in Children Radio and Drama Group at Radio Belgrade. After graduation at the Theatre Academy in 1958, she was for a short time a member of the Contemporary Theatre, from which she transferred to Atelier 212. A real diva of the Serbian acting, she engaged in her primarily comic, but also dramatic roles, adding a complex and contradictory mixture of urban and suburban character. Nothing seemed to be difficult for her, she was a real theatrical gladiator. She performed more than 200 theatre roles: Mileva (Hog’s Trot), Gospava (Miracle in Šargan), Mir-Jam, Žanka, Patricia (Female Orchestra), Tijana (The Great Drama)… She acted in 40 films (Republic of Užice, Tango Argentino, The Blond One, Forgery Original, It’s a Dark Night Out There, Zona Zamfirova, Too Tight a Hide…) and in over 100 TV comedies, dramas and series (Jelena, Elevator, Happy People, Hot Wind, Policeman from the Rooster Hill, Procreation of the Working People…). Ružica Sokić won many awards for her outstanding creations: two Sterija’s, two Golden Pula Arenas, Seventh of July, Žanka Stokić, Dobrica’s Ring, Crystal Prism, Pavle Vujisić Award for her life achievement. In 2010 she published a book titled Passion for Flying. She died in Belgrade on 19th December 2013. In October 2015, the Legacy of Ružica Sokić was opened in the Yugoslav Kinoteka in Belgrade.

Оlivera Marković

Born in Belgrade on 3rd May 1925. She used to say for herself that from an early age, she was belligerent, venturesome and ambitious. As a small girl, she founded a theatre group in which she acted, directed and managed. During the German occupation, with her peers, enthusiasts, among which was also Rade Marković, at Kolarac, and later in a private flat, she had rehearsals and performed various plays. After the war, she acted in Youth and then Academic Theatre, and was enrolled in the Drama Arts Academy as the first generation in the class of Professor Mata Milošević. She played her graduation role in 1952 in the Belgrade Drama Theatre, in the play The Last One by Maxim Gorky. She also played in Atelier 212 Theatre, the National Theatre and was a co-founder of the Belgrade Drama Section in 1961. Apart from acting, she was singing professionally, and her preference were romantic songs. She created over 150 roles. She recorded 63 films and over 80 radio and TV dramas and comedies. Among other awards, she won also two Golden Arenas in Pula, Belgrade October Award, Seventh of July Award for the most significant achievements, Dobrica’s Ring. She was a spouse of Rade Marković, the actor, and mother of Goran Marković, the film and theatre director. She died in Belgrade on 2nd July 2011.

Bekim Fehmiu

Born in Sarajevo on 1st June 1936, completed his grammar school in Prizren, and then the Theatre Academy in Belgrade, in the class of professor Mata Milošević in 1960. He was a member of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre. Even as a novice actor, he drew attention by the play Discovery, by Dobrica Ćosić. For the role of SS officer in The Condemned of Altona, play by Sartre, he recieved congratulations from author personaly. In YDT he played in the following performances: Hostage, Summer Night’s Dream, Danton’s Death, Dirty Hands, Banović Strahinja, and simultaneously he acted also in Atelier 212 Theatre, in the performances Superintendent, Egg, Marat/Sade. As Bora the White from the film I Even Met Happy Gypsies in 1967 he walked down the red carpet in Cannes. That role brings him also the title role in the Italian series Odyssey. He also acted in the Serbian films, such as The Road, Swarm, Hot Years, Special Upbringing, Deps, Košava, Protest, Partizan Squadron, Reichstag Burning, and in the international roles, such as The Adventurers (produced by Dino de Laurentis, Paramount), The Last Snow of Spring, Freedom my Love, Black Sunday, Beast Pavilion, Cagliostro, Child Named Jesus, Kitty’s Saloon, series Old and Young by Pirandello. Two decades later he returns to the theatre with the roles of Lenin and Stalin in the play Madame Kollontai with actress Rada Đuričin. He was awarded a vast number of awards in the country, such as two Arenas, Emperor Constantine, Skull Tower, while abroad he received Bergamo – for the best actor and others. He wrote the book in two volumes, Brilliant and Terrifying. He decided to leave this world on 15th June 2010.

Nikola Simić

Born in Belgrade on 18th May 1934. Even in his grammar school, he stood out with his roles in the Drama Section. Upon graduation from the Academy for Theatre, Film, Radio and Television, he got engagement in the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, where he created many roles from the comic and drama repertoire. He possessed the skill of traditional comedian and it was said that “Nikola is our Charlie Chaplin”. He will be remembered for the masterly-played role in A Flea In Her Ear, which had over 2,000 performances in 43 years of staging, as was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. He became widely popular by playing Mita Pantić in the film serial Too Tight A Hide, but also by the roles in the popular TV series, such as: More Than A Game, Happy People, Family Treasure, Love, Habit, Panic. Nikola Simić mastered the scene sovereignly. Actors, directors and the audience could learn a lot from him. For his comic skills and unbelievable ability to modify his voice, Nikola often gave voices to cartoon characters – to name but a few: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Smurfs and the characteristic, often repeated and well-remembered, “What’s Up, Doc?” in the Bugs Bunny cartoons. For the richness of his roles, Nikola Simić won Pula Arena and Sterija’s Award, Pavle Vujisić Award and many others. He died in Belgrade on 9th September 2014.