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Jiří Voskovec is a Actor, Scriptwriter and Producer American born on 19 june 1905 at Sázava (Republique tcheque)

Jiří Voskovec

Jiří Voskovec
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Birth name Jiří Wachsmann
Nationality USA
Birth 19 june 1905 at Sázava (Republique tcheque)
Death 4 july 1981 (at 76 years) at Pearblossom (USA)

Jiří Voskovec ([ˈjɪr̝iː ˈvoskovɛts]) (June 19, 1905 in Sázava (Benešov District), Bohemia as Jiří Wachsmann – July 1, 1981 in Pearblossom, California, U.S. as George Voskovec) was a Czech-American actor, playwright, dramatist, director, translator, and poet. Throughout most of his career he was associated with Jan Werich. He is most well known for his role as the 11th juror in the American film 12 Angry Men (1957 film).

His granduncle was Bedřich Wachsmann and his cousin was Alois Wachsman, both Czech painters and architects. Also his uncle was Austrian painter Julius Wachsmann (1866-1936).

He attended school in Prague and in Dijon, France, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1955.

Biography

In 1927, together with Werich, he joined the Osvobozené divadlo (Liberated Theater), which had been created two years earlier by members of the avant-garde Devětsil group, Jiří Frejka and Jindřich Honzl. After disagreements led Frejka to leave the group in 1927, Honzl asked Voskovec and Werich, 22-year-old law students who had created a sensation with their Vest Pocket Revue that year, to join the theatre. When Honzl, who had directed their productions, left in 1929, Voskovec and Werich took control of the theatre and changed its name to the Liberated Theatre of Voskovec and Werich, assuming all responsibility for direction, writing, librettos, and other artistic decisions. The Liberated became a center for Czech clownery, a reaction to contemporary political and societal problems. Their performances began with the primary goal of evoking laughter through fantasy, but with the changing political situation in Germany their work became increasingly anti-fascist, which led to the closure of the Liberated Theater after the Munich agreement in 1938.
Both Voskovec and Werich fled to the United States in early 1939. For the rest of his life, Voskovec lived primarily in the United States, interrupted only by brief stays in Czechoslovakia in 1948 and in France from 1948 to 1950. Until the mid-1940s, Voskovec worked and wrote mostly with Jan Werich, but after Werich's return to Communist Czechoslovakia, they met only a few more times. After his return to the United States in 1950, Voskovec was unjustly interned at Ellis Island for eleven months for his alleged sympathy for Communism.

Although Voskovec lived in three countries and his maternal grandmother was French, he always maintained that "I am a born and bred Czech." In 1955, he became an American citizen. As a result of his naturalization, he is sometimes referred to as "George Voskovec".

Voskovec acted in 72 movies. Only the first five of these were Czech; the rest were American or British. His most famous American movie was as the 11th juror in 12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda - where being a very recognisable European immigrant to the US was central to his role. His most famous British film was The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. His last movie was Barbarosa, with Willie Nelson and Gary Busey. In 1975, he published the Czech spoken LP record "Relativně vzato", where he reflects on his life and world in general. A sleeve note for this LP was written by another notable Czech émigré, author Josef Škvorecký. Voskovec also appeared in the 1978 television film The Nativity and the 1980 film Somewhere in Time, starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Jiří Voskovec (27 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Barbarosa
Barbarosa (1982)
, 1h30
Directed by Fred Schepisi
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action, Western
Actors Willie Nelson, Gary Busey, Isela Vega, Gilbert Roland, Alma Martinez, Jiří Voskovec
Roles Herman Pahmeyer
Rating63% 3.1958153.1958153.1958153.1958153.195815
Young Karl Westover (Gary Busey), a pre-Civil War Texas farm boy, accidentally kills his brother-in-law and must flee to Mexico. Early into his flight he is met by the outlaw Barbarosa (Willie Nelson) who, seconds later, kills a man who was following him. It is apparent that Barbarosa knows him, but doesn't say. Despite his disgust that Karl has nothing worth robbing, is loath to leave the poor rube to die in the desert. Barbarosa shows Karl how to find water, make a fire, and catch an armadillo for his supper before leaving him with the advice to go home to Texas.
Somewhere in Time, 1h43
Directed by Jeannot Szwarc
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Fantastic, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Time travel films, Films based on science fiction novels, Temporal paradox
Actors Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer, Teresa Wright, Bill Erwin, Jiří Voskovec
Roles Dr. Gerald Finney
Rating72% 3.602283.602283.602283.602283.60228
In May 1972, college theatre student Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) is celebrating the debut of a play he has written. During the celebration, he is approached by an elderly woman (Susan French) who places a pocket watch in his hand and pleads, "Come back to me." Richard does not recognize the woman, who returns to her own residence and dies soon afterward.
Man on a Swing, 1h50
Directed by Frank Perry
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Crime
Actors Cliff Robertson, Joel Grey, Elizabeth Wilson, Jiří Voskovec, Peter Masterson, Lane Smith
Roles Dr. Nicholas Holnar
Rating65% 3.2845353.2845353.2845353.2845353.284535
Un chef de police d'une petite ville enquêtant sur un meurtre se voit offrir l'aide d'un médium. Cependant, lorsque le chef découvre que le "voyant" est en possession d'informations connues uniquement de la police, il soupçonne que l'homme peut être plus impliqué dans l'affaire qu'il ne le laisse entendre.
Man on a Swing, 1h50
Directed by Frank Perry
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Crime
Actors Cliff Robertson, Joel Grey, Elizabeth Wilson, Jiří Voskovec, Peter Masterson, Lane Smith
Roles Dr. Nicholas Holnar
Rating65% 3.2845353.2845353.2845353.2845353.284535
Police detective Lee Tucker is investigating the murder of a woman. He has little evidence until factory worker Franklin Wills approaches him, identifying himself as a clairvoyant. Wills goes into trances during which he says that he can see the murder taking place. The whole time, Tucker wonders if Wills is authentically clairvoyant, or if he has an ulterior motive.
The Iceman Cometh, 3h59
Directed by John Frankenheimer
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Lee Marvin, Fredric March, Robert Ryan, Jeff Bridges, Bradford Dillman, Sorrell Booke
Roles Piet Wetjoen
Rating71% 3.590393.590393.590393.590393.59039
Un vendeur avec une passion soudaine pour la réforme a une idée de vendre à ses copains Barfly: jetez vos chimères. Les ivrognes, vivant dans un flophouse dessus d'un salon, choqués par l'idée.
Paradise Lost
Genres Drama
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Eli Wallach, Jo Van Fleet, Jiří Voskovec, Bernadette Peters, Cliff Gorman, George Bartenieff
Roles Gus Michaels
Rating80% 4.011454.011454.011454.011454.01145
The play takes place in an unnamed American city during the Depression, in 1932. The head of the family, Leo, and his wife Clara are middle-class and prosperous. However, over the course of the play Leo and his partner Sam lose their handbag business and the family must come to terms with this. The other characters in the play include a friend, Gus, and his daughter, Libby, a frivolous and self-centered young woman who is newly married to Leo's son Ben; a boarder, and an assortment of other characters.
The Boston Strangler, 1h56
Directed by Richard Fleischer, David S. Hall
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Biography, Documentary, Horror, Crime
Themes Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Serial killer films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, Sally Kellerman, William Hickey, Mike Kellin, George Kennedy
Roles Peter Hurkos
Rating70% 3.5464353.5464353.5464353.5464353.546435
The first part of the film shows the police investigation, with some examples of the seedier side of Boston life, including promiscuity in the adult quarters of the city. The second part shows the apprehension of DeSalvo. Bottomly's intent is to answer the question presented in the film's famous print ad:
Mister Buddwing, 1h40
Directed by Delbert Mann
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about psychiatry, Films about disabilities
Actors James Garner, Jean Simmons, Suzanne Pleshette, Angela Lansbury, Katharine Ross, Jack Gilford
Roles Shabby Old Man
Rating60% 3.0002353.0002353.0002353.0002353.000235
Waking up on a New York park bench, a man's mind is a total blank. He has no identification on him, just a slip of paper in his pocket with a phone number on it.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, 1h47
Directed by Martin Ritt, Paul Dehn, Guy Trosper
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Spy
Themes Spy films, Politique, Political films
Actors Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Oskar Werner, Peter van Eyck, Sam Wanamaker, Robert Hardy
Roles East German Defense Attorney
Rating74% 3.7462053.7462053.7462053.7462053.746205
The West Berlin office of the Circus, under administrator Alec Leamas (Richard Burton), has not been doing well. He is recalled to London shortly after the death of one of his operatives. Leamas is seemingly demoted to the banking section of the agency. In reality, a carefully staged transformation of Leamas has been arranged by Control (Cyril Cusack), the agency's chief. Now depressed and disgruntled, alcoholic and low on funds, he is quickly spotted by the East German Intelligence Service as a potential defector.
BUtterfield 8, 1h49
Directed by Daniel Mann
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films, Films about prostitution
Actors Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Harvey, Eddie Fisher, Dina Merrill, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field
Roles Dr. Tredman
Rating62% 3.1497553.1497553.1497553.1497553.149755
Gloria Wandrous (Elizabeth Taylor) wakes up in the apartment of wealthy executive Weston Liggett (Laurence Harvey) and finds that he has left her $250. Insulted, Gloria, whose dress is torn, takes Liggett's wife Emily's (Dina Merrill) mink coat to cover herself and scrawls "No Sale" in lipstick on the mirror. But she orders her telephone answering service, BUtterfield 8, to put Liggett through if he should call.
The Bravados, 1h38
Directed by Henry King
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Western
Themes Films about capital punishment, Children's films
Actors Gregory Peck, Joan Collins, Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Henry Silva, Barry Coe
Roles Gus Steimmetz
Rating69% 3.4944553.4944553.4944553.4944553.494455
Jim Douglas (Gregory Peck) is a rancher pursuing four outlaws after the murder of his wife six months before. He rides into Rio Arriba, where four men, Alfonso Parral (Lee Van Cleef), Bill Zachary (Stephen Boyd), Ed Taylor (Albert Salmi) and Lujan (Henry Silva), are in jail awaiting execution. Sheriff Eloy Sanchez (Herbert Rudley) allows Douglas to see the men.
Wind Across the Everglades, 1h33
Directed by Nicholas Ray, Budd Schulberg
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure
Themes Mise en scène d'une plante
Actors Burl Ives, Christopher Plummer, Gypsy Rose Lee, MacKinlay Kantor, Peter Falk, Curt Conway
Roles Aaron Nathanson
Rating65% 3.2944453.2944453.2944453.2944453.294445
L'action se passe dans le Sud de la Floride à la toute fin du XIX siècle. La ville de Miami vient tout juste de naître.
12 Angry Men, 1h35
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes Assassinat, L'action se déroule en une journée, Théâtre, Films about capital punishment, Films based on plays
Actors Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, E. G. Marshall, Martin Balsam, Jack Warden, John Fiedler
Roles Juror 11
Rating89% 4.497814.497814.497814.497814.49781
The story begins in a New York City courtroom, where an 19-year-old boy from a slum is on trial for allegedly stabbing his father to death. Final closing arguments are presented, and the judge then instructs the jury to decide whether the boy is guilty of murder. The judge further informs them that a guilty verdict will be accompanied by a mandatory death sentence.