Czech actress Nina Popelíková has had dozens of roles in front of the camera, but she became famous for her role as head nurse Jáchymová in the popular TV series Hospital on the outskirts of the city. According to the portal, she finished the series just before her death. On October 14, 2025, 105 years have passed since her birth.
The love of her life was the actor Ota Sklenčka, whom she met in the theater and they got married in 1945. They had a daughter, Milica, who graduated from a medical school and worked as a head nurse at the same time that her famous mother got the same television role. Thanks to that, she helped her with preparations for filming. And to make it seem as believable as possible, she also took it to her work.
Popelíková was not a typical woman, instead of dressing and taking care of her appearance, she was interested in useful things in life. “I remember that Nina was amazingly practical. When you went west to Germany and all the ladies bought cosmetics, sweaters and blouses there, Popelíková preferred to get a set of tools. And I also know she collected keys. Also the big ones with decorative beating. I got one from her and I have it as a keepsake,” said actress Jiřina Bohdalová for CNN Prima NEWS.
The couple complemented each other well. While she was extremely skilled and active, Sklenčka was the prudent type. “Dad, for example, once got her a circular for Christmas,” surprised director František Laurin with a memory. The acting couple spent a lot of time at the cottage, which Popelíková improved, she also made a spiral staircase. Sklenčka again relaxed while catching fish.
At the end of filming Hospital on the outskirts of the city, the actress fell ill with cancer, with which she fought for two years. She eventually lost her fight. She died just four months after the series premiered, on April 18, 1982, at the age of 61. Ota Sklenček’s husband survived her by 11 years.
