Actress Jorga Kotrbová, whose death at the age of 78 on Tuesday, November 24, affected the Czech art scene, became famous as a young girl in one of the most popular fairy tales, which left her forever in the memories of the audience. According to the portal however, she was critical of her Goldilocks character.
Information about her death was published by the Czech Actors’ Association. “With deep sadness, on behalf of the family, we announce that on November 24, 2025, the prominent film and theater actress and voice actor Jorga Kotrbová left us forever… worked in the Prague Realistic Theater and in the Theater on the Railing. From the age of 14, she acted in films, where she always impressed with her distinctive feminine type,” it is reported on the social network.
Her talent and charisma were manifested not only in front of the camera, but also in the world of dubbing. “We knew her not only from the movie screen, but also thanks to the dubbing. Her voice accompanied generations of viewers. In 2021, she received the František Filipovský Award for lifelong excellence in dubbing. We say goodbye to a colleague who left a mark in Czech culture and in the memory of the audience. Thank you for the work with which she enriched our acting community. My sincere condolences to the family and loved ones.” representatives of an important institution sent.
Her unusual beauty and gentle angelic appearance made her became one of the most iconic princesses of Czech fairy tales of the 70s. She played Goldilocks, the king’s daughter, whose hair had magical powers. Although this fairy tale brought her fame, she herself saw it as a curse. She didn’t like being seen as Goldilocks forever. She hated the character so much that she didn’t even attend the January 2025 premiere of her new adaptation.
She also played the princess in the fairy tale Honza malem králem (1977), but with dark hair. In addition, she also appeared in several comedies, which include, for example The suffering of the young Bohaček (1969) or Friday is not a holiday (1979), where she again showed her talent for light and natural humor.
You could hear her voice in the film Fantomas (1964) and its sequelswhere she dubbed the French actress Mylène Demongeot. She also signed the American TV classic M*A*S*H, where she “brought to life” the character of Margaret Houlihan, played by Loretta Swit.
Kotrbová left behind three children. Her daughter Tamara is following in her mother’s acting footsteps and has even starred with her in several films. She had younger children Júlia and Václav with the actor Zdenek Žák, to whom she was married for five years.
The marriage was about to break up due to their strong personalities when neither of them wanted to back down. After 2000, she decided to end her acting career and withdraw into private life. She might not be thrilled about it, but for some fans, she will forever be the innocent Goldilocks.
