Andy Timková belongs to the legendary personalities who stood at the beginning of TV Markíza. She was indelibly etched in the memories of Slovak viewers, primarily as the long-standing and smiling face of the Teleráno morning show, and later also hosted the shows Doma s Markíza, Hodina pravdy and the legendary Pevnosť Boyard. Thanks to this work, she met interesting people and famous personalities. She described the unforgettable experience with the legendary Czech actress for .
She considers Jiřina Jirásková († 81) to be a key guest in Doma s Markíza Timková, who, according to her, was an actress who inspired enormous authority and strictness. She prepared for it for a long time and managed to get a call when she was the head of the Theater in Vinohrady.
“When she picked up the phone, I introduced myself and explained that I wanted to invite her to the show, I described the whole thing and she was so quiet on the phone. So I say to her: “You know, but we have a budget of about 8,000 for the show…” And she says: “I don’t want money.” I just want you to bring me in and take me away.’ I further told her that she could call an actor or a colleague from Bratislava. So she told me who and the actor, I won’t name him, so the first question was how much would I get for it. I told him that everything, because Mrs. Jirásková doesn’t want money,” surprised the former presenter.
“That was a guest who was fantastic. When she arrived, she told me that I could ask anything I wanted and she would answer me. I was cautious, but she thanked me so much and hugged me after the broadcast. In that broadcast, it was also on the edge, because I asked her why she doesn’t have children. This is already a very intimate, sensitive question. And she answered: “Well, I don’t know.”. Maybe I was afraid it would be a bastard and then it couldn’t be done.’ These are the things that make you hold your breath. But she just gave it, she said it. So I like to remember these things,” concluded Timková.
Jiřina Jirásková was born on February 17, 1931 in Prague. She began studying at the Kutnohorsk monastery gymnasium. However, when she was in danger of failing her Latin class, the mother superior – according to Jiráská’s memories, an educated and elegant lady – recommended the future actress to study at the Štán Conservatory in Prague, because she recognized her acting talent. In the years 1946 – 1950, Jirásková continued her studies at the Theater Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU), where her teachers included actors such as Ladislav Pešek, Karel Höger, and Miloš Nedbal.
After completing her studies, she was briefly a member of the Regional Regional Theater in Hradec Králové. Since 1951, she has been loyal to the Vinohrady Theater in Prague. In the period from May 30, 1990 to June 30, 2000, she was its director. Her creations in Shakespeare’s tragedies, for example Richard III., where Queen Markéta was partnered by Miloš Kopecký, were notable.
Jiřina Jirásková got her first film role as Tonička Rousová in 1953 in the movie Krejčovská povídka, filmed by Jindřich Puš. She was offered a bigger opportunity by Zbyněk Brynych in the film Smyk from 1960. According to her memories, the director who taught Jirásková a lot was Jiří Krejčík. It was he who cast her in the 1965 television adaptation of the play Pension for Single Gentlemen.
The year 1969 brought Jiřina Jirásková two life roles. Mrs. Štenclová was the first to be divorced, who strives for the favor of the main character (Miloš Kopecký) in the tragicomedy Já, truchlivý Bů. It was filmed by Antonín Kachlík based on Milan Kundera’s literary model.
Then the comedy Světáci directed by Zdeňko Podskalský is still unforgettable. Jirásková, together with Iva Janžurová and Jiřina Bohdalová, portrayed a trio of women, who are supported by three “façade men” from the countryside – Jiří Sovák, Vlastimil Brodský and Jan Libíček. First Republic film star Oldřich Nový was also present in the comedy.
In 1970, for example, she played in the comedy Devil’s Honeymoon directed by Zdenek Podskalský. However, the upcoming normalization brought her a ban on acting on cinema screens and television screens. The actress did not hide her criticism of the Soviet invasion in 1968 and the subsequent political developments. Although they indicated to her several times that if she publicly retracted her views, they would allow her to work, she never did so. “I couldn’t do it, I would collapse from shame. I knew that I was right about certain things,” said Jirásková in the Czech TV program Komici na níku.
She appeared in Zdenek Podskalský’s films Trhák and Křtiny. In 1983, Karel Kachyňa entrusted her with one of the two main roles in the popularly successful film Sisters. In the same year, she also appeared in the film Catapult, which Jaromil Jireš shot based on the prose of the same name by Vladimír Páral.
The audience could also see Jirásková in the well-known comedy Sun, hay, strawberries. Director Zdeněk Troška got her for the film thanks to a trick, as he originally cast Laďka Kozderková in the role, who “accidentally” suddenly fell ill – so there was no other option than to hire Jirásková, who was spending the summer at a cottage, not far from the filming location. She also played the character of the fake-singing headmistress Hubičková in the sequels Slunce, seno a pár facek (1989) or Slunce, seno, erotika (1991).
Her acting concert was the character of the countess in the touching story Castle in Bohemia, which was filmed in 1993 by Slovak director Martin Hollý. In a pair with Jiřina Bohdalová, she also shone in the drama Fany. The popular actress also starred in the series Marriages of Reason, Bad Blood, or Life in the Castle.
Since 1992, Jiřina Jirásková has been involved as a goodwill ambassador of the UNICEF Children’s Fund, in 2002-2011 she was the president of UNICEF CR. She received the Award for Outstanding Work and the title of Best Actress of the Year at the Festival of Czech and Slovak Films. She also received the title of Meritorious Artist, the Thalia Award for Lifetime Excellence in Drama, the Golden European Plaque and in 2006, Czech President Václav Klaus awarded her the Medal of Merit. In 2008, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the TýTý TV poll, she was also awarded the Artis Bohemiae Amicis Medal and the Silver Medal of the Capital City of Prague.
Jiřina Jirásková died on January 7, 2013 in Prague. Her husband was the actor Jiří Pleskot, and later the director Zdeněk Podskalský became her partner. An unforgettable actress was also buried – according to her wishes – at his final resting place in Malenice in South Bohemia.
