Czech actor Jan Hraběta died at the age of 86. who for almost half a century belonged to the most prominent personalities of the legendary Jára Cimrman Theatre. Although he originally had a technical education, he developed into an unmistakable actor, which viewers also remember from a number of famous Czech films and series, informs .
Originally from Zlín, he did not count on acting at all. He trained as an electromechanic, played hockey in his youth and changed several professions – for example, he made a living as a professional driver or an engine repairman. He approached the theater world first from the technical side, when he started working as a lighting engineer in Prague’s Theater Na zábradlí.
His life changed fundamentally in 1978, when he joined forces with the Jára Cimrman Theatre. A year later, he made his acting debut on this stage in the role of the king in the play Long, Wide and Short-Eyed. From the position of a lighting engineer, he quickly developed into a full-fledged actor of major roles, who, according to viewers and colleagues, was downright irresistible.
He first appeared in front of the film camera in 1980 in the legendary comedy Vrchní, prchni!. This was followed by roles in films such as Jára Cimrman lying, sleeping, Uncertain season, The end of poets in Bohemia, Wonderful years under the dog or Returnable bottles. He even worked as an assistant director for the cult film Vesničko má středisková. Television viewers also got to know him well from the series There Were Five of Us, Horákov, Vyprávej or Ohnivý kure.
