By voice Ján Kroner many foreign acting stars have spoken, in films of various genres, as well as in animated films. The successor of the famous Slovak acting dynasty turns 70 today (June 1).
He is the son of actor Ján Kroner the elder, nephew of actors Jozef and Ľudovít Kroner, nephew of actresses Mária Hojerová and Terézia Hurbanová-Kronerová, cousin of actress Zuzana Kronerová and ex-husband of actress Lenka Košická.
Ján Kroner was born on June 1, 1956 in Považská Bystrica. After graduating from acting studies at the Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU) in Bratislava, he worked in the theater Nová scéna. Later, he became a member of the Slovak National Theater (SND), where he performed for over 20 seasons. He played dozens of main roles on SND boards, including the characters of Horace (Women’s School, 1981), Arlecchin (Cunning Mistress, 1982), Raskoľnikov (St. Petersburg Dream, 1982) and Yossarian (Chapter XXII, 1985).
His acting talent has also been used many times by film art. He fully expressed himself with his famous smile in the fairy tales The Princess with One Wing and One Fin (1980), The Midsummer Night’s Tale (1981), The Stranger Zerbino (1982), About the Brave Blacksmith (1983), I’ll Borrow a Horse (1986), Nebojsa (1988), The Princess in the Hedgehog’s Skin (1994) or About the Stupid Woman (1996).
He also acted in the film dramas Emotional education of one Daše (1980), Goodbye, sweet naps (1983), The dead teach the living (1983), Greenhouse Venus (1985), Forbidden release (1986), The devil’s smile (1987) or Jaškov’s dream (1996).
He also starred in the television films Dies irae (1984), Black Sheep (1985), The Secret Water is Muddy (1987), Lamb of the Poor (1992), Chaos (2000), Quartétto (2002) and Death of a Minister (2009). In the new millennium, he impressed in the successful films Kruté radosti (2002), About two syllables behind (2004), Polčas rozpadu (2007), Bratislavafilm (2009) or Lóve (2011).
He also won the favor of the audience with his performances in the TV series Ghosts (1997), Choir (1999), Office in the Rose Garden (2007), Professionals (2008-2014), City of Shadows (2008), Shop for Happiness (2008) and If Only (2009-2011).
After voluntarily leaving the SND scene in 2009, he threw himself into many work activities at the same time. In addition to acting on television, he was engaged in moderating various events.
As a voice actor, he lent his voice to stars such as Antonio Banderas, George Clooney, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Gérard Depardieu, Johnny Depp, Ralph Fiennes, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Mel Gibson, John Goodman, Woody Harrelson, Rutger Hauer, Richard Chamberlain, Michael Keaton, Harvey Keitel, Kris Kristofferson, Roger Moore, Liam Neeson, Nick Nolte, Robert Redford, Steven Seagal, Martin Sheen, Will Smith, Kiefer Sutherland či Robin Williams.
Ján Kroner is the holder of two TV Screen Personality (OTO) awards in 2006 and 2009. In 2016, he was awarded the Považská Bystrica City Award for his significant contribution in the field of theater and film acting and for spreading the good name of the city.
He was married twice; from his marriage to dramaturg Adriana Kronerová, he has a son Jakub (1987), who directs, creates scripts and animated films. The second time he was married to an actress Lenka Košickáwith whom he has a daughter Paulina (2002). His artistic career was prematurely limited by health problems.
