Lidia Wysocka (June 24, 1916 – January 2, 2006) was a Polish stage, film and voice actress, singer, cabaret performer and creative director, theatre director and costume designer, editorialist.

Filmography

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maxi ...

she dubbed

Madeleine Carroll Edith Madeleine Carroll (26 February 1906 – 2 October 1987) was an English actress, popular both in Britain and America in the 1930s and 1940s. At the peak of her success in 1938, she was the world's highest-paid actress. Carroll is rememb ...

's voice in the British film ''

I Was a Spy ''I Was a Spy'' is a 1933 British thriller film directed by Victor Saville and starring Madeleine Carroll, Herbert Marshall, and Conrad Veidt. Based on the 1932 memoir ''I Was a Spy'' by Marthe Cnockaert, the film is about her experiences as ...

'' ( 1933), the first movie dubbed in Poland (''Siostra Marta jest szpiegiem''). * '' Kochaj tylko mnie'' ( 1935), as Hanka Żarska * '' Papa się żeni'' (

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

) as Lili, daughter of Mira Stella * '' Gehenna'' ( 1938), as Ania Tarłówna * '' Ostatnia brygada'' ( 1938) as Marta Rzecka * ''

Serce matki Serce matki ( Polish for ''Mother's Heart'') is a 1938 Polish melodrama film directed by Michał Waszyński. Cast * Stanisława Angel-Engelówna as Maria * Irena Malkiewicz as Elżbieta Borzęcka * Lidia Wysocka as Lusia * Ina Benita as Hank ...

'' ( 1938) as Lusia * '' Wrzos'' ( 1938) as Dębska * '' Doktór Murek'' ( 1939) as Tunka Czabran * '' Złota Maska'' ( 1939) as Magda Nieczaj * '' Irena do domu!'' ( 1955), as Irena Majewska * '' Sprawa pilota Maresza'' ( 1955), as Mary Godzicka * '' Nikodem Dyzma'' (

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Jim Elliot and Pete Fleming, ar ...

), as revue singer * '' Rozstanie'' (

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Jan ...

), as Magdalena * ''

Sekret "" (; ) is a song by Albanian singer-songwriter Ronela Hajati. It was composed and written by Hajati herself and produced by Marko Polo. Originally released as a single on 5 March 2022, it represented Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 20 ...

'' (

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

), as Lena Nurkiewicz * '' Zaczarowane podwórko'' ( 1974), as Queen Anna Jagiellonka * '' W obronie własnej'' (

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...

), as Maria's mother

Other

The production of her 9th movie, ''Szczęście przychodzi kiedy chce'' (directed by

Mieczysław Krawicz Mieczysław Krawicz (2 February 1893, Warsaw – 17 September 1944, Warsaw) was a Polish film director from Warsaw. Life He was born on 1 January 1893 in Warsaw, in the Catholic family of Juliusz and Antonina (1857–1941). He graduated from hi ...

) was cancelled by the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. She was invited to star in another movie, Jacek Bławut's ''Lili'' (production title), telling the story of veteran actors, but it was still in pre-production phase at the time of her death; it was finally completed as Jeszcze nie wieczór as late as in

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

Selected theatre work

''(daily dates for premiere performances only)'' * 1936, September 26 - ''

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with '' Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to ...

'' by

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

, playing Mary, at Polish Theatre in Warsaw * 1936, December 31 - '' The Marriage of Figaro'' by

Pierre Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...

, playing Fanchette, at Polish Theatre in Warsaw * 1937, July 8 - ''Papa'' by Gaston Arman de Caillavet, playing Jeanne Aubrin, at Polish Theatre in Warsaw * 1937, November 9 - ''Gałązka rozmarynu'' by Zygmunt Nowakowski, playing Mania, at Polish Theatre in Warsaw * 1938, March 30 - ''November Night'' by

Stanisław Wyspiański Stanisław Mateusz Ignacy Wyspiański (; 15 January 1869 – 28 November 1907) was a Polish playwright, painter and poet, as well as interior and furniture designer. A patriotic writer, he created a series of symbolic, national dramas withi ...

, playing Małgorzata, at Polish Theatre, Warsaw * 1938, May 20 - ''Dalilla'' by

Ferenc Molnár Ferenc Molnár ( , ; born Ferenc Neumann; 12 January 18781 April 1952), often anglicized as Franz Molnar, was a Hungarian-born author, stage-director, dramatist, and poet, widely regarded as Hungary’s most celebrated and controversial play ...

, playing Ilonka, at Mały Theatre, Warsaw * 1938, December 14 - ''Temperamenty'' by Antoni Cwojdziński, playing Stefcia, at Mały Theatre, Warsaw * 1939, March 28 - ''

The Importance of Being Earnest ''The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious ...

'' by Oscar Wilde, at Mały Theatre, Warsaw * 1944, May 27 - ''Due dozzine di rose scarlatte'' by

Aldo De Benedetti Aldo De Benedetti (13 August 1892 – 19 January 1970) was an Italian screenwriter. He wrote for more than 110 films between 1920 and 1958. He was born and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Marco Visconti'' (1925) * '' What S ...

, playing Maria Verani, at Teatr Małych Form Miniatury, Warsaw * 1946, February 12 - ''Freuda teoria snów'' by Antoni Cwojdziński, playing She, at Mały Theatre (MTD), Warsaw * 1946, July 2 - '' Village wooing'' by

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

, at Mały Theatre (MTD), Warsaw * 1947, May 24 - ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, playing Beatrice, at Mały Theatre (MTD), Warsaw * 1948, January 13 - ''Man and Wife'' by

Aleksander Fredro Aleksander Fredro (20 June 1793 – 15 July 1876) was a Polish poet, playwright and author active during Polish Romanticism in the period of partitions by neighboring empires. His works including plays written in the octosyllabic verse (''Zemst ...

, playing Justysia, at Teatr Miniatury (MTD), Warsaw * 1948, May 26 - ''Jadzia wdowa'' by Ryszard Ruszkowski, playing Jadwiga, at New Theatre, Warsaw * 1949, January 22, ''

'' by

, playing Beatrice, at Polish Theatre in Szczecin * 1949, March 9 - ''Norwegian spring'' by Stuart Engstrand, at Polish Theatre in Szczecin - directing * 1949, April 18 - ''Jadzia wdowa'' by Ryszard Ruszkowski, playing Jadwiga, at Polish Theatre in Szczecin - also costume designer * 1949, August 16 - ''Blithe Spirit'' by Noël Coward, at Polish Theatre in Szczecin - costume designer * 1949, October 27 - ''Сказка'' by

Mikhail Arkadyevich Svetlov Mikhail Arkadyevich Svetlov (russian: Михаил Аркадьевич Светлов), born Scheinkman (russian: Шейнкман) (, Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire (present Dnipro, Ukraine) – 28 September 1964, Moscow, RSFSR, USSR) was a ...

, playing Katia, at Polish Theatre in Szczecin * 1950, January 16 - ''Germans'' by Leon Kruczkowski, at Teatry Dramatyczne (Teatr Współczesny) in Szczecin - costume designer * 1951, January 6 - ''Sir Gil of the Green Stockings'' by

Tirso de Molina Gabriel Téllez ( 24 March 1583 20 February 1648), better known as Tirso de Molina, was a Spanish Baroque dramatist, poet and Roman Catholic monk. He is primarily known for writing '' The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest'', the play from ...

, playing Donna Diana, at Teatr Nowy (Scena Komediowo-Muzyczna), Warsaw * 1951, July 28 - ''Ojciec debiutantki'' by D. Leński, at Ludowy Teatr Muzyczny, Warsaw - directing * 1951, October 8 - ''Sir Gil of the Green Stockings'' by

, at Aleksander Wegierka Theatre, Bialystok - directing * 1952, September 17 - ''Biuro docinków'', Teatr Satyryków, Warsaw * 1959, January 11 - ''Man and Wife'' by

, playing Justysia - also directing * 1961, February 15 - ''Les petites têtes'' by Max Régnier, playing Irene, at Comedy Theatre, Warsaw * 1977, April 24 - ''Będziemy obrażać!'', at Syrena Theatre in Warsaw * 1979, January 17 - ''Wielki Dodek'' by Witold Filler &

Jonasz Kofta Jonasz Kofta, real name: Janusz Kofta (born 28 November 1942 in Mizocz, Volhynia, today Ukraine; died 19 April 1988 in Warsaw) was a Polish songwriter and a poet. The Kofta family came to Warsaw after the Second World War and later lived in Wr ...

, playing Miss Stefania, at Syrena Theatre in Warsaw * 1980, July 5 - ''Warto byś wpadł'' by Ryszard Marek Groński & Antoni Marianowicz, at Syrena Theatre in Warsaw * 1981, February 27 - ''

The Good Soldier Švejk ''The Good Soldier Švejk'' () is an unfinished satirical dark comedy novel by Czech writer Jaroslav Hašek, published in 1921–1923, about a good-humored, simple-minded, middle-aged man who pretends to be enthusiastic to serve Austria-Hungar ...

'' by

Jaroslav Hašek Jaroslav Hašek (; 1883–1923) was a Czech writer, humorist, satirist, journalist, bohemian and anarchist. He is best known for his novel '' The Fate of the Good Soldier Švejk during the World War'', an unfinished collection of farcical inc ...

, playing Mamon, at Syrena Theatre in Warsaw * 1981, July 16 - ''Wizyta młodszej pani'' by Ryszard Marek Groński & Michał Komar, playing Ms. Loda, at Syrena Theatre in Warsaw

Early career

One of the top finalists of the beauty contest organized by the ''Kino'' magazine in 1933. After recording a dubbing, she debuted on film in 1935 while she was still studying acting under

Aleksander Zelwerowicz Aleksander Zelwerowicz (14 August 1877 in Lublin – 18 June 1955 in Warsaw) was a Polish actor, director, theatre president and a teacher. He received the Order of Polonia Restituta and is one of the Polish Righteous among the Nations.

(who was very reluctant to allow his students to start their acting career before they finish school). Graduated Państwowy Instytut Sztuki Teatralnej (State Institute of Theatrical Arts, Warsaw) in 1936. Debuted on stage in Polish Theatre in Warsaw in 1936 (with

Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with '' Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to ...

as Mary, starting a three-year contract), where she performed until the war. Her movie roles included singing parts; the songs she performed were available on

gramophone record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The groove usually starts ne ...

released by Syrena Record as early as in 1936. Her admirers could hear her not only on

Polskie Radio Polskie Radio Spółka Akcyjna (PR S.A.; English: Polish Radio) is Poland's national public-service radio broadcasting organization owned by the State Treasury of Poland. History Polskie Radio was founded on 18 August 1925 and began making ...

, e.g. from November 1936 she was reading the first serialized novel written for Polish radio, ''Dni powszednie państwa Kowalskich'' (''The Daily Life of the Kowalskis''), released in print in 1938 by

Maria Kuncewiczowa Maria Kuncewiczowa (Samara, Russia, Samara, Russian Empire, 30 October 1895 - 15 July 1989, Lublin, Poland) was a Polish writer and novelist. Kuncewiczowa's works span from short stories to novels to radio novels to literary diaries. Early life ...

), but also by dialing ... the

speaking clock A speaking clock or talking clock is a live or recorded human voice service, usually accessed by telephone, that gives the correct time. The first telephone speaking clock service was introduced in France, in association with the Paris Observ ...

number (she was the voice of the improved telephone device launched in Poland, in 1936).

World War II

As most of the actors who boycotted German-controlled theatres during the war, she had to find another way to make a living: she worked as waitress in "Na Antresoli" café. She rejected offers to start working for German

UFA Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital city, capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya River (Kama), Belaya and Ufa River, Ufa rivers, in the centre-n ...

, at that time dealing mostly with pro-Nazi propaganda movies. Blacklisted, she was taken hostage (along with other Polish artists) by

Gestapo The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...

in 1941 and held in the

Pawiak Pawiak () was a prison built in 1835 in Warsaw, Congress Poland. During the January 1863 Uprising, it served as a transfer camp for Poles sentenced by Imperial Russia to deportation to Siberia. During the World War II German occupation ...

prison Her husband Zbigniew Sawan ended up in Auschwitz as German retaliation for the assassination of Igo Sym, a Nazi spy.

Post-war years

After the war she started performing in ''Teatr Mały'' in Warsaw alongside her husband, later also in ''Teatr Miniatura'' in Warsaw and ''Teatr Nowy''. They moved next (1947–1949) to Polish Theatre in Szczecin, where Sawan would take the manager seat. The couple returned to Warsaw in 1949 and started working in ''Teatr Ludowy'': Sawan again as the manager, while she started directing plays. She had spent 1951–53 in ''Buffo'' revue theatre.

Wagabunda Cabaret

In 1956 she created the ''Wagabunda'' cabaret (in Poland meaning: a mixture of stand up comedy, theatre and music, with a prominent addition of political satire), which gathered such actors and satirists as

Edward Dziewoński Edward Dziewoński (16 December 1916 in Moscow, Russian Empire – 17 August 2002 in Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish stage and film actor, and theatre director. He studied acting at Państwowy Instytut Sztuki Teatralnej and debuted at the Sy ...

Wiesław Michnikowski Wiesław Michnikowski (3 June 1922, in Warsaw – 29 September 2017, in Warsaw) was a Polish stage, cabaret, and film actor. He performed at such satirical theaters (cabarets) as Kabaret Wagabunda, Kabaret Starszych Panów and Kabaret Dudek. ...

Kazimierz Rudzki Kazimierz Rudzki (6 January 1911, in Warsaw, Poland – 2 February 1976, in Warsaw) was a Polish stage and film actor, theatre director. Studied directing at Państwowy Instytut Sztuki Teatralnej. Actor of Syrena Theatre (also director), Nat ...

Jacek Fedorowicz Jacek Jan Fedorowicz (born 18 July 1937) is a Polish satirist and actor. Early life Fedorowicz was born in pre-war Gdynia, Poland to a family of Varsovians. His parents worked for the newly developed Polish maritime economy. As a 7-year-old ...

Bogumił Kobiela Bogumił Kobiela (31 May 1931 – 10 July 1969) was a Polish stage and film actor. He was an actor of , Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw, Komedia Theatre in Warsaw, Bim-Bom student theatre, Kabaret Wagabunda and Kabaret Dudek. He suffered serious i ...

, singer

Maria Koterbska Maria Koterbska (13 July 1924 – 18 January 2021) was a Polish singer who was particularly popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Her biggest hits include ''Augustowskie noce'', ''Brzydula i rudzielec'', ''Karuzela'', ''Parasolki'', ''Serduszko puka w ...

Jeremi Przybora Jeremi Przybora (12 December 1915 in Warsaw – 4 March 2004) was a Polish poet, writer, actor and singer. He created the TV-series "Kabaret Starszych Panów" (Elderly Gentlemen's Cabaret) with Jerzy Wasowski and performed ballad A ballad ...

, Mieczysław Wojnicki, Marian Załucki,

Mieczysław Czechowicz Mieczysław Czechowicz (28 September 1930 in Lublin – 14 September 1991 in Warsaw) was a Polish actor, one of the most famous of all time. Career A graduate of Warsaw's State Theatrical Academy ( Państwowa Wyższa Szkoła Teatralna), Czechow ...

Zbigniew Cybulski Zbigniew Hubert Cybulski (; 3 November 1927 – 8 January 1967) was a Polish actor, one of the best-known and most popular personalities of the post-World War II history of Poland. Life Zbigniew Cybulski was born 3 November 1927 in a small v ...

, etc.; texts for songs, monologues and sketches supplied by Stefania Grodzieńska or poets Julian Tuwim and

Jan Brzechwa Jan Brzechwa (), (15 August 1898 – 2 July 1966) was a Polish poet, author and lawyer, known mostly for his contribution to children's literature. He was born Jan Wiktor Lesman to a Polish family of Jewish descent.

. Popular in Poland for over a decade, it also toured USA and Canada (1957, 1962, 1964), United Kingdom (1965, 1966), Israel (1963), USSR (1968) and Czechoslovakia (1956) (in total over 2 million tickets sold, according to its manager, W. Furman). She was its art director and a leading star, often performing sung poetry or versions of popular songs (particularly French ones) with Polish lyrics.

Late career

After ''Wagabunda'' dissolved in 1968 she had problem finding work in Warsaw's theatres despite her experience and fame. Finally she found her way to the stage of ''Teatr Syrena'' in Warsaw, where she played in revues in 1974 through 1981. She also toured the United States with it. Apart from TV broadcasts of her recitals (as early as in 1956, while

Telewizja Polska Telewizja Polska S.A. (; "Polish Television"; TVP), also known in English as the public Polish Television is a Polish state media corporation. It is the largest Polish television network, although viewership has been declining in the 2010s. Sinc ...

was still in the test stage of its second - post war - launch) and interviews, she appeared on satirical TV shows such as ''Teatr Rozrywki''.
Her last TV interview was released by ''Kino Polska'' Channel in 2011. During her career she also worked with Polish public broadcaster

, taking part in concerts and other broadcasts. She appeared in

radio drama Radio drama (or audio drama, audio play, radio play, radio theatre, or audio theatre) is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine ...

s as early as in late 1930s; listeners of Program 1 station could still catch her in 1980s/1990s reading her own editorials on cultural news, displaying literary and satirical talent. She was awarded the

Order of Polonia Restituta The Order of Polonia Restituta ( pl, Order Odrodzenia Polski, en, Order of Restored Poland) is a Polish state order established 4 February 1921. It is conferred on both military and civilians as well as on foreigners for outstanding achievement ...

, Officer's Cross, for outstanding achievement in artistic work (1999), Gold Cross of Merit (1978) and other honors.

References

Bibliography/Publicity

*cover and note in ''Kino'', 1935 issue 28, pages 2,12, 14 July 1935 *cover and interview in ''Kino'', 1938 issue 10, page 7, 6 March 1938 *cover and note in ''Kino'', 1938 issue 38 *cover of ''Radio i świat'' weekly magazine, issue 9 (81), 3-9/03/1947 *cover of '' Film'', issue 16, 21 April 1957 *cover of ''Ekran'', issue 38, 18 September 1960 *cover of ''Film'', issue 40, 2 October 1960 *pictorial, ''Film'', issue 41, 1960, page 7 *''W obronie własnej'' in ''Filmowy serwis prasowy'', issue 21, 1981, pages 5–7 *

External links

* * Filmography a
filmpolski.pl

* http://www.e-teatr.pl/pl/osoby/10089,karierateatr.html - partial list regarding her theatrical work * http://www.audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/142069/ - studio publicity still from 1935 for the movie ''Kochaj tylko mnie'' (note pre-1936 spelling of her first name in signature) * https://web.archive.org/web/20111003160859/http://www.fotohistoria.pl/main.php?g2_itemId=108860 - portrait shot from 1948, premiere of ''Jadzia wdowa'' stage play * http://www.audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/7441/ - portrait shot from 1950, ''Sir Gil of the Green Stockings'' stage play, Teatr Nowy, Warsaw {{DEFAULTSORT:Wysocka, Lidia Polish film actresses Polish stage actresses Polish theatre directors Polish television actresses Polish radio personalities Polish voice actresses Telephone voiceover talent 1916 births 2006 deaths Officers of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Polish cabaret performers 20th-century Polish actresses 20th-century Polish women singers 20th-century comedians People from Rahachow People from Rogachyovsky Uyezd People from the Russian Empire of Polish descent Recipient of the Meritorious Activist of Culture badge