Marian Kociniak (11 January 1936 – 17 March 2016) was a film, television, voice and radio actor and comedian. He was best known from portraying Franciszek Dolas, a main character in the 1969 film ''

How I Unleashed World War II ''How I Unleashed World War II'' ( pl, Jak rozpętałem drugą wojnę światową) is a Polish feature film made in 1969, based on Kazimierz Sławiński's novel "''Przygody kanoniera Dolasa''" (''The Adventures of Dolas the Cannoneer''). It wa ...

''. Kociniak also had main and secondary roles in films such as '' Morning Stars'' (1979), ''

Danton Georges Jacques Danton (; 26 October 1759 – 5 April 1794) was a French lawyer and a leading figure in the French Revolution. He became a deputy to the Paris Commune, presided in the Cordeliers district, and visited the Jacobin club. In August ...

'' (1983), '' Fucha'', ''

Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is an urban legend focused on a loosely defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterio ...

'' (1987), '' Circus is Leaving'' (1987), '' Yesterday Goodbye'' (1993), '' Sir Thaddeus'' (1999), '' Kalipso'' (2000), and '' The Last Action'' (2009), as well as in television series such as '' Janosik '' (1974), '' Jan Serce'' (1981), ''

Sukces ''Sukces'' (''"Success"'') is Czesław Niemen's second solo album, released in 1968. The album was recorded with the band Akwarele. Track listing # "Płonąca stodoła" – 2:32 (music Czesław Niemen, lyrics Marta Bellan) # "Gdzie się mak c ...

'' (1995), and '' The Deep End'' (2013).

Biography

Marian Kociniak was born on 11 January 1936 in

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

. He grew up in the district of

Mokotów Mokotów , is a ''dzielnica'' (borough, district) of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Mokotów is densely populated, and is a seat to many foreign embassies and companies. Only a small part of the district is lightly industrialised (''Służewiec ...

. During the

German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...

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 opposin ...

, his home was burned down, and his family took shelter in an abandoned

brick factory A brickworks, also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock (the most common material from which bricks are made), often with a quarry for cl ...

. He has graduated from the engine manufacturing vocational school, and in 1958, from the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw. He was a student of

Ludwik Sempoliński Ludwik Sempoliński (18 August 1899 – 17 April 1981) was a Polish film actor. He appeared in twenty films between 1935 and 1966. Selected filmography * '' Jaśnie pan szofer'' (1935) * '' Barbara Radziwiłłówna'' (1936) * '' Róża'' ( ...

. From 1959 to 2010, he acted in the

Ateneum Theatre The Ateneum Theatre in Warsaw ( pl, Teatr Ateneum im. Stefana Jaracza w Warszawie) is a Polish dramatic theatre founded in 1928. It resides in a building erected a year earlier in the interwar Poland as headquarters for the Professional Union of ...

, and from 2010 to 2013, in the Wola Theatre. His film debut was in 1960, when he had a small uncredited role in ''

Innocent Sorcerers ''Innocent Sorcerers'' ( pl, Niewinni czarodzieje) is a 1960 Polish psychological romantic drama film directed by Andrzej Wajda, and starring Tadeusz Łomnicki and Krystyna Stypułkowska. Its plot follows a young doctor and jazz drummer meeting a ...

''. Kociniak became best known from portraying Franciszek Dolas, a main character in the 1969 film ''

''. He also had main and secondary roles in films such as '' Morning Stars'' (1979), ''

'' (1983), '' Fucha'', ''

'' (1995), and '' The Deep End'' (2013). Additionally Kociniak acted in numerous

plays Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

Polish Television 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 ...

. He also appeared in episodes the

Kabaret Starszych Panów Kabaret Starszych Panów (''Elderly Gentlemen's Cabaret'') was a Polish satirical cabaret (Polish term for revue) made for TV in the late 1950s to mid-1960s . Numerous leading actors and performers participated in its episodes. The hosts and produ ...

comedy troupe show, and worked in Polish Radio Three. there, he co-hosted together with

Andrzej Zaorski Andrzej Adam Zaorski (17 December 1942 – 31 October 2021) was a Polish actor and cabaret artist, appearing in television, film and theater, as well as on the radio. He was the son of , the brother of film director Janusz Zaorski, and the fathe ...

sketch comedy segments titled ''Kulisy srebrnego ekranu'', in the radio show '' 60 minut na godzinę'', and performed the theme song of programme ''Powtórka z rozrywki''. In 2003, during the 8th Festival of Stars in

Międzyzdroje Międzyzdroje (;), known as Misdroy in English, is a city and a seaside resort in northwestern Poland on the island of Wolin on the Baltic coast. The city is located in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, and is a seat of the Kamień County and the ...

, Kociniak has unvailed his plaque at the Promenade of Stars

walk of fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

. Throughout his career, he completely refused giving interview. The exception was made for

TVP Info TVP Info is a Polish free-to-air television news channel, run by the public broadcaster, state media TVP. It is focused on newscasts, airing nationwide news bulletins from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. Its main offices are located at the TVP ...

in 2010, in light of the 50th anniversary of his work in the industry. On April 2010, was also published book ''Spełniony'' by Remigiusz Grzela, consisting of the interview with him. Kociniak retired from acting in 2013. He was an honorary member of the campaign wupport committee of

Bronisław Komorowski Bronisław Maria Komorowski (; born 4 June 1952) is a Polish politician and historian who served as President of Poland from 2010 to 2015. Komorowski served as Minister of Defence from 2000 to 2001. As Marshal of the Sejm, Komorowski exercised ...

during the

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

and 2010 presidential elections in Poland. Kociniak died in a Warsaw hospital on 17 March 2016, at the age of 79. He was burried on 23 March 2016, next to his wife, at the Warsaw Evangelical Reformed Cemetery.

Private life

For over 50 years he was married to film editor Grażyna Kociniak (died 2016). Together they had a daughter, Weronika, and he was also a stepfather to his wife's son, Piotr. He was also a cousin of actor

Jan Kociniak Jan Kociniak (8 November 1937 – 20 April 2007) was a Polish film and theatre actor. Jan Kociniak was born in Stryj, Poland (now Ukraine). He graduated from The Warsaw Higher Theatrical School in 1961 and for most of his professional career he ...

Filmography

Films

Television series

Video games

Awards and decorations

* Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2001) * Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1988) *

Gold Cross of Merit The Cross of Merit () is a Polish civil state decoration established on 23 June 1923, to recognize services to the state. History At the time of its establishment in 1923, the Cross of Merit was the highest civilian award in Poland. It was awa ...

(1974) * Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture (2010)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Kociniak, Marian 1936 births 2016 deaths Polish film actors Polish male stage actors Polish male voice actors Polish male radio actors Polish cabaret performers Polish male comedians Polish male film actors People from Warsaw Male actors from Warsaw People from Warsaw Voivodeship (1919–1939) 20th-century Polish male actors 21st-century Polish male actors 20th-century comedians Recipients of the Gold Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta Officers of the Order of Polonia Restituta Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw alumni