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Dagmar Bláhová (also credited as Dášha Bláhová; born 8 March 1949) is a
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...
actress. She appeared in foreign film and after emigrating to Australia during the Communist era, where she appeared in many television and film roles, she returned to her birth country in 1998 and again started appearing natively in film roles. She became notable on Australian television in 1985 for her role in soap opera ''
Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera that has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons and ...
'' as original character Maria Ramsay.


Personal life

Bláhová was born in Radčice, Czechoslovakia. When she began her acting career, Czechoslovakia was under communist rule, so citizens were restricted in their movements outside the country, however, Bláhová's popularity in Europe enabled her to perform around the continent. She met her future husband Juraj while she was touring in London. He had an Australian passport, having lived in the country for three years, and he could not return to Czechoslovakia with Bláhová. The couple became engaged in Paris, but struggled to find someone to marry them as Czechoslovak officials discouraged relationships with former citizens. They were eventually married in Brussels at the Australian Embassy, three months after Bláhová gave birth to their first child, a daughter. They then applied for permission to immigrate to Australia. Bláhová and her husband later separated. In 1990, Bláhová gave birth to her second child, a son.


Career

Bláhová attended the
Academy of Performing Arts in Prague The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (, AMU) is a university in the centre of Prague, Czech Republic, specialising in the study of music, dance, drama, film, television and multi-media. It is the largest art school in the Czech Republic, wit ...
and graduated with a major in acting and puppetry in 1971. She went onto appear in various theatre productions for Theatre On A String and Cirque Alfred. Bláhová co-created the play ''Adam and Eve'' in which she had a starring role. The play was performed over 200 times in 15 countries from 1972 until 1980. She won the Best Performance Award at the Nancy International Theatre Festival in 1975. She then moved into television and film roles. She become known for her roles in
Věra Chytilová Věra Chytilová (; 2 February 1929 – 12 March 2014) was an avant-garde Czech film director and pioneer of Czech cinema. Banned by the Czechoslovakia, Czechoslovak government in the 1960s, she is best known for her Czech New Wave 1966 film ''S ...
's comedy films '' The Apple Game'' and ''
Calamity Calamity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Calamity'' (album), by The Curtains (2008) * Calamity (board game), board game released by Games Workshop in 1983 * ''Calamity'' (film), 1982 Czechoslovak film * '' Calamity, a Childhood ...
''. In 1978, she was named as one of the 20 best actors in the world by a panel of Paris cinema critics, following her role in ''The Apple Game''. She moved to Australia in 1980. Bláhová was the first person to appear in the opening episode of ''
A Country Practice ''A Country Practice'' is an Australian television soap opera/serial which was broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 22 November 1993, and subsequently on Network Ten from 13 April 1994 to 5 November 1994. Altogether, 14 ...
'', as the pregnant Sandra Myers, whose baby is delivered by main character Terence Elliott ( Shane Porteous). Bláhová wrote, directed and starred in a pantomime called ''The Devil and Katya'', which was performed at the Playbox Theatre in 1982. She also had guest roles in ''
Cop Shop ''Cop Shop'' is a long-running Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that ran for seven seasons between 28 November 1977 and 23 July 1984. It comprised 582 one-hour episodes. Synopsis The show revolved arou ...
'' and the television film ''Learned Friend''. Bláhová made a second appearance in ''A Country Practice'' in 1984. Some of her own ideas formed the basis for the two episodes she appeared in. In 1985, she was cast as housewife Maria Ramsay in the
Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...
soap opera ''Neighbours''. After leaving the serial that same year, Bláhová starred in
Louis Nowra Mark Doyle, better known by his stage name Louis Nowra, (born 12 December 1950) is an Australian writer, playwright, screenwriter and librettist. He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights. His works have been performed by all o ...
's television film ''
Displaced Persons Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR defines 'forced displaceme ...
'', which tells the story of European refugees arriving in Australia in 1945. Nowra began working on the film after meeting Blahova in 1981. Bláhová won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Principal Role in a One-off Drama accolade at the 1984
Penguin Awards The Penguin Award was an annual award given for excellence in broadcasting by the Television Society of Australia. It was founded in 1954. The award trophy depicts an ear listening to a television tube, but strongly resembles a penguin, hence the ...
for her work on the film. Bláhová later bemoaned the lack of comedic roles offered to her, something that she was used to in Czechoslovakia. Instead she was asked to play "poor migrants" or "teary, tragic women." In 1986, she appeared in
Rainer Werner Fassbinder Rainer Werner Fassbinder (; 31 May 1945 – 10 June 1982), sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker, dramatist and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema moveme ...
's play ''
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant ''The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant'' () is a 1972 West German psychological romantic drama film written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, based on his play of the same name. Featuring an all-female cast, the film takes place entirely i ...
'' for the
Sydney Theatre Company Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is an Australian theatre company based in Sydney, New South Wales. The company performs in the Wharf Theatre at Dawes Point in The Rocks area of Sydney as well as the Roslyn Packer Theatre (formerly Sydney Theatre ...
. Bláhová said she liked Petra as soon as she read the script. She appeared in several films, including the 1986 television film ''Funeral Going'', Luigo Acquisto's independent film ''Hungry Heart'', and the 1987 comedy-horror film ''
Howling III ''Howling III'' (also known as ''Howling III: The Marsupials'' and ''The Marsupials: The Howling III'') is a 1987 Australian comedy-horror film and the sequel to '' The Howling'', directed by Philippe Mora and filmed on location in and around Sy ...
'', in which she plays a Russian ballerina who becomes a werewolf. She also appeared in the 1988 television film '' The Tourist'' (also known as ''Sands of the Bedouin''), followed by a starring role in the futuristic rock epic '' Sons of Steel'' alongside Robert Hartley, Jeff Duff and Mark Hembrow. Bláhová later returned to Czechoslovakia and continued to act on screen and in theatre productions. In 2009, Bláhová appeared in the Czech television serial '' Velmi křehké vztahy'' as Eliška Tůmová. In 2023, Bláhová's noval ''Fables from the Other World'' was published.


Filmography


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blahova, Dagmar 1949 births Living people People from Jablonec nad Nisou District Australian soap opera actresses Australian people of Czech descent Czech soap opera actresses Czechoslovak emigrants to Australia