Václav Vorlíček
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Václav Vorlíček (3 June 1930 – 5 February 2019) was a Czech film director. His filmography includes several comedies made in collaboration with screenwriter Miloš Macourek. He also specialized in directing children's and fairytale films, most notably '' Three Wishes for Cinderella'' (1973), a Christmas film classic in many European countries.


Biography

Václav Vorlíček was born in the
Vinohrady Vinohrady (until 1960 Královské Vinohrady, in English literally "Royal Vineyards" ) is a cadastral district in Prague. It is so named because the area was once covered in vineyards dating from the 14th century. Vinohrady lies in the municipal ...
district of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
on 3 June 1930. His parents were culturally inclined and were members of the Umělecká beseda forum. He had been a member of the
Scouts Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
since 1939, and in 1947, he and his friends appeared in the film ''Na dobré stopě'' set in a scout camp. Thanks to this, he got to know filmmaking. Due to the death of his mother, he had to extend his studies at the high school by a year and graduated in 1950. In 1952, Vorlíček married the artist Sofia Vukolova, the daughter of Russian immigrants. Vorlíček studied filmmaking at
Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague () or FAMU is a film school in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 1946 as one of three branches of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. It is the fifth oldest film school in ...
(FAMU) in 1952–1957, where he later worked as a teacher himself. At the
Barrandov Film Studios Barrandov Studios is a set of film studios in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the largest film studio in the country and one of the largest in Europe. Barrandov has made several major Hollywood productions, including '' Mission Impossible'', '' T ...
he worked first as an assistant director and then as a director of films for children and youth. In 1964, he met the screenwriter Miloš Macourek and they began to collaborate regularly. Their first film ''
Who Wants to Kill Jessie? ''Who Wants to Kill Jessie?'' () is a 1966 Czechoslovak science fiction comedy film directed by Václav Vorlíček. Plot The story focuses on a couple who use a machine which can bring objects and people from dreams to the real world. The main plo ...
'' (1966) won the main award at the
Trieste Film Festival The Trieste Film Festival is an international film festival founded in 1989. Held annually on the third week of January in Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Region ...
. Together they made several other film for children and comedies that belong to the golden fund of Czech cinematography. Their duo was among the busiest filmmakers in the country in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1973, Vorlíček made a cult fairy tale film '' Three Wishes for Cinderella'', which became a Christmas film classic in many European countries, including Czech Republic, Germany and Norway. Vorlíček died from
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...
on 5 February 2019, at the age of 88. He died in a Prague hospital. He is buried at the
Vyšehrad Cemetery Established in 1869 on the grounds of Vyšehrad Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, the Vyšehrad Cemetery () is the final resting place of many composers, artists, sculptors, writers, and those from the world of science and politics. The center ...
.


Selected filmography

*''
Who Wants to Kill Jessie? ''Who Wants to Kill Jessie?'' () is a 1966 Czechoslovak science fiction comedy film directed by Václav Vorlíček. Plot The story focuses on a couple who use a machine which can bring objects and people from dreams to the real world. The main plo ...
'' (1966) *''
The End of Agent W4C ''Konec agenta W4C prostřednictvím psa pana Foustky'' () is a 1967 Czechoslovak film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre. Directed by Václav Vorlíček based on the story by Oldřich Daněk. Runtime 87 min. Mono. Produced by Filmové St ...
'' (1967) *''
You Are a Widow, Sir ''You Are a Widow, Sir'' () is a 1970 Czechoslovak comedy science fiction film directed by Václav Vorlíček. It stars Iva Janžurová and Olga Schoberová. Plot In the near future Rosebud IV, king of a fictional European kingdom, decides ...
'' (1970) *''
The Girl on the Broomstick ''The Girl on the Broomstick'' (''Dívka na koštěti'') is a 1972 Czechoslovak fantasy-comedy film directed by Václav Vorlíček based on a book by . A sequel ''Saxána a Lexikon kouzel'' was released in 2011. Plot A teenage witch, Saxana, who ...
'' (1972) *'' Three Wishes for Cinderella'' (1973) *'' How to Drown Dr. Mracek, the Lawyer'' (1974) *''
Což takhle dát si špenát ''Což takhle dát si špenát (in English: "How About a Plate of Spinach") ''is a 1977 Czechoslovak comedy science fiction film directed by Václav Vorlíček. The film was based on a script by his trusted collaborator Miloš Macourek. The titl ...
'' (1977) *''
How to Wake a Princess ''How to Wake a Princess'' () is a 1977 Czechoslovak fantasy film directed by Václav Vorlíček. It is based on the fairy tale ''Sleeping Beauty'', in the versions collected by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. Plot Witch Melánie, Que ...
'' (1977) *''
The Prince and the Evening Star The Prince and the Evening Star (, ) is a 1979 Czechoslovak coming-of-age fantasy film produced by the Barrandov Studios. Background Film based on short story ''O Slunečníku, Měsíčníku a Větrníku'' (Of Sunlight, Moonlight and Windmill) in ...
'' (1979) *'' Arabela'' (TV series, 1980–1981) *''
Zelená vlna ''Zelená vlna '' is a 1982 Czechoslovak comedy film directed by Václav Vorlíček. Cast * Radovan Lukavský - Dr. Pelc * Rudolf Jelínek - Taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a Drivin ...
'' (1982) *''
Létající Čestmír Létající Čestmír (''The Flying Cestmír'') is a six-part television series for children, which was co-produced by Czechoslovakia and West Germany in 1983 by director Václav Vorlíček. The series was also broadcast in Vietnam, Mongolia, Germ ...
'' (TV series, 1984) *'' Young Wine'' (1986) *''
Křeček v noční košili Křeček v noční košili (''Hamster in a Nightshirt'') is a six-part television series for children, which was co-produced by Czechoslovakia and West Germany in 1987 by director Václav Vorlíček. It was first broadcast during the Christmas holi ...
'' (TV series, 1987) *'' Arabela Returns'' (TV series, 1993–1994)


Honours

In 2005, Zdeněk Zelenka filmed a documentary film about Vorlíček called ''Václav Vorlíček, král komedií a pohádek'' ("Václav Vorlíček, the king of comedies and fairy tales").


References


External links

*
Václav Vorlíček
at filmovyprehled.cz {{DEFAULTSORT:Vorlicek, Vaclav 1930 births 2019 deaths Czech film directors Czechoslovak film directors German-language film directors Film directors from Prague Academy of Performing Arts in Prague alumni Burials at Vyšehrad Cemetery