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Current AffairsNew documentary depicts actor Jiří Voskovec’s life in US

06-10-2011 15:53 | Jan Richter

A new documentary that will premiere in Czech cinemas next week depicts the lesser known part of the life of the Czech-born actor Jiří (or George) Voskovec. In his homeland, he is best known as the co-founder and co-star of Prague’s pre-war avant-garde theatre troupe, the Liberated Theatre. Having spent the war in exile in New York, Jiří Voskovec again moved to the US after the 1948 communist takeover of Czechoslovakia. The new film, entitled My Father George Voskovec, follows his daughter Gigi retracing her father’s life, from the difficult beginnings through his career on Broadway and in Hollywood, to his passing away in 1981, at the age of 76. Jan Richter saw the documentary and spoke to its director, Libuše Rudinská. More

Czechs in HistoryJiří (George) Voskovec – the Czech theatrical pioneer who carved out a Cold-War career in Hollywood

02-08-2011 17:08 | Coilin O'Connor

Jiří Voskovec This edition of Czechs in History looks at the life and career of Jiří Voskovec, one half of the legendary Czech duo Voskovec and Werich, whose work at the “Liberated Theatre” or Osvobozené Divadlo in the 1920s and 30s left an indelible mark on Czech culture. More

From the ArchivesJaroslav Ježek in defence of jazz in 1934

26-02-2011 02:01 | David Vaughan

Jaroslav Ježek The theme tune for this series is from a song called Aesop and the Ant, and it was composed by one of the legends of twentieth century Czech music. Jaroslav Ježek died in wartime exile in New York at the age of just 35. He is best known for the songs he composed for the famous pre-war satirical cabaret, the Liberated Theatre, and he was also one of the pioneers of Czech jazz, fearlessly crossing the borders between popular and classical music. In November 1934, the young composer – he was 28 at the time - came into the radio and talked about jazz. More

Czech BooksAn interview with the best loved of all Czech actors

12-02-2011 02:01 | David Vaughan

Jan Werich For this week’s programme, we have something of a treat: a long forgotten interview from our archives with someone who is nothing less than a Czech legend. If you ask just about anyone in this country who is the best loved Czech actor of all time, you will almost certainly hear the name Jan Werich. Several generations of Czechs have grown up to love the larger-than-life roles he played, his distinctive and deep voice, and his wonderfully expressive and humorous face, immortalized in films that span a career of fifty years. Born in 1905, Werich first shot to fame in the late 1920s, when he joined forces with his friend and fellow actor, Jiří Voskovec and the composer Jaroslav Ježek. Their satirical left-wing musical cabaret, the Osvobozené divadlo, or Liberated Theatre, was immensely popular in the decade leading up to the Second World War, and its songs are much loved to this day. More

Czech BooksAn interview with the best loved of all Czech actors

21-12-2008 | David Vaughan

Jan Werich For this week’s programme, we have something of a treat: a long forgotten interview from our archives with someone who is nothing less than a Czech legend. If you ask just about anyone in this country who is the best loved Czech actor of all time, you will almost certainly hear the name Jan Werich. Several generations of Czechs have grown up to love the larger-than-life roles he played, his distinctive and deep voice, and his wonderfully expressive and humorous face, immortalized in films that span a career of fifty years. Born in 1905, Werich first shot to fame in the late 1920s, when he joined forces with his friend and fellow actor, Jiří Voskovec and the composer Jaroslav Ježek. Their satirical left-wing musical cabaret, the Osvobozené divadlo, or Liberated Theatre, was immensely popular in the decade leading up to the Second World War, and its songs are much loved to this day. More

Music ProfileV+W+J - three letters that changed the history of Czech music

23-03-2008 18:39 | Rob Cameron

Jaroslav Ježek, Jan Werich, Jiří Voskovec In this month's Music Profile, we go back in time to the 1930s and the Liberated Theatre, where political satire and dadaist cabaret collided head on to a soundtrack of the latest scorching hot American jazz and blues. The music: near-blind piano virtuoso & composer Jaroslav Ježek. The words: avant garde merry pranksters Jan Werich and Jiří Voskovec. Tune in to Music Profile to find out more. More

Czechs in HistoryJiří (George) Voskovec – the Czech theatrical pioneer who carved out a Cold-War career in Hollywood

02-01-2008 15:06 | Coilin O'Connor

Jiří Voskovec This edition of Czechs in History looks at the life and career of Jiří Voskovec, one half of the legendary Czech duo Voskovec and Werich, whose work at the “Liberated Theatre” or Osvobozené Divadlo in the 1920s and 30s left an indelible mark on Czech culture. More

From the ArchivesJaroslav Jezek in defence of jazz in 1934

22-11-2007 11:46 | David Vaughan

Jaroslav Jezek Jaroslav Jezek, who died in wartime exile in New York at the age of just 35, is one of the legends of twentieth century Czech music. He is best known for the songs he composed for the famous pre-war satirical cabaret, the Liberated Theatre, and he was also one of the pioneers of Czech jazz, fearlessly crossing the borders between popular and classical music. In November 1934, the young composer – he was 28 at the time - came into the radio and talked about jazz. More

SoundCzechClothes make a man

21-04-2007 18:52 | Pavla Horáková

You're listening to SoundCzech - Radio Prague's own Czech language series in which you'll learn useful phrases through song lyrics. Today we'll hear a song from the 1930s by the comedians and playwrights Jan Werich and Jiri Voskovec, with music by Jaroslav Jezek. It is called "Saty delaj cloveka" which incidentally, is the phrase we are going to learn today.  More

MailboxMailbox

18-02-2007 | Pavla Horáková

Today in Mailbox: Music on Radio Prague. Listeners quoted: Pat Barry, Canada; Jacqueline Berting, Canada; Georgine Nadeau, Canada; Mukesh Kumar, India.  More

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