He took the exams at the PWST in Kraków at the instigation of Jerzy Bińczycki, who was his high school friend. In 1960, just after graduating, Marek Walczewski made his debut on the stage of the Słowacki Theater in the play The Famous Story of Troilus, and three years later he played his first role on the screen in Andrzej Munk’s The Passenger. However, this was only the beginning of his fruitful career.
He played demonic and comedic characters. Marek Walczewski was a complete artist
Walczewski’s artistic output abounds in many excellent titles. The roles of madmen and insane people predominate in them, because, as many claimed, he had no equal in this category. He was able to convey wildness, insanity and madness with authenticity. He created some of the most outstanding characters in “The Promised Land” by Andrzej Wajda and “The Death of the President” by Jerzy Kawalerowicz. “This role took me into the darkest corner of my life – about the second film. “He’s the most tragic character I’ve ever played,” he said. He was also remembered by viewers with his performances in “The Wedding”, “The Tin Drum” and “The Foreigner”.
He also proved his credibility in performances. After moving to the capital, he first performed on the stage of the Studio Theatre, then the Dramatic Theatre, with which he was associated until the end of his career. He did not treat his heroes superficially. Preparing for the role, he explored the secrets of the mind, he also created their psyche. “I put all my passions into the character I play,” he said in an interview with . Critics admired his roles in plays, mainly in Jerzy Jarocki and Konrad Swinarski. But he didn’t like being called demonic himself. He considered the term “too flat and one-dimensional”. — After these roles, I became a monster of Polish cinema and theater — . Although he climbed to the heights of artistry, it pained him that he was wearing a label, he did not want to be pigeonholed. An escape from dark characters were comedies, among which “Vabank II, or riposte” and “Kingsajz” by Juliusz Makulski deserve a special mention.
Alzheimer’s was the beginning of the end of his career. While playing, Stepnia knew he was sick
The life of Walczewski and his second wife, Małgorzata Niemirska, changed in the mid-1990s. Then the woman began to notice that her husband had memory problems. The diagnosis was devastating – Alzheimer’s. Despite his illness, the actor remained professionally active. During this time, he created the character of the senior aspirant Stępień in the TV series by Maciej Ślesiecki. Although the viewers loved him, working on the set was not the easiest. — He was well prepared, he remembered everything, but when we entered the set (…) Marek often started to get lost — Piotr Zelt, who played in Arnold’s production.
As the years passed, Walczewski’s condition began to deteriorate. Problems with coordination of movements and increasing difficulties with memory made him decide to suspend his career. All the time he could count on the support and care of his beloved wife. After the actor set the basement on fire and then fell down the stairs, the woman was forced to place him in a special center with 24-hour care for his sake. Marek Walczewski died less than 5 years later, on May 26, 2009. He was 72 at the time.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
