. Throughout the years of his professional activity, he played both in the theater and in front of the camera. He was Gustaw Kramer in “Vabank”, doctor Karol Stelmach – a friend of Stefan Karwowski in “Czterdziestolatku”, and his first role that brought nationwide recognition was Krzysztof Dowgird from “Czarne Clouds”. When asked a few years ago about his favorite role, he had a problem with the answer – it would probably be difficult for many viewers to choose this one. actor :
In his work, he always values what the audience liked. The acceptance of the audience proves that the work was not in vain. Such a role is certainly Kramer in “Vabanks” or the charming Stelmach in “Czterdziestolatek”. Of course, I also have sentiment for Colonel Dowgird, but also for Colonel Wareda, whom I played in “Career of Nikodem Dyzma”. There is something to mention.
And although Andrzej Konic, when he started the production of the adventurous-adventure series “Black Clouds”, thought about Jan Nowicki (he refused due to his commitments in the theatre), today it is difficult to imagine anyone other than Leonard Pietraszak in this role.
He played most of the dangerous scenes alone. When a stuntman replaced him, an accident happened
Before he got to television and “Black Clouds”, he already played in Bydgoszcz and Poznań. In December, it will be 50 years since the premiere of this ten-episode production, which brought him great popularity. As Leonard Pietraszak recalled at a meeting organized at the Kazimierz Wielki University, 10 years ago, after the cast was completed, everyone had to take part in a fencing and horse riding camp lasting several months – after all, it was a “cloak and dagger” series. The titular black clouds mean the imminent specter of war with the Turks in the 17th century, and the main character is a Polish nobleman and Prussian officer who, during the reign of Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, rebels against the rule of the Brandenburg elector, Frederick William. As such, horses and swords were important elements of the script. Pietraszak told them what their teacher, a pre-war uhlan, kept telling them:
I will not teach you to ride a horse, but I will teach you to look like a horse. We replied: Major, this is more important.
“We felt so confident on these horses that we rarely had substitutions for us in any dangerous scenes,” the actor recalled. It turns out that in one of the scenes in which Krzysztof Dowgird was supposed to jump from his horse to one of those pulling the speeding carriage with his beloved, he had to accept the director’s opinion and allow the stuntman to work. The latter, afraid of stopping the shooting in the event of an injury to the main actor, may have had a premonition, because indeed – the harness was incorrectly fastened, the stuntman fell under the wheel of the carriage and broke his leg.
The sabers in “Black Clouds” were made from Mermaid parts. “Heavy as hell”
And when it comes to fencing, with Stanisław Niwiński, who plays one of the evil heroes, they really hurt each other, fighting on the set with sabers. Leonard Pietraszak said:
The sabers were made from the springs of the Syrenka car. Heavy as hell. First, he didn’t cover himself, even though it was all arranged, or I made the wrong move and cut him off in the head.
Fortunately, it was enough to cover the treated wound with hair. After resuming the duel, Niwiński accidentally injured Pietraszak in the hand, which resulted in a longer break in work.
Each episode began with the opening credits with the characteristic music of Waldemar Kazanecki. Ryszard Pietruski as Dowgird’s companion Kacper Pilch, Janusz Zakrzeński as the governor Erick von Hollstein, Edmund Fetting as Margrave Karol von Ansbach or Stanisław Niwiński as captain of Zaremba’s dragoons. Two popular actresses also starred in the series: Anna Seniuk as Magda Domaradzka and Elżbieta Starostecka as Anna Ostrowska, and although the characters appeared as Kacper and Dowgird’s beloved, they also knew how to take matters into their own hands when necessary.
Leonard Pietraszak and Elżbieta Starostecka – photo from 2014 Marcin Szajnfeld / East News
Leonard Pietraszak on the popularity of “Black Clouds”
“Black Clouds” was a real TV hit. It is known that it was not the time of many TV channels, but still 76 percent. viewership is impressive. Thousands of women had a crush on Colonel Dowgird, both during the first broadcast and reruns. However, the anecdote with the divorce is about a different matter.
– I even meet people who say: I got divorced because of Mr. “Black Clouds” – recalled Pietraszak at the university. When he asked this man he had met by chance, “Why?”, he heard:
You know, sir, I used to work in the unit [wojskowej – red.] in Zegrze and there was a color TV, and I always told my wife that I was going to watch Black Clouds. And she checked me out once… and I wasn’t watching, sir.
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.
