“He had the charm of a robber and the charm of a child.” When he ran out of vodka, he sent Karol Wojtyła to the store

As he used to say, Krzysztof Litwin was “not too big, not too small, perfect”. Initially, few believed in the painter’s acting talent, but he proved his outstanding skills with each subsequent role. If he hadn’t been addicted, he probably would have become one of the biggest stars of his time.

He did not like to learn lyrics, so he usually improvised. His roles have been permanently recorded in the history of cinema

Krzysztof Litwin was a graduate of the Krakow Academy of Fine Arts, where he obtained a diploma in graphic design. He took his first steps on the stage in “Piwnica pod Baranami”, with which he was associated from the beginning of its existence. It was he who composed the music for the club’s first anthem “I’ll put a screw in the radio”, as well as many other great songs. He was said to be a “comedy performer between the stage and the audience”. It was his cabaret and monologue performances that brought him the greatest popularity and recognition. “He was unpredictable on stage. He could not memorize two sentences, so it was not known what he would surprise his colleagues with. But with every text, even the poorest, he could do wonders – Magda Sokołowska, recalling his sophisticated retorts. Although at first few believed in his talent, he quickly turned out to be the highlight of all performances. – It was enough that he stood on the stage without saying anything, and the audience was already crazy with laughter – said Andrzej Koboś.

He made his debut in front of the camera in the late 1950s in Wojciech Jerzy Has’s Common Room. He played nearly 80 roles for the most outstanding Polish filmmakers. Many remember him as Zenek from or Lopez Soares from The Saragossa Manuscript. The role of the phlegmatic sergeant Walczak brought him the greatest popularity in the TV series “The Adventures of a Civilian Dog” directed by Krzysztof Szmagier. Litwin also performed at the Television Theatre, as well as on the stage of the Krakow Operetta and the Stary Theatre.

The addiction ruined his marriage. When he ran out of vodka during a libation, he sent Karol Wojtyła to the store

In 1961, in the Jaszczury club, Litwin met his future wife, Małgorzata. Two years later, they got married, and the fruit of their love was a son, Bartek. he was a good father, but it was not uncommon for him to forget that he had gone for a walk with the child and returned without it. – Such was Krzysiek, distracted, absent, from another world. He had the charm of a robber, the charm of a child, the woman recalled. However, it was no secret that Lithuanian did not avoid alcohol. The wife has tried many times to fight his addiction, but to no avail. Eventually, after 20 years, they broke up.

The Lithuanian’s alcoholic libations were the subject of many conversations among members of Krakow’s artistic elite. Many still remember the situation when during one of the richly drunk parties, his friends ran out of alcohol. For this purpose, they visited Franciszek Macharski, hoping that a friend would treat them to some high-proof beverage. However, the man had no supplies. Then the Lithuanian sent a young priest for vodka, and it was … Karol Wojtyła.

We raised an ecumenical toast, drank the second leg and left Franciszkańska 3 in really blissful moods

— Marek Karewicz recalled the situation in the book “Big Beat”. Addiction quickly took its toll on health. In the last years of his life he struggled with laryngeal cancer. Krzysztof Litwin died on November 8, 2000 in his hometown of Kraków, and his body was buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery. He was 65 at the time of his death.