Wacław Kowalski created many outstanding acting creations, but it was the role of Kazimierz Pawlak in the cult film trilogy that brought him the greatest fame and recognition of the audience. Although he mainly appeared in comedies, his private life was more like a drama.
Family tragedies left their mark on his life. During the war, Wacław Kowalski found love
As a young boy, Wacław Kowalski had to face the death of his beloved father. The man worked as a blacksmith. One day, a shard of metal fell into his eye, and surgery was necessary. After the confluence he fell ill with meningitis. The weakened body had no strength to fight and the man died. Soon after, another tragedy befell the grieving family. The 12-year-old sister of the actor was carried away by the river while returning from the fair. Unfortunately, the girl drowned.
Although the death of loved ones was a huge blow for Kowalski, he did not break down. He graduated from the Teachers’ Seminary and started working as a teacher. However, he did not enjoy his new job for a long time, because the outbreak of World War II thwarted his professional plans. Then he went to a cadet school, where he met Wacław Osikowski. A friend introduced him to his sister, Stanisława, who immediately caught his eye. Mutual sympathy quickly turned into love and in 1943 the couple got married.
Shortly after the end of the war, in 1946, their firstborn son, Jan, was born. At that time, Kowalski decided to return to his studies. He began his education at the Music Conservatory in Łódź, hoping to start performing on the opera stage. However, fate had a different plan for him. He was accidentally seen by Leon Schiller, who noticed his acting potential. He quickly offered him a job on one of his shows, which turned out to be a hit. Kowalski began to be successful, and viewers loved him. In 1956, the family was enlarged by another consolation, Maciej. The sons were the pride of their parents, who were overjoyed when it turned out that they both got into medicine.
The successes on the screen were interrupted by a personal tragedy. The death of his son changed his life forever
The second half of the 1960s saw the biggest breakthrough in Wacław Kowalski’s career. It was then that the cinema screens entered the movie in which he played one of the main roles. The character he created secured him a place among the best Polish actors and became the most important in his entire artistic output. “He wasn’t as cheerful in real life as he was in the movies. I remember him as a strict father, requiring order and keeping distance with his son – Jan. Despite many successes both on stage and on screen, family was the most important thing for the actor.
When his 26-year-old son Maciej died in a car accident in 1982, he fell into depression. He was no longer able to return to the screens to act in comedic roles. So he gave up his career and completely withdrawn into himself. Wacław Kowalski died on October 27, 1990 due to a stroke. At the time of his death, he was 74 years old. ‘I still miss my father, this great moral authority, so much. Just like we have. (…) Because my parents loved each other very much, I could always count on them and they never let me down. It was a wonderful marriage — John about his parents.
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.
