Włodzimierz Press was born in Lviv. His father died in the Treblinka camp, in 1941 he was almost separated from his mother at the train station. From Lwów they went to Siberia, after the war they finally settled in Kraków. Janina Planer worked for years at Telewizja Polska, where she was responsible for programs for children and teenagers. In 1968, in the face of the anti-Semitic campaign in Poland, she left first for Israel, and finally for France. Włodzimierz Press was interested in acting already at school. In 1963, he graduated from a theater school in Warsaw. In the same year, he made his screen debut in “Divorces will not be”. Fans can associate his voice with games like “League of Legends” or cult animated series. In Looney Tunes, he dubbed Sylwester the cat, and in the Asterix and Obelix series, he dubbed Julius Caesar. Finally, in 1966, he got a role in “Four Armored and a Dog”, which can be seen today on TVP VOD.
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He didn’t want to go to the audition. “I went to earn a few zlotys.” He got the lead role
Włodzimierz Press almost did not play in “Four tankers and a dog”. At that time, he worked at the Ludowy Theater in Warsaw, and the director initially did not want to let him take part in the auditions, because he claimed that it would spoil the repertoire. He finally agreed, but Press himself had his doubts. Shortly before, he lost his chance for the main role in “Pharaoh”, which was finally given to Jerzy Zelnik. – I have lost the remnants of faith that I am good for anything in this profession. I went to test shoots for “Pancerny” to earn a few zlotys. I didn’t want to play it. After all, it was about war, and I’m a pacifist by nature, I’ve never had anything to do with the army. But I was spinning thin, so I went he said in an interview
The series “Four tank men and a dog” gave him fame and love. “I fell in love like crazy”
It was a good thing, because the audition was successful, and Press got the role of tanker Grigory Saakashvili. In 1966, Renata, a student at the Academy of Fine Arts, appeared on the set of the series. She helped the costume designer to earn extra money. The production was already popular, and Renata herself was enchanted by Press. He also noticed her. – I fell in love like a madman – years later. The decision was imminent. They got married in 1967 and their son Grzegorz was born in the same year. Although some joked that his parents named him after the hero of “Four Armored…”, they honored the memory of Press’s father, who died in Treblinka. When the shooting for the series was completed, a daughter, Tania, was born. “The children turned out well, although I’m not at all sure that I did a good job as a father,” he admitted critically. Until 1981, the Press family led a quiet life, and Włodzimierz continued his career in the theater and on the screens. The introduction of martial law changed everything. Press suggested going to France, where his mother lived. – I treated my trip to Paris during martial law as a vacation with my family […]and I sat there with breaks for several years – he told Gazeta Wyborcza.
Today, Włodzimierz and Renata Press live in Warsaw. 56 years after their marriage, they still love each other. They spend their free time reading, watching TV and playing bridge. – As soon as my friends and I have a free evening, it’s just to get away from all the daily hassles that we play bridge. It’s a real relaxation for me – in “Tele Magazyn”.
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.
