Leszek Herdegen was born on May 28, 1929 in Poznań. Already at the age of 17, he published his first poems and articles. Despite the reputation of being the most diligent student, he passed the secondary school leaving examination only the third time. It was a consequence of the actions of his father, who had offended the party. However, this did not prevent him from studying at the Krakow acting school, which he successfully completed in 1953.
He was a supporting actor. He was able to outshine other cast members with his charisma
It was within the walls of the university that he met his first wife, Halina Zaczek. They quickly decided to get married, but the marriage did not last. They separated after three years and finalized their divorce only six years later. The reason was said to be the actor’s riotous lifestyle. However, our private turmoil did not prevent us from developing our careers. After graduating, he joined the Wybrzeże Theater in Gdańsk, where he made his debut. After a year, he returned to Krakow and started working as the literary director of the Stary Theater. In the meantime, he published a collection of columns and reviews “Homework”, and finally returned to playing the role of Hamlet, which created a sensation among viewers and critics.
Filmmakers also quickly noticed his talent. He has appeared in many productions on both the small and big screen, and the most popular ones include: “The Deluge”, “Polish roads”, “Pharaoh”, “Life hot” or . – This popularity surprises me a bit. I don’t act in comedies, I’m not a lover, I usually act in the so-called difficult repertoire – . Others, however, were not surprised by his phenomenon. – He was an idol, not only because of his wonderful voice. All the girls fell in love with him, said actress Irena Jun. He was always surrounded by a circle of women, but he kept them at a distance. – He was rather afraid of women – claimed the writer and privately friend of Herdegen, Sławomir Mrożek.
She was his mentor and later became his wife. He remained faithful to her until the end
He also allegedly treated his second wife, Lidia Zamkow, in a similar way. He was 11 years older than him and was his teacher at university, and it was she who had the greatest influence on the development of his career. He played the first violin in her plays, she considered him her discovery, which is why she kept him “under a cloche”. – He could play for Jarocki, for Swinarski, and he listened to his wife, who wouldn’t let him leave – recalled his colleague, Antoni Pszoniak, confirming at the same time that Herdegen had a weakness for alcohol, and his wife not only turned a blind eye to it, but apparently she liked to look into the glass herself. – They both loved vodka – . The community believed that marriage was doing them more harm than good, but they couldn’t live without each other, even though it was a very turbulent life. – They argued in front of the team, with insults and kicks – said Pszoniak.
At one point, Herdegen’s addiction reached its peak and he even carried alcohol on stage. It was rumored that he carried a small bottle of vodka in his inside jacket pocket, which he drank from with a straw. According to one of many hypotheses, it was his addiction that led to his premature death on January 15, 1980. Apparently, after having the splint sewn in, the actor still refused to drink. During one of the parties, he allegedly drank vodka, which led to a heart attack. There is also a theory that he fell asleep with a cigarette, causing a fire in which he died on the spot. The true version of events will probably remain a mystery forever.
If you are struggling with addiction or want to find out how you can help a loved one, you can contact the specialists on duty at these numbers:
- National Addiction Helpline (daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.): 800-199-990
- Telephone Trust for behavioral addictions (daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.): 800-889-880
- Orange line for parents of children drinking alcohol (Monday to Friday, 2-8 p.m.): 801-140-068
- National Emergency Service for Victims of Domestic Violence Blue Line (24 hours a day): 800-120-002
More information can be found on the following pages.
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.
