She was the star of “The Leper”, and “no one knew” about him. Years later, the roles were reversed

Elżbieta Starostecka and Włodzimierz Korcz met while studying at the Łódź Film School. Even though they were in completely different departments, their paths crossed during auditions for a cabaret. – I heard that they have a beautiful girl who, as my friend said, “lacks nothing.” I went to the rehearsal, looked at Elżbieta and thought she was really pretty – recalled the composer in .

They were only 21 years old when they decided to get married. There were rumors that Korcz was jealous of his wife’s career

Although they both caught each other’s eye, the composer had to strive for their favor for a long time. After each rehearsal, he walked her home, entertained her with long conversations, and constantly tried to persuade her to meet him. Finally, the actress gave in and invited him for coffee. Almost immediately they felt that they would spend their lives together. – We were convinced that we were made for each other – said the composer in the same interview. They wanted to stay as soon as possible, but Korcz’s father cooled down their enthusiasm and they finally got married only after 2 years of marriage. – We went to the stop and a tram arrived with its doors open. There were so many people that you couldn’t get in. And if we hadn’t gone in, we wouldn’t have made it to the wedding. I pushed Elżbieta into the crowd and held on to the railing myself, he recalled.

After the wedding, the young couple moved to Warsaw, and Starostecka’s career quickly began to gain momentum. She played many outstanding roles on screen, including: Barbara’s sister in “Nights and Days” by Jerzy Antczak or Stefania Rudecka in the film adaptation of “Trędowata” directed by Jerzy Hoffman. Even though she became a real movie star and could choose from a wide range of offers, she unexpectedly faded into the background. It was said that the reason was her jealous husband, who had been living in her shadow all this time. However, the truth was completely different.

She focused on her family and he focused on his career. The artists’ marriage has been going on for over half a century

It turned out that the actress made the decision to give up her career on her own. She felt fulfilled in acting and wanted to devote herself fully to raising her daughter and son. She also knew that she owed it to her husband, who, when she was triumphant, fulfilled all household duties, although it did not bother him much. – If there are two artistic professions in a marriage, there must always be some competition. I have never had a problem in my life, except that for many years my wife was one of the most famous actresses in the country, and no one knew about me – in “Uwaga”.

Finally, it was time to switch roles, which quickly paid off. Starostecka fulfilled herself as a mother and wife, and Korcz devoted himself fully to composing songs for, among others, Alicja Majewska and Edyta Geppert, which all generations still know and listen to. – I wouldn’t have achieved anything in life, I wouldn’t have done anything, if I didn’t have a place to come back to, and I didn’t have a place that is always there. We created it together, he said in one of the interviews. The actress never regretted her decision. Years later, she admitted that fame was overwhelming for her, and living away from the spotlight was a real luxury. – I prefer a quiet life than fame. I’m not interested in being a star – .