Ryszard Kotys was a film and theater actor, and he started his career in 1953 after graduating from the Krakow State Theater School. He made his debut on the stage of the Theater. Stefan Żeromski in Kielce. Just a year later, Andrzej Wajda invited him to participate in his “Generation”, and the audience became aware of the actor’s great talent. His professional activity is admirable – for over 65 years he has appeared in over 150 feature films and 40 series.
“You weren’t a scumbag or a pain in the ass.” Friends from the set remember Kotys
It cannot be denied that his greatest recognition was his role in the series “Świat dla Kiepskich”, where he played the role of Marian Paździoch. This fact didn’t bother the actor himself at all, and his colleagues spoke only warm words about him.
“First of all, Rysiek and I always laughed that we had been married in the film longer than many couples in real life. I knew Rysiek earlier – we worked together at the Polish Theater in Wrocław. I had guest appearances there, he was there full-time. Then, years later, We met on the set of “Świat dla Kiepskich”, where we played a married couple, recalled Renata Pałys, Paździoch’s wife in the production, in an interview with Onet.
Ryszard Kotys as Marian Paździoch Screenshot from ‘The World According to the Kiepskis’
Andrzej Grabowski, i.e. Ferdek Kiepski, also lavished praise on him, whose adventures have entertained viewers for years. “He didn’t play these roles, he was the character he played. No one can replace Rysiek. Mr. Paździoch, you weren’t an idiot or an eyesore on the healthy body of the nation,” said the actor.
Episodic star. However, he considered the theater his “home”.
Kotys himself, when asked many times about his career, emphasized that he felt a greater connection with the theater, where he played leading roles. He joked about himself that in the world of film he was more of an “episode”. But what episodic roles they were! He performed with the best Polish artists. He had the opportunity to play with people such as the previously mentioned Andrzej Wajda and Agnieszka Holland, Juliusz Machulski, Wojciech Jerzy Has, Janusz Majewski, Janusz Morgenstern, Kazimierz Kutz, Roman Załuski, Antoni Krauze, Janusz Zaorski, Ryszard Ber, Krzysztof Zanussi, Władysław Pasikowski and Łukasz Palkowski.
Everyone knows these movies. Kotys was also among them
In the cult “Sami Swoich” he played the role of a cat seller, for whom Kargul and Pawlak fought a fierce fight. In the king of Polish comedy Juliusz Machulski’s “Vabank”, he appeared as Melski – an usher at the “Krawiec” cinema. He also played in the second part of the cult comedy, and in “Kingsajz” he played the dwarf Nosacz. He also appeared in the cult “Wielki Szu”, where he played one of the local card tricksters. He was also present in “Koglu-Moglu” and “Oh Karol” by Roman Załuski. Over the years, he appeared in subsequent productions, and his last film role was the character of a tailor in the film “Klecha” by Jacek Gwizdala from 2019.
Ryszard Kotys died on January 27, 2021, at the age of 88, as a result of a serious illness in Poznań. Four years earlier, he had suffered from severe pneumonia, from which he never fully recovered. Despite this, he continued playing the role of the unforgettable Marian Paździoch until the last moments of his life.
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.
