The first episode of the series “Przygody Mr. Michał” was broadcast on November 14, 1969. The author of the script for the production, Jerzy Lutowski, faced a difficult task. At the same time, he created a script for an episodic film by Paweł Komorowski and for the cinema version of “Pan Wołodyjowski” by Jerzy Hoffman.
Tadeusz Łomnicki did not want to play Wołodyjowski. He faked a knee injury
Interestingly, the series was in black and white, and the cinema version was in color. This was due to the limited budget of the television version. Most of the same actors appeared in both productions, some of the costumes and props were used, and the series was even supplemented with a cinematic version of the story. The series immediately became a hit on Polish Television, bringing great fame especially to Tadeusz Łomnicki. The actor played the role of Colonel Michał Wołodyjowski and gained the sympathy of viewers all over Poland.
As we read on polskieradio.pl, Łomnicki initially did not want to take the role. He thought of himself as a theater actor and was afraid that he would not be able to cope with the challenges on the set of a large historical production. “Hoffman’s proposal terrified me. In one second I understood what kind of responsibility I would take on if I agreed. I started avoiding Jurek and did it for half a year,” said the actor in a conversation with Witold Zadrowski in 1968. He then informed the director that he had a knee injury. Hoffman did not give up – he organized a medical college and exposed the actor’s lie.
“Before the shooting, the horse was an overgrown dog for me,” said Łomnicki. He learned riding and fencing for a year. He had the best mentor, Andrzej Piątkowski, a saber player and multiple Olympic medalist, was hired for this role. Before the recordings, Łomnicki couldn’t sleep because he was afraid of disappointing his teacher. He did not disappoint, he created an unforgettable creation to this day. However, the success of the series was also due to the well-played supporting roles. The viewers loved Zagłoba, played by Mieczysław Pawlikowski, and Azja Tuchajbejewicz, created by Daniel Olbrychski.
Asia Tuchajbejewicz from “The Adventures of Mr. Michael” really existed
In the story, Asia becomes the leader of the Lipka rebellion, i.e. Tatars living in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cruel traitor is driven only by an exuberant ego, he wants revenge and glory, for which he is ready to pay any price. The character of Tukhajbeevich is based on the real Tatar commander Alexander Kryczyński, who was also a distinguished soldier and traitor.
From 1654, Kryczyński served in the crown army as a captain of the Tatar banner. However, when in 1667 problems began with the payment of outstanding pay, the reduction of troops and the ban on building mosques, the outbreak of the Polish-Turkish war became obvious – Roman Sidorski describes the soldier’s story in Onet. Kryczyński joined the Sultan and took some of the soldiers with him. However, his self-confidence lost him.
The Lipkas became accustomed to noble privileges, and the growing position of the commander began to bother them. In 1673, a group of soldiers who wanted to return to fighting on the Polish side murdered their superior. Azja was impaled on a stake, Kryczyński was pierced with a spear.
“In the wide steppe” or “The Song of the Little Knight” was hummed by all of Poland
When recalling the series “The Adventures of Mr. Michał”, it is impossible not to mention the song from the cult leading production, which is still hummed by generations to this day. The music for “Song of a Little Knight”, also known as “In the Wide Steppe”, was written by Wojciech Kilar, with lyrics by Jerzy Lutowski. The timeless hit was performed by Leszek Herdegen in the series. As we read on tvp.pl, another song was also prepared for production – “The Steppe Ballad”.
Today, “In the Wide Steppe” has acquired a new cultural context. The song was liked by Polish volleyball fans, who sing it during the men’s national team games. In turn, in the ninth edition of the program “Your Face Sounds Familiar”, actor Andrzej Młynarczyk played the role of Tadeusz Łomnicki, singing a famous song. Viewers immediately pointed out to the creators that it was not the same actor who performed the song from the opening credits of the cult series.
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.
