“” is one of those films that Poles love to come back to. The adaptation of Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz’s book from 1981 was the most popular until recently. In 2023, competition appeared in the form of Michał Gazda’s production. Here we can see Leszek Lichota in the main role. Although critics almost unanimously appreciated the performance, for many viewers Jerzy Bińczycki will always remain Professor Rafał Wilczur.
Jerzy Bińczycki played the iconic medicine man. At first he didn’t want to take the role
The actor was born in Witkowice on the outskirts of Krakow in 1937, graduated from the Acting Department of the State Drama School in Krakow, and made his debut on the stage at the age of 24. The actor has won numerous awards for his performances in plays such as “Room for Hours”, “Farewell to Judas”, “The Emigrants” and “Friendship”. In 1989, the creator was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. During his career, Bińczycki also did not avoid the big screen . He played the role of Doctor Andrzej Bloch in “Room number 6”, Jan Kowalski, a retired captain of the Great Sailing in “Happy Shore” and Bogumił Niechcic in Jerzy Antczak’s well-known work “Nights and Days”. However, no role brought him such fame as the one in “Quack”.
What is most interesting, we would never recognize Bińczycki in this unforgettable creation. First of all, the artist did not want to be an actor. In high school, he was fascinated by architecture, but he decided to accompany his friend during the entrance exams to an acting school. It turned out that he had potential and he got into college.
“There will be no film without you. You were born for this role”
In turn, when Jerzy Hoffman offered Bińczyki a role in “The Quack”, the actor was not enthusiastic. As the Interia website recalls, the actor had other priorities at that time. His second wife, student Elżbieta, 17 years younger than her, informed her partner that she was pregnant. The future father did not want to leave his beloved at home alone during a difficult time for her. He thanked the director for the offer, but turned down the role. Bińczyki’s son said in an interview for Wirtualna Polska that this was not the only and main reason for the decision.
Bińczycki loved the theater, acting in front of the camera did not give him the same joy. The role of Bogumił Niechcic in the film “Nights and Days” categorized him. The characteristic hero made him return to playing episodes on the big screen. When he heard that Hoffman wanted to cast him in another very specific role, he panicked. He didn’t want to fall into the same trap again.
“He was very afraid of the ‘Janek effect’, i.e. what had been affecting Janusz Gajos for years, long associated with the role of Janek Kos in ‘Czterech pancerni’. His father did not want to be perceived only from the perspective of one or two roles,” says Jan Bińczycki, the actor’s son . “My father was running away from stereotypes, he wanted to break away, do different things, play completely different characters,” he added.
However, Jerzy Hoffman did not give up. Apparently he wrote a letter to the actor. “There will be no film without you. You were born for this role,” the message read. This convinced him and the rest is history.
Jerzy Bińczycki did not live to see the premiere of two films in which he starred. He died suddenly
“What was the basis of the power of Jerzy Bińczycki’s acting? To this day I don’t know what kind of actor Bińczycki was. It’s a cliché to say that he was good, but was he great? He was certainly a noble man. It emanated from him. In front of the camera ‘Binio’ he always seemed incredibly real. He spoke slowly, moved slowly,” Jerzy Hoffman recalled the actor, quoted by Onet.
The actor’s career was interrupted by death. In 1998, Bińczycki was offered to become the director of the Stary Theater. The artist hesitated, but gave in to his colleagues’ requests. Unfortunately, as he had guessed, the responsibility and mental burden resulting from his new job were too much for him. “The new role was too much stress and burden for him,” Hoffman said.
THEATER OLD CABLOTAK BINCZYCKI Photo Agencja Wyborcza.pl / KRZYSZTOF KAROLCZYK
Jerzy Bińczycki died on October 2, 1998 in Kraków. He left suddenly. Cause? Myocardial infarction. The actor was buried in the Avenue of Merit of the Rakowicki Cemetery in Krakow. He did not see the premiere of two films with his participation. Before he died, he starred in Andrzej Wajda’s “Pan Tadeusz” and Paweł Komorowski’s “Labours of Sisyphus”.
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.
