The first episode was broadcast at the end of July 1974, and the title character immediately gained sympathy and interest from viewers. Today, the series directed by Jerzy Passendorfer is considered one of the best, if not the best, in the history of Polish television, and the actors appearing in it are among the greatest stars of that period. One of them was undoubtedly , who played the title role.
“Janosik” opened the door to his career. Perepeczko was not the only candidate for the main role
When the director of “Janosik” started selecting the cast, Perepeczko had already played roles in such excellent productions as “Descent into Hell”, “Mr. Wołodyjowski”, “The Columbuses” and “The Wedding”. Even though he didn’t have many expectations, he decided to take part in the casting. After the first test shots, he became one of Passendorfer’s favorites for the title role.
What distinguished him from the competition was primarily his physical conditions, including his height, athletic build and athletic figure. – I immediately saw Marek Perepeczka in it, whose acting experience and especially the external conditions predispose him to this type of roles – the creator of the series in an interview for “Filmowy Serwis Prasowy”. And although in the end it was Perepeczko who created the character of the famous harnaś on screen, permanently marking his place on the pages of Polish cinematography, his place was almost taken by another actor. Who are we talking about?
He could have played Janosik. The producers of the series wanted him to take Perepczka’s place
It turns out that while Passendorfer was delighted with Perepeczka, the producers did not share his enthusiasm and did not agree with the choice he made. They claimed that the 31-year-old simply did not fit the role of Janosik. Apparently, the main thing that was to his detriment was… his beauty. The actor was handsome, and in this role they saw a man who was not necessarily well-groomed and had perfect facial features. The second important argument was that he was unable to use the dialect, which, according to them, was crucial in the case of the actor who played the Tatra highwayman.
Then, Perepeczki’s competitor was over a decade older, known today for such productions as “The Secret of the Forest”, “Red and White” and “Linia”. Ultimately, however, after several weeks of negotiations, the director had his way. Perepeczko was cast in the role of Janosik, and his colleague played the role of harnasz Bardos. If you feel like it, vote in our poll below.
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.
