On July 9, 2024, the media reported the death of Jerzy Stuhr. The news was reported by Onet, citing a conversation with his son Maciej Stuhr. Although the official cause is not yet known, it is known that the actor had been struggling with various health problems for a long time. In the late 1980s, he suffered a massive heart attack, and in 2011, doctors diagnosed him with esophageal cancer. Despite long-term treatment, he did not give up his career and still appeared on screen from time to time. 5 years later, he suffered another heart attack, and in the summer of 2020, he was hospitalized due to a stroke. Since then, his condition has been steadily deteriorating, which is why he withdrew from show business completely.
Jerzy Stuhr is dead. A great actor, director, screenwriter and teacher
Set of the film ‘Love Stories’ directed by Jerzy Stuhr Photo: Sławomir Kamiński / Agencja Wyborcza.pl
He also successfully realized himself on the other side of the camera. His directorial debut was the film “Spis cudzołożnic” from 1995, warmly received by critics. Then he created, among others, “Historie miłościsne” awarded at the Venice IFF, in which he also played one of the roles, as well as “Duże zwierz” and “Korowód”. His films have repeatedly won laurels at the FPFF in Gdynia and many international festivals. For the supporting male role in “Persona non grata” he received the Eagle, and in 2018 he was awarded the same statuette, this time for Life Achievements – then his son Maciej Stuhr delivered the laudation, who said, among other things:
No one will tell you what I will. And I want to tell you today that people love you very much! For the actor you are and for the person you are. For the choices you have made in life, for how you have defeated the dragons of terrible diseases, giving us in these fights, in these films, and in these roles hectoliters of hope. I also wanted to tell you that even if sometimes our laureate is a strict teacher and critic of our weaknesses, I know that in this way he expresses his love for us. And I am telling you this from experience.
Jerzy Stuhr and his son Maciej – rehearsal of the play ‘Bal Mannequinów’ at the Och-Teatr in Warsaw (2018) Photo: Maciek Jaźwiecki / Agencja Wyborcza.pl
In 2017, in a conversation with Angelika Swoboda, Jerzy Stuhr:
Every artist goes through phases of great uncertainty. Will I succeed? Am I going in the right direction? Thousands of questions. At some point, however, you have to bang your fist on the table, say “stop” and shift the emotional axis within yourself. You simply have to start knowing everything. Can you imagine a director who constantly says “I don’t know”? Even if a director doesn’t know, he has to pretend he does.
He not only acted, but also wrote scripts and books. He was a renowned teacher and professor of theatre arts, educating successive generations of artists, in the years 1990-1996 and 2002-2008 he was the rector of the State Higher School of Theatre in Kraków.
“A man of diamonds in the heart and gold in the talent”
He was born on April 18, 1947, into a family that had been associated with Kraków for generations. Jerzy Stuhr and Barbara Kóska (today Stuhr) went to kindergarten together. As you can read in her biography “Basia. Szczęśliwą się zawsze”, “one morning Jerzyk informed his mother that he would go to kindergarten, yes, on condition that he would dance with Basia in the first pair. Stuhr’s mother adored her son. After her short visit to the kindergarten and a meeting with the principal, there was a change of partner and Jerzyk replaced Sławek [pięciolatka, z którym Basia uwielbiała tańczyć krakowiaka – red.]. Jerzyk was clumsy, he stepped on his friend’s feet and Basia was furious with him because the teacher made her dance with him. She didn’t like him then, but she remembered him”. In 1971 they got married and had a son, Maciej, and a daughter, Marianna.
Jerzy Stuhr gained popularity in the 1970s as a co-host of “Spotkania z balladą”. In the 1980s he went to Italy, where he also worked as an actor, director and teacher.
Three years ago, on his 70th birthday, Krystyna Janda, who was his friend and worked with him many times, called him on social media “a man of diamonds of the heart, of gold of talent, kindness, loyalty, intelligence, of iron of diligence and of diamonds of kindness to the world and people”.
In 2011, Jerzy Stuhr was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. The actor also suffered a heart attack. After winning the battle with cancer, he became involved in helping cancer patients. – This is the most important role I have ever played. I feel that we are doing something serious, simply – because I believe that my profession is to entertain people. Now I am happy that I can pass on to others something positive from my sad experiences – about cooperation with the Unicorn Association.
Jerzy Stuhr was awarded, among others, the Golden Cross of Merit, the Award of the City of Krakow, the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta “for outstanding services to Polish culture, for achievements in artistic creation and pedagogical activity”, the Golden Medal “For Merit to Culture Gloria Artis”. He was also a laureate of the Order of the Smile.
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.
