He went down in the history of cinematography as the title character of the cult series. However, the role for which he was loved by millions quickly became his greatest curse. The directors did not see his potential, and the patch of a handsome thief ruined his chance for a great career.
His passion was sports. At the Warsaw PWST, he met the love of his life
In many interviews, Marek Perepeczko emphasized that his school days were not very good. He was a rather frail boy, which made him the object of ridicule among his peers. Thanks to his father, he joined a rowing club, which resulted in a passion for sports and such disciplines as basketball, bodybuilding and judo. He planned to develop in this direction or go to architecture. Just before graduating from school, young Perepeczko, persuaded by his Polish language teacher, went to the theater school in Warsaw to take exams. Although he did not have high hopes for the auditions, he received an index of the acting department. It was then that she appeared on his life path. The couple met in the queue to the PWST dean’s office. They struck a deal right away. They quickly started dating and soon became officially a couple. Years later, they recalled that it was love at first sight. Although both had explosive personalities, they got married in 1966 and stayed together for the next four decades.
It was not only love, but also an extraordinary friendship. They were as devoted as anyone else
— in interviews their mutual friends.
“Janosik” was a breakthrough role in his career. The young actor was pigeonholed
In 1965, Perepeczko received his diploma and made his debut on the stage of the Classical Theater in Warsaw in the play A Handful of Sand directed by Czesław Wołłejko. Before he was noticed, he played several episodes on the small and big screen. Only the role of Adam Nowowiejski in the film adaptation of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s novel “Pan Wołodyjowski”, directed by Jerzy Hoffman, brought him recognition from viewers and critics. However, this was not enough to permanently exist in the world of cinema.
The breakthrough in his career came only in 1973, when Jerzy Passendorfer entrusted him with the title role in the already cult series “Janosik”. The director did not hide that Perepeczko received the job mainly because of his brawn and muscles. The character of harnaś was liked by the viewers, especially the female part of the audience, and the 34-year-old at the time gained enormous recognition and fame. Contrary to what he had hoped, the streak did not happen, and he was labeled as a handsome and well-built highwayman. — I have not played many significant or leading things in my life. My achievements are what they are. Perhaps my predispositions were not used. But is it necessary to trumpet about it and tell what would happen if? – after years .
He left for Australia and put his career on hold. After returning to the country, he could not find himself in the industry
Resigned by the lack of success, he decided to go to Australia, where his wife, Agnieszka Fitkau, was making a career. Initially, it was supposed to be a six-month break from professional duties, but eventually Perepeczko stayed abroad for over 4.5 years. “Four years too many!” – he said in “Dziennik Polski”. In the meantime, he was developing professionally, but he felt uncomfortable in his foreign country, and the language barrier made it even more difficult for him to develop. In 1989, he decided to return to Poland. – Running an amateur theater for the Polish community was not the height of my dreams. I felt alien and uncomfortable there. I was becoming an artistic oldboy – in one of the interviews.
In Poland, its situation in the industry has not changed at all. For nearly 15 years, Perepeczko occasionally appeared on the screen, but these were usually secondary, but more often third, roles. Longing for his wife and lack of professional prospects, Perepeczko compensated for himself with food. He quickly began to gain weight, which ultimately resulted in as much as 40 extra pounds. It was only in 1997 that he got the opportunity to play one of the main characters in the series “13 Precinct”. In the sitcom directed by Maciej Ślesicki, he created the character of the station commander, Władysław Słoik, and the audience almost immediately fell in love with his comedic hero. In the same year, the actor also took the position of director of the theater in Częstochowa and held this office for the next 6 years. When he lost his job in 2003, he completely broke down.
The actor was overweight and had health problems. He died of a heart attack
After losing his directorship, the actor’s health began to deteriorate. He complained of numerous ailments, but did not want to do control tests. He felt lonely and abandoned, although he was in constant contact with his wife. Soon Agnieszka Fitkau decided to return to Poland. Despite strenuous requests, the actress failed to convince her beloved to see a doctor. His male selfishness was winning. Every time I told him to take care of his health, he probably thought I was buzzing in his ear. In this regard, he would not listen to me. He was doing me and himself in spite of himself,” she said years later. At the beginning of November 2005, Marek Perepeczko gave an interview for the “Retro” magazine:
This overweight will kill me someday. It’s very lucky that no one will cry for me
he said then. Only ten days later, the actor drove his wife to Łódź and returned to his apartment in Częstochowa. In the evening, the spouses had a telephone conversation, but it was quite short. Perepeczko said he was tired and would call the next day. Did not call. On the night of November 16-17, the actor suffered a massive heart attack and died. At the time of his death, Marek Perepeczko was 63 years old.
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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.
