Václav Bedřich

Václav Bedřich (28 August 1918, Příbram – 7 March 2009) was a Czech animator, actor, and film director. He is best known for his children's TV animation.[1][2][3]

He created 358 animated films, which earned him a number of awards at domestic and international film festivals.[1][3]

Selected filmography

• 1944: Wedding in the Coral Sea

1953: Hrnečku, vař! ("Cook, Little Pot!") [4]

• 1955: Devil and Káča [fr], 44min. animation loosely based on the fairy tale "Devil and Káča" by Božena Němcová. Lucifer asks his sidekick to bring the most evil princess from the Earth. By mistake a peasant girl Káča was brought and she raised a hell in hell and she is to be returned to the Earth as soon as possible.[5]
• 1960: Čtyřicet dědečků (Forty Old Men; direction and scenario), 8 min. animation; a grotesque story about magic pot which multiplies anything what was put inside[6]
  • Honorable mention at the 9th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (1963)[6]
• 1961: Calypso Cat
• 1962: Mouse into Space
• 1962: The Tom and Jerry Cartoon Kit
• 1966: Pohádky ovčí babičky [cs]
• 1971: Poppy Dolly [cs]
• 1971–2014: Štaflík a Špagetka [cs][7]
• 1973: Víla Amálka
• 1975: Maxipes Fík
• 1978: Bob a Bobek – králíci z klobouku (Bob and Bobby – the Rabbits from a Hat)
• 1980: O zvířátkách pana Krbce [cs]
• 1981: Maxipes Fík II
• 1981: Sredni Vaštar (director); 29min., drawn animation, based on Sredni Vashtar by Hector Hugh Munro[8]
• 1986: The Great Cheese Robbery (Czech: Velká sýrová loupež), where Bedřich was both the director and an actor[1] It is a 47-minute movie about three mice living in a cinema. After watching many thrillers they planned a "great cheese robbery". It is a parody of The Great Train Robbery.[9] It is based on the children's book by Jean Van Leeuwen The Great Cheese Conspiracy first published in 1969.[10]
• 1969-1976: Smrtící vůně A seven-part series of animated parodies on horror stories in which a young couple successfully evades traps set by an evil scientist and his sidekicks.[11][12][3]
  • 1969: Smrtící vůně [Deadly Scent] [13][2]
  • 1970:Pokažená svatba Spoiled Wedding
  • 1970:Nedokončený víkend Unfinished Weekend
  • 1971:Utopená ponorka Sunken Submarine
  • 1972:Očistná lázeň Cleansing bath
  • 1973:Poklad v pyramidě Treasure in the Pyramid
  • 1976: Uloupený obraz (Stolen Painting)[14]

Awards

In addition to the film awards, in 1960 he was awarded the Silver badge of an exemplary worker by the Ministry of Education and Culture[15]

References

1. "Zemřel režisér večerníčkové znělky Václav Bedřich". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. 7 March 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
2. Hana Ročňáková, in Czech: Příbramský rodák Václav Bedřich, autor celé řady večerníčků i jeho znělky in English: Václav Bedřich (1918-2009)
3. Přední český animátor a režisér Václav Bedřich se zítra dožije devadesáti let
4. Jan Křipač, Animated Fairy-Tales of Václav Bedřich, August 7, 2020
5. Čert a Káča
6. 40 dědečků
7. Czech Dog Names
8. Sredni Vaštar
9. The Great Cheese Robbery
10. International Film Guide, Tantivy Press, 1989, p.136
11. https://arl.nfa.cz/arl-nfa/cs/detail-nfa_un_auth-0104983-Smrtici-vune/ Smrtící vůně
12. Uloupený obraz (1976)
13. Smrtící vůně
14. Stolen image | wordless animation by Václav Bedřich
15. Václav Bedrich

External links

• Václav Bedřich at IMDb