František Velecký

Known for ActingBorn 1934-03-08Died 2003-10-05Zvolen, Slovakia

Velecký was a very particular figure of Slovak acting, being antipode to venerated mainstream showbiz celebrities. Although he had never received any formal training in acting, he managed to earn great respect of both filmmakers and audience members. He performed in some 50 Slovak, Czech, German, Hungarian and UK/US movies, but he will be most remembered for portraying the lead character of Mikoláš in the Czech movie Marketa Lazarová. Velecký was born 8 March 1934 in Zvolen. He originally studied civil engineering and worked as a designer for few years. However, since his early age he was attracted by the world of cinema and finally in his 30s managed to get his first major roles. Practically at the beginning of his acting career, after a few minor films including Každý týždeň sedem dní (1964) and Nylonový mesiac (1965), he received the role of his lifetime in Marketa Lazarová (1966). This experience deeply influenced the rest of his life. In interviews, he described with gratitude how the director František Vláčil completely changed his way of seeing the world during the long production of this movie. Despite the impact the role had on the film (widely considered the best Czech cinema) and on his life, Velecký would probably be more recognized by Western audiences for his appearances in The Brothers Grimm (released 2005) and the Academy Award-nominated Želary (2003). For most of his career, Velecký was free of any theatre company ties except being briefly associated with the Theatre of Spišká Nová Ves in the 1980s. During his professional career, Velecký was not limited to acting. He was assistant director to Juraj Jakubisko on the film Zbehovia a pútnici (1968) and he applied his talent in fine arts during the 1990s. Velecký died of cancer 5 October 2003 in Bratislava.Read more

Movies & web series

Another Love

Every Week Seven Days

Na druhom brehu sloboda

Bludička

Palm Sunday

Zločin v Modré hvězdě

Nylon Moon

Smrť chodí po horách

Nebezpečné známosti

On the Great River

Vivat Beňovský!

Šaty

Prípad pre obhajcu

Marketa Lazarová

Pacho, the Brigand of Hybe

Birthmark

Na baňu klopajú

Husaren in Berlin

Stopy na Sitne

Niet inej cesty

The Deserter and the Nomads

Sentiment

The Stolen Battle

Red Psalm

Sweet Games of Late Summer

The Brothers Grimm

Prince Bajaja

Love

Prague Nights

The Water of Life

It's Better to Be Healthy and Wealthy than Poor and Sick

Právom lásky

Unruly Heyducks

Sons of Fire

Zlý žart

Slečna Dušehojivá

Rojkovia

Kto ste, Jozef Gabčík

Magma

Na konci diaľnice

V službách zákona

Crainquebille

Bocianie hniezdo

Ako listy jedného stromu

Útek zo zlatej krajiny

Louis Pasteur

Horúčka

Brána k domovu