Jan Tříska facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jan Tříska
Tříska in 2005
Born	(1936-11-04)4 November 1936 Prague, Czechoslovakia
Died	25 September 2017(2017-09-25) (aged 80) Prague, Czech Republic
Alma mater	Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1957–2017
Spouse(s)	Karla Chadimová
Children	2

Jan Tříska (born November 4, 1936 – died September 25, 2017) was a famous Czech actor. He performed in over 160 roles. These roles were in plays, movies, and television shows. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and worked there. Later, he returned to his home country after the Velvet Revolution. Jan Tříska was nominated three times for the Czech Lion Awards, which is a very important acting award.

Jan Tříska's Life and Career

Jan Tříska was born in Prague on November 4, 1936. He studied acting at a special school called the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. After he finished school in 1959, he became the youngest actor to join the famous National Theatre. There, he acted in plays like The White Disease and Maryša. He also worked with other theatre groups in Prague. Jan Tříska appeared in many Czechoslovak films. He was also the official Czech voice for the French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo from 1965 to 1977.

Acting in America

After signing a document called Charter 77, which asked for more human rights, Jan Tříska moved to the United States. His first American movie role was in Ragtime (1981). This film was directed by Miloš Forman, who was also from Czechoslovakia.

Tříska played supporting roles in many other American movies. These included Reds (1981), The Osterman Weekend (1983), and 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984). He also appeared in The Karate Kid Part III (1989) and Apt Pupil (1998). He even made guest appearances on TV shows like Highlander: The Series. One of his most well-known roles was playing Joseph Paul Franklin in Miloš Forman's movie The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996).

Back Home: Acting in the Czech Republic

After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Jan Tříska visited the Czech Republic. He performed in several Czech movies. Some of these films include The Elementary School (1991), Horem pádem (2004), and Želary (2003). Želary was even nominated for an Academy Award.

In 2002, Tříska received the Alfréd Radok Award. This was for his amazing performance as King Lear in the play King Lear. He performed this play at the Summer Shakespeare Festival at Prague Castle. In 2005, he was nominated for the Czech Lion Award for Best Actor in Leading Role for his part in the film Lunacy.

Later Years and Passing

Even though he often visited the Czech Republic, Jan Tříska lived permanently in Los Angeles, California, in the United States.

On September 23, 2017, Jan Tříska fell from the Charles Bridge in Prague. People on a nearby boat helped rescue him from the Vltava River. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition. He sadly passed away in the hospital two days later, on September 25, 2017.

Personal Life

Jan Tříska was married to Karla Chadimová, who is also a Czech actress. They had two daughters, Jana and Karla. He also had two grandchildren, Augustin and Josephine.

Selected Filmography