Between 1916 and 1924, Werich attended "reálné gymnasium" (equivalent to high school) in Křemencova Street in Prague (where his future business partner, Jiří Voskovec, also studied). He studied law at the Charles University Law School from 1924 to 1927, from which he made an early departure to begin his artistic career and forge one of the most important partnerships of his life. For more than 10 years he worked in theatre Jiří Voskovec and Jaroslav Ježek. Their partnership was a platform for their numerous left-wing political satires, most notably in the Osvobozené divadlo (Liberated Theatre). The trio's work took inspiration from Dada, with its love of the absurd, a reaction against bourgeois values and the horrors of World War I. In 1955 he begun working in cinema, and 1960s were a peak in his actor career. From the creation of the ABC Theatre he moved to the City Theatres of Prague and then to the Musical Theatre of Karlin and Nusle. Werich was originally cast by producer Harry Saltzman to play Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Upon his arrival at the Pinewood set, both producer Albert R. Broccoli and director Lewis Gilbert felt that he was a poor choice, resembling a "poor, benevolent Santa Claus".
52 movies · 6 shows
Cecílie
2025·0.0
Jan Werich: Když už člověk jednou je…
2021·0.0
Fimfarum - To the good of all
2011·7.0
Fimfarum 2
2006·7.5
Jan Werich's Fimfarum
2002·7.0
When the Oak Leaves Fall
1991·8.8
Mean Barbara
1989·8.2
Pan Tau – der Film
1988·6.4
Jonáš a Melicharová
1986·9.0
Echoes of the Blue Room
1983·0.0
Královna Koloběžka první
1981·0.0
Herecké Vánoce
1970·0.0
Assignment K
1968·6.3
Czechoslovakia: Portrait of a Tragedy
1968·0.0
King and Women
1967·8.0
The 25th Hour
1967·7.7
Pražská strašidla
1966·0.0
Magnetické vlny léčí
1965·6.5
The Dear Departed
1964·7.0
The Cry
1964·7.0
Uspořená libra
1963·7.8
Kočár nejsvětější svátosti
1963·6.7
Tears the World Can't See
1963·8.3
When the Cat Comes
1963·6.9
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
1962·7.4
Italienisches Capriccio
1961·10.0
Medvěd
1961·8.5
Těžká Barbora
1960·6.2
Balada z hadrů
1960·7.0
The Creation of the World
1958·6.8
Silvestr 1957
1957·0.0
To jsou Bratři v triku
1957·0.0
The Good Soldier Svejk
1956·7.3
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkova budějovická anabase
1956·0.0
Jaroslav Hasek's Exemplary Cinematograph
1956·5.9
Hudba z Marsu
1955·6.1
Two Little Frosts
1955·6.6
Dog's Heads
1955·5.7
Once Upon a Time, There Was a King...
1955·8.0
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Švejkovy nehody ve vlaku
1955·0.0
Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka – Z Hatvanu na hranice Haliče
1954·0.0
Pouť noci silvestrovské
1953·0.0
Večer s Jaroslavem Haškem
1953·0.0
The Emperor and the Golem
1951·7.0
The Golden Fish
1951·6.1
The Fall of Berlin
1950·5.0
Crisis
1939·8.0
The World Belongs to Us
1937·7.2
Here in Kocourkov
1934·7.4
Heave-Ho!
1934·6.8
Your Money or Your Life
1932·7.5
Powder and Petrol
1932·8.0