Urszula Modrzyńska (; 23 February 1928 – 11 December 2010) was a Polish stage and film actress.
Career
Modrzyńska began her career on stage on October 4th 1949 in a performance of Okno w lesie at the Ziemi Pomorskiej Theater in Grudziądz, followed by a performance of Wiosna w Norwegii in the same theater the next year. She began performing at the Jaracz Theatre when she moved to Łódź in 1954. In 1961, Kazimierz Dejmek invited her to perform as Irina in a production of Three Sisters at the Łódź Nowy Theater, where she would continue performing for the rest of her career.
She was a part of many productions for Teatrze Telewizji (a Polish channel which broadcasts live television plays), including William Shakespeare's As You Like It in 1963 and Dama pikowa by Alexander Pushkin in 1964. She also had a role in the 1970 live radio performance of Jak wam się podoba Penelopa by Ludwik Morstin.
Modrzyńska had several film roles during the 50s and 60s, the most notable of which being Dorota in Andrzej Wajda's 1955 film Pokolenie by and Jagienka in Krzyżacy by Aleksander Ford in 1960. In addition to her film roles, she performed in several smaller roles in TV series.
In the 1970s she played only smaller parts in movies by young directors, as in Droga w świetle księżyca by Witold Orzechowski (1972), Rozmowa by Piotr Andrejew (1974), and Zdjęcia Próbne by Agnieszka Holland, Paweł Kędzierski and Jerzy Domaradzki (1976), concentrating on her theater work at Nowy Theater in Łódź. Her final show was a production of Zmierzchu at the Nowy Theater in January of 1984.
Personal life
Not much is known about Modrzyńska's personal life, as she kept much out of the public eye. She was married to the actor and director Zbigniew Józefowicz, with whom she had a son named Stanislaus. Immediately after her 1984 production of Zmierzchu, she retired from acting due to an unknown illness which she had been dealing with since 1961. She died on 20 December 2010 in Łódź and was buried at the Doły Municipal Cemetery.
Stage Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)1949 Okno w lesie Wali 1950 Wiosna w Norwegii Sigrid 1952Ruchome piaski Halin 1953GrzecAnna Jaskrowiczówna 1958 Henry IV Lady Percy Wesele Bride 1960 Kordian Wioletta 1961 Three Sisters Irina First performance at the Nowy Theater 1962 The Tempest Iris 1963 Cyrano de Bergerac Roksan 1965 Faust Marta 1978 Zwłoce Rosabert Filmography Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)1954 Niedaleko Warszawy Wanda Bugajówna 1955 A Generation Dorota 1956 Nikodem Dyzma Zula 1957 Wraki Teresa Spotkania Jane 1958 Deszczowy lipiec Anna 1959 Ostatni strzal Magda 1960 Knights of the Teutonic Order Jagienka Zychówna 1961 Dzis w nocy umrze miasto Zofia 1963 Wielka, wieksza i najwieksza Hanka, mother of Iki 1969 Przygoda z piosenka Mascotte 1973 Jezioro osobliwosci Mother Michael 1977 Zdjecia próbne Anka's mother 1982 W obronie wlasnej Lover of Maria's father (final film role)
Television Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)1959Cienie TV play Przy trakcie Maria Egorovna TV play 1960 Warszawianka Anna TV play 1962 Maskarada TV play 1963 As You Like It TV play Uczciwa dziewczyna Bettina TV play 1964 Dama pikowa Liza TV play 1966 Niewiarygodne przygody Marka Piegusa Mrs. Okulusowa Episode: Przygoda druga czyli niesamowite i niewiarygodne udreki które nawiedzily mnie w klasie 1969Zamach TV play 1970Doktor Ewa Dzidki's mother Episode: Przeoczenie 1972 Droga w świetle księżyca Wandzia's servant Television film1974Rozmowa Teacher Television film Siedem stron świata Mother Czarka 2 episodes 1975Lato Maja TV play 1979Detektywi na wakacjach Tourist 3 Episodes Niewdzięczność Patient Renata Television film 1981Fantazja dur-moll Witch's wife Television film 1984Obszar swobody Klara TV play
References
External links Urszula Modrzyńska at the Film Polski database