Jerzy Oskar Stuhr (; 18 April 1947 – 9 July 2024) was a Polish film and theatre actor. Considered one of the most popular, influential and versatile Polish actors and an icon of Polish cinema, he also worked as a screenwriter, film director, voice actor and drama professor. He served as the rector of the Ludwik Solski Academy for the Dramatic Arts in Kraków for two terms: from 1990 to 1996 and again from 2002 to 2008.
Throughout his long and prolific professional career spanning over five decades, he appeared in 65 films including Camera Buff (1979), Sexmission (1984), A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984), Dekalog: Ten (1989), Three Colours: White (1994), Kiler (1997), Love Stories (1997) and The Big Animal (2000).
He received numerous awards and honours including the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2000), Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture (2005), Polish Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Persona non grata (2006), Złota Kaczka Award (2008), Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2011), and Polish Academy Life Achievement Award (2018).
Life and career Early life and education Stuhr was born in 1947 in Kraków to father Tadeusz Stuhr, a prosecutor, and mother Maria (née Chorąży) who worked as an accountant. His ancestors, Austrians Leopold Stuhr and Anna Thill, migrated within Austria-Hungary from Mistelbach to Kraków shortly after their wedding in 1879.
He graduated from the Stefan Żeromski High School No. 3 in Bielsko-Biała. Having obtained a degree in Polish literature from the Jagiellonian University in 1970, Stuhr spent the next two years studying acting at the Academy for the Dramatic Arts in Kraków ( often shortened to PWST), where he became a professor.
Professional career From the early 1970s, he appeared in Polish theatre and worked in film productions, making his debut with the role of Beelzebub in Adam Mickiewicz's directed by Konrad Swinarski.
Having met film director Krzysztof Kieślowski in the mid-1970s, he continued to work with him until Kieślowski's death in 1996. To an international audience, Stuhr may be best known for his minor role as thick-witted hairdresser Jurek in Kieślowski's Three Colors: White, in which he starred alongside Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos, and Zbigniew Zamachowski. In Poland and nearby countries, he was probably best known for the part of Max in Juliusz Machulski's 1984 dystopian cult comedy (one of the most popular Polish movies), and – to a younger audience – for lending his voice to the talking donkey in the dubbed Polish version of the Shrek trilogy.
Other important films include Kieślowski's The Scar (, 1976), Camera Buff (Amator, 1979) and Part 10 of The Decalogue series (1988), Machulski's Kingsize (1987), Kiler (1997) and Kiler 2 (1999), and Zanussi's Life for Life (1988). Stuhr also worked with Polish directors Agnieszka Holland, Andrzej Wajda and Krzysztof Zanussi.
In 1985, Stuhr made his own directorial debut staging the Polish version of Patrick Süskind's play The Double Bass, in which he also played the (only) role. In spite of the production's success, it was not until 1995 that Stuhr began directing films as well, with List of Adulteresses () based on a novel by Jerzy Pilch. Critics favourably compared his next effort Love Stories (, 1997) to Kieślowski's work. The film consists of four unconnected episodes with Stuhr playing the lead role in each. Further movies directed by Stuhr are Big Animal (, 2000 – based on a Kieślowski screenplay), and Tomorrow's Weather (, 2003). For these two, Stuhr employed the Polish alternative rock band Myslovitz who composed the title tracks and also had walk-on roles in the latter. In an interview with The Krakow Post Stuhr admitted that Italian cinéaste Nanni Moretti influenced his approach to filmmaking.
From 1990 to 1997, and again from 2002, Stuhr held the position of rector at the Kraków National Drama School, where he had learned his craft two decades before. He formally obtained the title of professor in Dramatic Arts in 1994.
In 2004 he was a member of the jury at the 26th Moscow International Film Festival. In 2007, he received an honorary degree from the University of Silesia in Katowice.
He was head of the jury of the 2nd Odesa International Film Festival which took place in Odesa from 15 to 23 July 2011.
He worked with RMF FM and also wrote books such as Escape forward! () and The Stuhrs: Family Stories ().
Death Stuhr died in Kraków on 9 July 2024, at the age of 77.Nie żyje Jerzy Stuhr. Artysta zmarł w wieku 77 lat w rodzinnym Krakowie, z którym związał niemal całe swoje życie. The funeral mass took place on 17 July 2024 at the Saints Peter and Paul Church in Kraków and was celebrated by Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś. He was buried at the Rakowicki Cemetery.
Personal life In 1971, Stuhr married violinist Barbara (née Kóska). He had two children. His son Maciej (born 1975) is an actor in his own right, who has played alongside his father in Kieślowski's Decalogue X (1988), Tomorrow's Weather (2003), and Love Stories (1997). His daughter, Marianna (born 1982) is an artist and painter.
He was involved in supporting various charity organizations including the Józef Tischner Children's Hospice in Kraków (of which he was the chairman of the board of supervisors) and the Jan Kaczkowski Foundation helping people suffering from cancer.
He was an avid football fan and was known as a supporter of Polonia Bytom and Wisła Kraków. In 2012, he became an ambassador of the UEFA Euro 2012 hosted by Poland and Ukraine.
In Autumn 2011 Stuhr suffered what he thought was a severe throat infection, but eventually he was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. He spent most of the following eight months in hospitals in Gliwice, Kraków and Zakopane, undergoing treatment including surgeries, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. His daughter, herself a cancer survivor, advised him to write a diary to keep himself mentally busy during that difficult time. In 2012 it was published by Wydawnictwo Literackie publishing house under the title Tak sobie myślę... (which roughly translates as So I am thinking...). His illness was widely covered by Polish media, and he received feedback from cancer patients around the country for whom his openness was comforting. Eventually he described his cancer as "the most important role of my life". As of April 2013, his cancer was in remission and he resumed both stage and voice acting.
In 2022, he caused a road collision in Kraków while driving under the influence of alcohol. In 2023, the Appeals Court in Kraków upheld the previous verdict which pronounced him guilty of causing the accident and drunk driving. He had his driving license confiscated and was banned from driving motor vehicles for a period of three years.
Awards and recognition 11 November 1997, by decision of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski, in recognition of his prominent addition to Polish national culture Jerzy Stuhr was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
On 12 November 2008, he received Złota Kaczka (Golden Duck) being chosen the "Best Comedy Actor of the Century".
Stuhr was appointed to the European Film Award for his fourfold role in Love stories. He was a laureate of the Venice Film Festival. He also received numerous other Polish and international awards in recognition of his work, including:
Polish Academy Life Achievement Award (2018) Order of the Smile (2014) Special Award of the Gdynia Film Festival for his film Obywatel (2014) Honoris Gratia Award (2012) Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2011) Honorary degree of the University of Silesia in Katowice (2007) Best Script Award at the Gdynia Film Festival to the film Korowód (2007) Golden Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis (2005) Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2000) Laurel of Kraków of the 21st century (2006) Paszport Polityki (1997) Golden Lions Award at the Gdynia Film Festival for his role in the film Love stories (1997) Special Award of the Gdynia Film Festival for his role in the film Spis cudzołożnic ("List of Adulteresses") (1994) Golden Cross of Merit (1989) Witkacy Prize - Critics' Circle Award (1988)
Voice acting
Jerzy Stuhr became very popular with younger viewers after he provided the voice for Donkey in the Polish dubbed version of Shrek (as well as in Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and in video games, based on the Shrek movies). Stuhr also provided the voice of Mushu the dragon in Disney's Mulan and Mulan 2, and for the Larry Laffer character in Larry 7 game.
Filmography
Actor Polish title English title Year Role I Will Not Starve (Non morirò di fame) 2022 Granata — We Have a Pope 2011 Marcin Rajski Twists of Fate 2007 The Rector 2006 Jerzy Sturovsky Persona Non Grata2005Counselor of the Polish Embassy 2004 Israel Arie Tomorrow's Weather 2003 Józef Kozioł 2003 Boss Big Animal 2000 Zygmunt Sawicki The Other's Life 2000Riccardo 2000 Gen. Ivolgin A Week in the Life of a Man 1999 Adam Borowski 1999 commissioner Jerzy Ryba 1997 commissioner Jerzy Ryba Love Stories 1997 The teacher/The priest/Col. Matałowski/Zdzisio Mother of mother 1996Roman List of Lovers 1995 Gustaw Three Colors: White 1994 Jurek Kidnapping of Agata 1993 Agata's Father Life for Life: Maximilian Kolbe 1991 Prałat Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Goods 1989 Jerzy Citizen Piszczyk 1989 Jan Piszczyk 1990 Johnny Pollack King Size 1988 nadszyszkownik Kilkujadek Train to Hollywood 1987 The Director Hero of the Year 1987 Ludwik Danielak Cupid's Bow 1987 Stanisław Cięglewicz The Death of John L 1987 Coalminer from Bytom Ga-ga: Glory to the Heroes 1986clerk Chudy Escape 1986Czesio Medium 1985 Georg Netz O-Bi, O-Ba: The End of Civilization 1985Soft A Year of the Quiet Sun 1984 Adzio Sexmission 1984 Maksymilian 'Maks' Paradys (TV) 1983 Belzebub/Master of Ceremonies/Valet Mother of Kings 1983member of UB From a Far Country From a Far Country: Pope John Paul II 1981 Engineer The War of the Worlds: Next Century 1981lawyer Blind Chance 1981activist of ZSMP The Moth 1980"Elegant" (TV) Peace 1980 Antek Gralak Chance 1980 Zbyszek Ejmont, history teacher Inspection of the Crime Scene 1901 1980councilman Wagner Amator Camera Buff 1979 Filip Mosz Provincial Actors 1978reviewer Without Anesthesia 1978 Jerzy Porębowicz Top Dog 1978 Lutek Danielak The Scar 1976 Bednarz's assistant (TV) Guest in front of Employment Agency 1973the guest in front of the intermediary The Third Part of the Night 1971 Laboratory assistant
Director and screenplay writer Polish title Year English title 1995 List of Lovers 1997 Love Stories 1999 A Week in the Life of a Man 2000 Big Animal 2003 Tomorrow's Weather 2007 Twists of Fate
Voice in Polish Dub
English title Year Role Mulan 1998 Mushu Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail! 2000 Larry Laffer Shrek 2001 Donkey Shrek 2 2004 Donkey Mulan 2 2004 Mushu Shrek the Third 2007 DonkeyShrek the Halls2007DonkeyCopernicus' Star2009Paul Van De Volder Shrek Forever After 2010 DonkeyChristmas Story2010Santa ClausScared Shrekless2010DonkeyShrek 4-D2010Donkey The Smurfs 2011 GargamelThe Smurfs 22013GargamelGnome Alone2017QuicksilverLoving Vincent2017Postman Joseph RoulinMowgli: Legend of the Jungle2018AkelaThe Lion King2019Rafiki
References
External links
Giuseppe Sedia, An Interview with Jerzy Stuhr , in The Krakow Post, 26 March 2012.