Andrzej Bogucki

Andrzej Bogucki (11 November 1904 – 29 July 1978) was a Polish television, stage and film actor, as well as operetta singer and songwriter, sometimes referred to as "The Polish Chevalier".

Bogucki and his wife Janina née Godlewska (8 March 1908 – 19 June 1992) are known for helping and hiding the Polish Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman during the German occupation of Poland. Szpilman's life inspired the 2002 film The Pianist, and both Bogucki and his wife were portrayed in the film.

Although he lived in Warsaw for most of his life, Bogucki also worked in several other cities. He lived in Warsaw's Mariensztat neighborhood from 1947 until the end of his life, and he is buried in the Powązki Cemetery in the western part of Warsaw.

Bogucki attended and graduated as a cavalry officer from the Officer's Cadet School in Grudziądz. While at school he participated in equestrian competitions and became an officer in the Polish Army. He served in the 7th Regiment Cavalry in Mińsk Mazowiecki, but was discharged for health reasons in 1929. In the same year, he began appearing in stage plays for children. From then on, he focused on his acting career. They were among thirty or so non-Jewish Poles involving in helping Szpilman during the war.

After the war, in the 1950s Szpilman composed songs especially for Andrzej and Janina, including the popular Czerwony autobus (Red bus).

Bogucki was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta for his career and actions during World War II. In 1978 the Yad Vashem institute awarded him and his wife the Righteous Among the Nations award, an award given to non-Jewish people who helped Jews during the German persecution.

Work

Theatre Bogucki began working onstage on 30 April 1930. He performed at the Polish Theatre in Warsaw for three years between 1930 and 1933 and later worked at the New Comedy Theater between 1933 and 1934. He also worked for theaters in Łódź and Kraków.

After 1945, he continued to write songs and launched a number of hits in the radio.

Filmography 1917 – Pokój nr 13, Tajemnica Alei Ujazdowskich, Wanda Barska, Tajemnica hotelu w Tajemnice Warszawy 1933 – Jego ekscelencja subiekt (His Excellency, The Shop Assistant) 1933 – Szpieg w masce 1934 – Uhlan's Pledge 1935 – Manewry miłosne 1936 – Pan Twardowski 1936 – Bolek i Lolek 1937 – Pan redaktor szaleje 1937 – Niedorajda 1938 – Za winy niepopełnione 1939 – Złota Maska 1939 - The Vagabonds 1953 – Żołnierz zwycięstwa 1953 – Sprawa do załatwienia 1956 – Nikodem Dyzma 1959 – Małpa w kąpieli 1968 – Wniebowstąpienie 1970 – Epilog norymberski 1975 – Jej powrót 1976 – Zagrożenie

Theatre on television 1955 – Wesele 1962 – Romantyczni 1963 – Taniec księżniczki 1963 – Syn marnotrawny 1963 – Pan Benet 1964 – Don Juan, czyli Kamienny gość 1965 – Skąpiec 1966 – Szwejk na tyłach 1966 – Katarynka jako Radca 1969 – Mieszczanin szlachcicem 1970 – Dziewczęta z Nowolipek 1972 – Zabezpieczenie macierzyństwa 1972 – Elektra 1973 – Norwid 1974 – Twarz pokerzysty 1975 – Emancypantki 1976 – Jedenaste przykazanie 1977 – Dyplomaci i sztabowcy w Przed burzą 1978 – Filomena Marturano

Television films and series 1965 – Ping-Pong w Perły i dukaty 1968 – Stawka większa niż życie 1973 – Wielka miłość Balzaka 1973 – Janosik (TV series) 1975 – Czterdziestolatek 1977 – Noce i dnie (TV series) 1977 – Lalka (TV series) 1981 – Najdłuższa wojna nowoczesnej Europy