Oldřich Nový

Oldřich Nový (7 August 1899 – 15 March 1983) was a Czech film and theatre actor, director, composer, dramaturge and singer. He is considered one of the greatest actors of the Czech cinema in the first half of the 20th century.

Biography Oldřich Nový was born in Prague on 7 August 1899. His father Antonín Nový, a member of the Prague Fire Brigade, wanted him to become a typographer, but Oldřich showed passion for theatre from a young age. He was supported by his uncle Miloš Nový, a well-known actor of the National Theatre in Prague. In 1916, Nový became involved with the amateur theatre group "Řemeslnická beseda" and he also appeared in the popular cabaret "U labutě". A year later he performed in the "Varieté" in Karlín Music Theatre. In 1918 he was engaged in Ostrava and in 1919 he moved to Brno where he became the director of the operetta ensemble of the National Theatre. Nový remained in Brno for more than fifteen years and came back to Prague in 1935.

In 1935 he co-founded the "Nové divadlo" (The New Theatre) together with his wife Alice Valentová-Nová (née Alice Wienerová-Mahlerová). There he attempted to develop the "musical comedy" genre and to combine spoken word with traditional operetta style into a new and modern expression. His theatre was characterized as an "operetta for cultured people" (Eduard Bass). However, the first success only came after his film performances.

During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia Oldřich Nový became a target for the fascist press and was persecuted by Nazis. His wife was of Jewish origin and Nový refused to divorce her. As a consequence they were both imprisoned in the German concentration camp in Osterode in 1944. Nový appeared in the title role together with Adina Mandlová and Nataša Gollová. Kristián was a very successful film and Nový suddenly became a movie star in Czechoslovakia.

Joel Grey played Nový in Lars von Trier's film Dancer in the Dark (2000).

Filmography Taková normální rodinka (1971) – as Jan Koníček Muž, který rozdával smích (1970) Světáci (Men about Town) (1969) – Professor Fantom Morrisvillu (The Phantom of Morrisville) (1966) – Drummer Emil/Sir Hannibal Morris Alibi na vodě (1965) – Photographer Káťa a krokodýl (Kathy and Crocodile) (1965) – Man with umbrella Dva z onoho světa (1962) – Pavel Fort/Petr Ford Bílá spona (1960) – Horák Kde alibi nestačí (1960) – Hotel director Kraus O věcech nadpřirozených (1958) Nechte to na mně (Leave It to Me) (1955) – Patočka Hudba z Marsu (Music from Mars) (1955) – Composer Jiří Karas Slovo dělá ženu (1952) – Ludvík Zach Pytlákova schovanka (The Poacher's Ward) (1949) – René Skalský Parohy (The Antlers) (1947) – Viktorin Jenom krok (Only a Step) (1945) Paklíč (1944) – Gabriel Anděl Sobota (de:Samstag ist kein Alltag) (1944) – Richard Herbert Valentin Dobrotivý (Valentin the Good) (1942) – Valentin Plavec Hotel Modrá hvězda (The Blue Star Hotel) (1941) – Vladimír Rychta Rohan Roztomilý člověk (A Charming Man) (1941) – Viktor Bláha Turbína (1941) Když Burian prášil / Baron Prášil (Baron Munchhausen) (1940) – Arnošt Benda Dívka v modrém (1940) – Notary Jan Karas Život je krásný (Life Is Beautiful) (1940) – Writer Jan Herold Přítelkyně pana ministra (The Minister's Girlfriends) (1940) – Jan Hrubý Dědečkem proti své vůli (The Reluctant Grandfather) (1939) – Richard Osten Eva tropí hlouposti (1939) – Michal Norr Kristián (Christian) (1939) – Alois Novák alias Kristián Třetí zvonění (The Third Ringing) (1938) – Dr Jan Hudec Advokátka Věra (Lawyer Vera) (1937) – Petr 'Tygr' Kučera Důvod k rozvodu (Grounds for Divorce) (1937) – Pavel Bertl Falešná kočička (The False Pussycat) (1937) – MUDr Vladimír Přelouč Na tý louce zelený (1936) Rozkošný příběh (Delightful Story) (1936) – Jaroslav Nerad Uličnice (Minx) (1936) – Antonio Morreti alias Josef Hřebík Velbloud uchem jehly (Camel Through the Eye of a Needle) (1936) – Valet Alfons Rozpustilá noc (1934) – Monokl Fredy Never the Twain (1926) Neznámá kráska (The Mysterious Beauty) (1922) – Petr Stamati

Songs Kombiné něžné [CD]