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Václav Vorlíček
actor
- June 3, 1930
- February 5, 2019
- 88 years
About Václav Vorlíček
Václav Vorlíček, 88, Czech film director (Who Wants to Kill Jessie?, The End of Agent W4C, The Girl on the Broomstick).
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Full Biography
|Václav Vorlíček (3 June 1930 – 5 February 2019) was a Czech film director. His filmography includes several comedies made in collaboration with screenwriter Miloš Macourek. He also specialized in directing children's and fairytale films, most notably Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973), a Christmas film classic in many European countries.
Biography
Václav Vorlíček was born in the Vinohrady district of Prague on 3 June 1930. His parents were culturally inclined and were members of the Umělecká beseda forum. He had been a member of the Scouts since 1939, and in 1947, he and his friends appeared in the film Na dobré stopě set in a scout camp. Thanks to this, he got to know filmmaking. Due to the death of his mother, he had to extend his studies at the high school by a year and graduated in 1950. In 1952, Vorlíček married the artist Sofia Vukolova, the daughter of Russian immigrants.
Vorlíček studied filmmaking at Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) in 1952–1957, where he later worked as a teacher himself. At the Barrandov Film Studios he worked first as an assistant director and then as a director of films for children and youth. In 1964, he met the screenwriter Miloš Macourek and they began to collaborate regularly. Their first film Who Wants to Kill Jessie? (1966) won the main award at the Trieste Film Festival. Together they made several other film for children and comedies that belong to the golden fund of Czech cinematography. Their duo was among the busiest filmmakers in the country in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1973, Vorlíček made a cult fairy tale film Three Wishes for Cinderella, which became a Christmas film classic in many European countries, including Czech Republic, Germany and Norway.
Vorlíček died from lung cancer on 5 February 2019, at the age of 88. He died in a Prague hospital. He is buried at the Vyšehrad Cemetery.
Selected filmography
- Who Wants to Kill Jessie? (1966)
- The End of Agent W4C (1967)
- You Are a Widow, Sir (1970)
- The Girl on the Broomstick (1972)
- Three Wishes for Cinderella (1973)
- How to Drown Dr. Mracek, the Lawyer (1974)
- Což takhle dát si špenát (1977)
- How to Wake a Princess (1977)
- The Prince and the Evening Star (1979)
- Arabela (TV series, 1980–1981)
- Zelená vlna (1982)
- Létající Čestmír (TV series, 1984)
- Young Wine (1986)
- Křeček v noční košili (TV series, 1987)
- Arabela Returns (TV series, 1993–1994)
Honours
In 2005, Zdeněk Zelenka filmed a documentary film about Vorlíček called Václav Vorlíček, král komedií a pohádek ("Václav Vorlíček, the king of comedies and fairy tales").
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C3%A1clav_Vorl%C3%AD%C4%8Dek
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Václav Vorlíček's archived record and the sources above.
1.In which city was Václav Vorlíček born?
- A.Praguecorrect
- B.Ostrava
- C.Brno
- D.Plzeň
Václav Vorlíček was born in the Vinohrady district of Prague on 3 June 1930.
Source: Biography section
2.Václav Vorlíček was a member of which organization starting in 1939?
- A.The Scoutscorrect
- B.The Young Filmmakers Club
- C.The Sokol movement
- D.The Art Society
Václav Vorlíček had been a member of the Scouts since 1939.
Source: Biography section
3.What was the name of the woman Václav Vorlíček married in 1952?
- A.Elena Svobodová
- B.Maria Petrová
- C.Anna Nováková
- D.Sofia Vukolovacorrect
In 1952, Václav Vorlíček married the artist Sofia Vukolova, the daughter of Russian immigrants.
Source: Biography section
4.Where did Václav Vorlíček complete his filmmaking studies between 1952 and 1957?
- A.FAMUcorrect
- B.Barrandov Academy
- C.Charles University
- D.Prague Film Institute
Václav Vorlíček studied filmmaking at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) in 1952–1957.
Source: Biography section
5.What was the result of the film 'Who Wants to Kill Jessie?' at the Trieste Film Festival?
- A.It was disqualified from competition
- B.It was nominated for best director
- C.It received the audience prize
- D.It won the main awardcorrect
The first film by Václav Vorlíček and Miloš Macourek, Who Wants to Kill Jessie? (1966), won the main award at the Trieste Film Festival.
Source: Biography section
6.Václav Vorlíček collaborated on several comedies with which screenwriter?
- A.Miloš Macourekcorrect
- B.Jiří Menzel
- C.Zdeněk Zelenka
- D.Karel Zeman
Václav Vorlíček's filmography includes several comedies made in collaboration with screenwriter Miloš Macourek.
Source: Introduction
7.In which year was the film 'Three Wishes for Cinderella' released?
- A.1966
- B.1970
- C.1973correct
- D.1980
In 1973, Václav Vorlíček made a cult fairy tale film Three Wishes for Cinderella.
Source: Biography section
8.Which of these countries is explicitly mentioned as a place where 'Three Wishes for Cinderella' is a Christmas classic?
- A.Italy
- B.Norwaycorrect
- C.Spain
- D.France
Three Wishes for Cinderella became a Christmas film classic in many European countries, including Czech Republic, Germany and Norway.
Source: Biography section
9.What was the cause of death for Václav Vorlíček?
- A.Pneumonia
- B.Heart failure
- C.Lung cancercorrect
- D.Stroke
Václav Vorlíček died from lung cancer on 5 February 2019.
Source: Biography section
10.At what age did Václav Vorlíček pass away?
- A.88correct
- B.78
- C.91
- D.82
Václav Vorlíček died on 5 February 2019 at the age of 88.
Source: Biography section
11.Where is Václav Vorlíček buried?
- A.Vyšehrad Cemeterycorrect
- B.Malvazinky Cemetery
- C.Vinohrady Cemetery
- D.Olšany Cemetery
Václav Vorlíček is buried at the Vyšehrad Cemetery.
Source: Biography section
12.What is the full title of the documentary film made about Václav Vorlíček in 2005?
- A.Cinderella's Creator
- B.The Barrandov Legend
- C.The Life of a Director
- D.The King of Comedies and Fairy Talescorrect
Zdeněk Zelenka filmed a documentary called Václav Vorlíček, král komedií a pohádek (Václav Vorlíček, the king of comedies and fairy tales).
Source: Honours section
13.In what year did Václav Vorlíček graduate from high school?
- A.1952
- B.1947
- C.1950correct
- D.1957
Due to the death of his mother, he had to extend his studies at the high school by a year and graduated in 1950.
Source: Biography section
14.Which television series was directed by Václav Vorlíček during the period 1980–1981?
- A.Zelená vlna
- B.Křeček v noční košili
- C.Arabelacorrect
- D.Létající Čestmír
The TV series Arabela was filmed between 1980 and 1981.
Source: Selected filmography
15.What was the title of the film that featured Václav Vorlíček and his friends in 1947?
- A.Jessie
- B.Na dobré stopěcorrect
- C.Děti z Barrandova
- D.Zelená vlna
In 1947, Václav Vorlíček and his friends appeared in the film Na dobré stopě set in a scout camp.
Source: Biography section
16.What position did Václav Vorlíček hold first at the Barrandov Film Studios?
- A.Screenwriter
- B.Assistant directorcorrect
- C.Director
- D.Editor
At the Barrandov Film Studios he worked first as an assistant director and then as a director of films for children and youth.
Source: Biography section
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