Acting
Otto Šimánek
Born Apr 28, 1925 · Třešť, Československo · Died May 8, 1992
Otto Šimánek (April 28, 1925 Třešť - May 8, 1992 Prague) was a Czech mime, film and theater actor. He has starred in a number of comedies and several fairy tales. Probably his most famous role was the title role in the series Pan Tau.
He trained as an electrician at Tesla in Prague and has so far played the theater only amateuristically. He later got to the Theater on May 5 and also traveled for a few months at the Theater under the Placht of Jindřich Plachta. He gained acting experience in various theaters. He worked in theaters in Zlín, Ostrava and finally in 1958 he was engaged in the Municipal Theaters of Prague, where he lasted until 1990.
He played a number of large roles on the stage. The character of the clown Jean Debureau remains unforgettable for the audience in the dramatization of Kožík's novel The Greatest of the Pierots, where he could fully use his love for pantomime. Acting in the Prague theater also meant an opportunity to win film and television roles. He mainly played smaller roles in about forty films. The most famous is probably the role from the movie I'll Get Up Tomorrow and Bake My Tea.
His character, Mr. Tau, entered the European and, to some extent, world film consciousness in the co-production series of the same name by director Jindřich Polák and screenwriter Ota Hofman. He also taught pantomime at the Prague Conservatory and DAMU. Among his students was, among others, the actor Petr Čepek.
On the site of the pharmacy where Otto Šimánek was born, an ash statue was installed in 2011 depicting an actor in the role of Mr. Tau with a typical hand movement near his hat. The author is Daniel Stejskal.
Read more
Acting
The Train of Childhood and Expectation
1989
Family · Drama
Pan Tau – der Film
1988
Family · Fantasy · Comedy
Merry Christmas Octopus
1987
Comedy · Family · Science Fiction
The Octopuses from the Second Floor
1987
Comedy · Science Fiction · Family
Ohnivé ženy se vracejí
1987
Comedy · Fantasy
The Octopuses from the Second Floor
1986
Comedy · Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Family
Young Wine
1986
Comedy
...and again that Lucy!
1984
Comedy · Family · Fantasy
Lucy, the Menace of Street
1984
Comedy · Family · Fantasy
Malý pitaval z velkého města
1983
Crime
The Visitors
1983
Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Family · Comedy
Zelená vlna
1982
Comedy
Mature Wine
1981
Comedy
Arabela
1980
Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Comedy · Family
Inženýrská odysea
1980
Drama
No Magic from Tomorrow
1979
Comedy · Family · Fantasy
Alarm in the Clouds
1978
Adventure · Family · Fantasy
Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea
1977
Comedy · Science Fiction
Panenka z vltavské tůně
1976
Family · Fantasy
Muž na radnici
1976
Drama
Wine Working
1976
Comedy
Dva muži hlásí příchod
1975
Comedy
Three Wishes for Cinderella
1973
Fantasy · Family · Romance
Touha Sherlocka Holmese
1972
Comedy · Crime
Bakaláři
1972
Comedy
F. L. Věk
1971
Drama
One of Them Is the Murderer
1971
Crime
Svatby pana Voka
1971
History · Comedy
You Are a Widow, Sir
1971
Science Fiction · Comedy
Pan Tau
1970
Family
Dobrodružství šesti trampů
1970
Comedy
Men About Town
1969
Comedy
Hříšní lidé města pražského
1969
Crime
Sňatky z rozumu
1968
Drama
Přísně tajné premiéry
1968
Crime · Comedy
Sedm žen Alfonse Karáska aneb Když holky berou, já nevím kterou
1967
Comedy · Music
The End of Agent W4C
1967
Comedy
Ta naše písnička česká
1967
Music · Romance · Comedy
Who Wants to Kill Jessie?
1966
Comedy · Science Fiction
Poslední růže od Casanovy
1966
Comedy · Romance
The Phantom of Morrisville
1966
Comedy · Mystery
Every Young Man
1966
Drama
Crime at the Girls School
1966
Comedy · Crime
Bejvávalo
1966
Comedy
Bubny
1965
Drama · Comedy · Horror
Fear
1964
Crime
Začít znova
1964
Drama
The Hope
1964
Drama
Šlechetný cowboy Sandy
1964
Comedy · Western · TV Movie
Tři chlapi v chalupě
1963
Comedy
Death Is Called Engelchen
1963
Drama · War
Světáci
1963
Comedy · Music
Malý Bobeš ve městě
1962
Family
The Black Dynasty
1962
Drama
Objev na Střapaté hůrce
1962
Family
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
1962
Animation · Fantasy · Adventure
Chicken on Travels
1962
Family
Spadla s měsíce
1961
Comedy
Where an Alibi Is Not Everything
1961
Crime
Policejní hodina
1961
Drama · History
Black Saturday
1961
Crime · Comedy
Všude žijí lidé
1960
Drama
Zkouška pokračuje
1960
Drama
Letiště nepřijímá
1960
Drama
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
1958
Adventure · Science Fiction
Shoesmachine
1954
Drama