ENGLERT, JAN

(1943-)

Distinguished and well-liked film and theater actor, theater director, and teacher at the Warsaw State Acting School (PWST). Englert appeared in approximately eighty films and in numeroustelevisionseries. His film debut, at the age of fourteen, took place inAndrzej Wajda'sKanal(1957). Later, some of his best roles were inJan Lomnicki's films. He played underground fighters in his war dramasContribution(1966) andThe Action Near the Arsenal(1978), a troubled young man in the psychological filmThe Slide(1972), and a charming crook inThe Big Giveway(1992) and in its continuationThe Rat(1995), the latter also coscripted by Englert.Arguably, one of his best performances was in the role of a filmmaker in a popular Polish seriesThe House(1980-2000), also directed by Łomnicki. Englert also did extremely well in films byKazimierz Kutz, playing the insurgent and coal miner Erwin Malin-iok inSalt of the Black Earth(1970) andThe Pearl in the Crown(1972). In addition, Englert appeared inJanusz Morgenstern's films, including one of the leading roles in popular television seriesColumbuses(1970) and supporting parts inKill That Love(1972) andSmaller Sky(1980). The handsome, popular Englert usually was typecast as a passionate, sensitive, and good-natured man. He played such a lead character in Włodzimierz Haupe'sadaptationDr. Judym(Doktor Judym, 1975) and in Jerzy Trojan's psychological studyHidden in the Sun(Ukryty w słońcu, 1980). His other notable performances include roles inFilip Bajon'sThe Magnate(1987),Janusz Zaorski'sBaritone(1985) andSoccer Poker(1989), andJuliusz Machulski'sKiler(1997) andKiler2 (1999).