Roman Wilhelmi was an outstanding theater and film actor, known not only at home in Poland, but throughout Eastern Europe. He won the hearts of the audience after the release of the films “Career of Nicodemus Dizma” and “Alternative 4”. However, in addition to cinema, Wilhelmi worked a lot in the theater. He was an ambitious person and believed that thanks to his talent and hard work, he would ultimately be appreciated.
In 2004, the book of the Polish theater and film actor Marcin Rychchik “R. Wilhelmy. And therefore I will be great! ” In fact, this is an autobiography compiled from the memories of friends, colleagues, family members. However, the author managed to get to the closest environment of Wilhelmy and create not just a dry text, but a fascinating story about the complex and controversial nature of one of the outstanding Polish actors.
About childhood
“Roman was a living boy, it was difficult for him to keep up with everyone everywhere, wherever he was. He was a favorite of girls, ”recalls the youngest of the three sisters and brothers Adam Wilhelmi.
The future actor was born on June 6, 1936 in Poznan in the family of Stefan and Zdzislava Wilhelmi. The oldest of the children throughout his life was selflessly attached to his mother. In the photo above, the still very young Roman Wilhelmy. He studied well, excelled in science. However, indefatigable energy was a constant cause of difficulties - he could not sit still. The patience of the parents came to an end after a severe accident, in which the boy fell while riding a bicycle. They returned him to a guesthouse run by priests.
About career
In his memoirs, Wilhelmy talked about how the guesthouse influenced the choice of a profession. Initially, he wanted to be a sailor or a pilot, like many boys. However, in the hostel, the boy met with an art group. In one of the chapels, a theatrical scene was made, on which Siud's father staged small performances. Young Wilhelm took on a secondary role.
“Almost 50 years have passed, and I still remember the murmur of that audience. I can say with confidence that they brought me to the theater stage. After I heard the first applause in my life, I knew who I wanted to become, ”admitted Roman Wilhelmi.
The actor received his professional education at the Theater Academy in Warsaw, which he graduated in 1958. For almost thirty years, he performed on the stage of the Athenaeum, combining a modern and classical repertoire. The first major success in the cinema is associated with the television series “Four Tankers and a Dog”. Roman Wilhelmi played the role of commander Olgerd Janos. However, despite the popularity of the project, he left it after the seventh series, considering his character to be template.
During his career, the actor has played in more than 50 films and a huge number of theater roles. He was considered a workaholic.
“He was enthusiastic. Everything he did was greedy, extreme, excessive, without self-control and against common sense. He hated and loved, ate, drank, smoked, laughed and cried, ”recalls the actress Ivona Belska.
About family
“Women have always played a big role in the life of Roman Wilhelmy. It was his weakness, fueled by the need for adventure, ”Andrzej Zienevich writes in the introduction to the biography.
In 1958, immediately after graduation, the future actor married Danut Machalik. The couple lived in the engine room of the theater, high above the stage. The marriage lasted until 1967. Later, Danuta recalled that he was a funny, sensitive partner and at the same time absolutely irresponsible.
Probably the most painful was the second marriage of the actor with the Hungarian translator Maria Kollar. They met in the late 1960s during a tour of the Athenaeum. In 1969, their son Rafal was born, the couple was happy.
“Then came popularity, and then the family broke up ... Banquets and social events began to happen more and more often. The effect of alcohol was aggravated by mood swings, ”Collard later recalled. The couple divorced in 1976. Initially, a warm relationship with his son began to deteriorate, the actor practically did not support him financially.
“Honestly, he was a temperamental person, he fell in love easily and could not resist the temptations that opened up popularity. For five years I endured, until in the end I put him before a choice, ”said Marika.
As a result, she sold an apartment in Warsaw and moved to Vienna secretly from her ex-husband, fearing that he would not allow the child to emigrate.
Relationship with son
“He lived for himself, for work and for celebrating the coming success. Everyday issues seemed to have lost their meaning for him, and my mother and I faced many problems, ”Rafal recalls.
Some time after the divorce, they met. The son said that he thought he met a close friend whom he lost from time to time. Father promised that they would still be friends. However, this did not happen. The actor died of liver cancer in Warsaw on November 3, 1991. Thousands of fans mourned it.
“Only then did I finally understand whose last name I am carrying,” his son admitted. Rafal is deprived of the inheritance and all rights to the work of his famous father.
Later, in an interview, he said that he did not regret either the lack of communication with his father in the past, or the fact that he did not receive royalties, but he really liked to watch films with his participation. Rafal followed in the footsteps of his mother and also became a translator, graduating from a university in Vienna.