Born: February
4, 1889, Warsaw (Russian occupied Poland) Died: January 17, 1937, Los Angeles (USA)
Born: February
4, 1889, Warsaw (Russian occupied Poland)
Died: January 17, 1937, Los Angeles (USA)
Accomplishments: Ryszard Boleslawski, also known as Richard Boleslawski, was born Boleslaw Ryszard Srzednicki. At the age of sixteen, he began his acting career and studied in the Moscow Art Theater under I. M. Moskvin. By 1909, he was appearing regularly in Moscow's theaters. In 1914, he had a role in the film, "Mimo zhisni" and then co-directed and acted in a Bolshevik propaganda film, "Bread."
In 1916 he joined the Uhlans in the Polish Rifle Brigade under the command of J. Dowbor-Musnicki. Placed in charge of motion picture coverage for the Polish army campaigns, he filmed the semi-documentary, "The Miracle of the Vistula" (1920). From 1920 to 1922, he acted and directed in Polish theaters in Poznan and in Warsaw. In 1922, he went to Germany, where he acted in the film "Die Gezeichneten" (Love One Another). Later that year, he left for the USA, where, in the late 20s, he became a successful director of several Broadway plays. He also headed the Laboratory Theater, an experimental group. In 1929, he moved to Hollywood, where he soon became a prominent director. His career was interrupted when he died suddenly in 1937.
Chronology of films directed by Boleslawski:
(all were produced in the United States unless otherwise noted)
Tri Vstrechi (Russia)
Bread (Russia)
The Miracle of the Vistula (Poland)
The Grand Parade
The Last of the Lone Wolf
Treasure Girl
The Gay Diplomat
Woman Pursued
Rasputin and the Empress (featuring Ethel, John, and Lionel Barrymore)
Beauty for Sale
Storm at Daybreak
Fugitive Lovers
Hollywood Party
Men in White (featuring Clark Gable)
Operator 13
The Painted Veil (featuring Greta Garbo)
Clive of India
Les Miserables (featuring Frederic March and Charles Laughton)
Metropolitan
O'Shaughnessy's Boy
The Garden of Allah (featuring Marlene Dietrich and Charles Boyer)
Theodora Goes Wild (featuring Irene Dunne)
Three Godfathers
The Last of Mrs.Cheyney
In addition to his work in film, Boleslawski also wrote several books:
The Way of the Lancer (1932; about the battles of Polish Uhlans in Russia)
Lance Down
Six Lessons of Dramatic Art (1933)
Resources:
Microsoft Cinemania 94
Katz's Film encyclopedia
MSN Entertainment
WIEM (Wielka Polska Encyklopedia Internetowa) http://wiem.onet.pl