Bolek Polívka, a renowned Czech actor, was born Boleslav Polívka on July 31, 1949, in Vizovice, Moravia, Czechoslovakia. His father, an amateur actor, instilled in him a passion for the performing arts from a young age.
Bolek Polívka's early interest in acting led him to study at the Drama Academy in Brno, where he developed his skills in pantomime. He soon began performing at the theatre "Na Provazku" in Brno, showcasing his talents in front of local audiences.
Polívka's career in film and television began in 1976, with a role in the TV comedy "Traja chrobáci" (Just Cute). He went on to play leading and supporting roles in over 30 films and television productions, primarily in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.
Throughout the 1980s, Polívka gained popularity for his comedic performances in his TV slapsticks, "Mané Bolka Polívky" (The Menage of Bolek Polivka). He has continued to work in the film industry, collaborating with acclaimed Czech film director Vera Chytilová and receiving awards and nominations at various European film festivals.
In addition to his film work, Polívka is the owner and artistic leader of his own theatre, Divadlo Bolka Polívky (The Theatre of Bolek Polívka) in Brno. He is known for his creative and witty ideas, as well as his participation in various competitions, such as the World Championship in Catching Flies and throwing a pop-gun into the rye field.
Bolek Polívka has collaborated with renowned mime Vyacheslav Polunin, and in 2001, Polunin organized the New Carnival as part of the World Theatre Olympics in the Hermitage Gardens in Moscow. Polívka performed alongside some of the world's best acting comedians, including Vyacheslav Polunin, Django Edwards, Jérôme Deschamps, Franz-Joseph Bogner, Leo Bassi, Gennadiy Khazanov, Leonid Yarmolnik, David Shiner, Bill Irwin, and over 100 other comedians and mimes from around the world.
