Pavol Mikulík, a renowned Slovak actor and director, was born on March 2, 1944, in Prešov, Slovakia. From a young age, he was deeply devoted to the arts, often attending children's radio parties in Bratislava alongside his brother Peter, a prominent director, and his future friend and classmate Stan Dančiak.
Mikulík's formal education began at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava, where he graduated in 1965 alongside notable classmates Ľubo Roman, Stano Dančiak, and Marián Labuda. He later returned to the academy as a teacher and even served as vice-rector in 1990.
Pavol Mikulík's professional career spanned over five decades, with over 500 film and production credits to his name. He began acting in films as early as 1954, starring in Andrej Lettrich's Drevená dedina. He went on to work with the same director again in The Dead Don't Cry (1965) and appeared in numerous television shows, including Safari, Elizabeth's Court, and the award-winning Mario and the Magician.
Mikulík's most notable roles include Južná pošta, Perinbaba, and The Thousand-Year-Old Bee, which are considered some of the best recorded in Slovakia. He also gained recognition for his portrayal of the main character in the Polish film Mastičkár.
In addition to his acting career, Mikulík was also a skilled chef and published a recipe book. He even filmed a cooking show on television, which unfortunately ended abruptly due to a stroke he suffered during filming in Košice. His friend Stano Dančiak found him in his hotel room and rushed him to the hospital, where he received life-saving treatment.
Despite his stroke and subsequent amputation, Mikulík remained determined and continued to live with the help of his friends, doctors, and a young student named Miriam Kičiňová. In 2003, he published a memoir titled "And just not!", which chronicled his remarkable life story.
Throughout his career, Pavol Mikulík received numerous awards and accolades, including the Crystal Wing Award in 2000 and induction into the Hall of Fame at the OTO Television Award. He passed away on November 27, 2007, in Bratislava, leaving behind a legacy as a talented actor, director, and teacher.
