Oldřich Velen

Oldřich Velen was one of the most frequently cast Czech actors. He was a master of distinctive character roles and a performer with an unmistakable Moravian charm, forever associated by audiences with the character Jura Klásek from the series Slovácko sa nesúdí. A native of Brno (born Oldřich Volek), he began his career with the South Bohemian Theatre and the Municipal Theatre in Olomouc. However, a key chapter was his engagement at the Divadlo Na zábradlí in the 1960s, where he was invited by director Jan Grossman. It was here that he became an integral part of legendary productions such as The Garden Party or Ubu Roi. Alongside Jan Libíček, he proved that his naturalistic acting style was indispensable even within the Theatre of the Absurd. To the general public, he remains well-known for more than 300 film and television roles—ranging from Druhý dech to the fairy-tale series Arabela.