# Jiřina Jirásková

Jiřina Jirásková (17 February 1931 – 7 January 2013) was a Czech actress. She was born and died in Prague, Czech Republic.

## Biography

She studied at the Prague Conservatory and later at DAMU. After graduating, she spent one year in a regional theatre in Hradec Králové. In 1951, aged 20, she moved to the Prague's Vinohrady Theatre, where she spent her entire career. From 30 May 1990 to 30 June 2000, she was also the director of the theatre.
Jirásková began to appear in TV in the 1950s; she played in the first Czechoslovak TV series Rodina Bláhova (Bláha Family). She got her first on-screen opportunity in the spy drama Smyk, directed Zbyněk Brynych. She appeared in Every Penny Counts and Look Into His Eyes, and also worked with comedic director Zdeněk Podskalský.
In the 1970s, during the period of Czechoslovak "normalization", she was forced to leave acting. According to her own words, the ban was caused by her attitude during the reform period of the 1960s. She returned in 1983 for Karel Kachyňa's film Nurses. She appeared in more than 140 roles over 40 years.
She was the Goodwill Ambassador and President (2002-2011) of the UNICEF Czech Committee and, in 1999, tried unsuccessfully to run for the Senate representing the Civic Democratic Party.

## Personal life

She was married for two years to the actor Jiří Pleskot, and spent 27 years with Zdeněk Podskalský. She had no children.

### Awards

* 1969 – Finále Plzeň Film Festival Audience Award for Most Popular Actress
* 1998 – Thalia Award
* 2006 – Medal of Merit

### Death

Jiřina Jirásková died on 7 January 2013, aged 81.

## Notable theatre appearances

Source:
* Caesar and Cleopatra (Cleopatra)
* The Government Inspector (Anna Andreyevna Skvoznik Dmuchanovská's governess)
* Richard III (Queen Margaret)
* The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank)
* Much Ado About Nothing (Hero)
* Twelfth Night (Olivia)
* Ivanov (Anna Petrovna)
* Nora (Kristina Linde)
* The Full Monty (Jeanette)
* The Cherry Orchard (Charlotte)
* Henry IV (Marchioness Matilda Spina)

## Selected filmography
### 1960s

* 1961 - Every Penny Counts (Každá koruna dobrá) as Music teacher
* 1961 - Skid (Smyky) as Luisa
* 1961 - Pohled do očí as Olga Valentová
* 1964 - The Chintamani Carpet and a Swindler as Translator
* 1964 - Courage for Every Day as Olina
* 1964 - Einstein kontra Babinský as Typist Dáša
* 1964 - Kdy brečí muži as Mother
* 1965 - Tales About Children as Mother
* 1965 - Ninety Degrees in the Shade as Věra
* 1966 - Searching as Helena Hrabáková
* 1967 - Hotel for Strangers as Marie
* 1967 - Grandpa, Kylian and I as Mother
* 1967 - The House of Lost Souls as Dr. Dvořáková
* 1968 - Sňatky z rozumu as Hana
* 1968 - Jak se zbavit Helenky as Viki
* 1969 - Flirt se slečnou Stříbrnou as Mrs. Blumenfeldová
* 1969 - Světáci as Marcela
* 1969 - Já, truchlivý bůh as Mrs. Stenclová

### 1970s

* 1970 - Case for a Rookie Hangman as Tadeásová
* 1970 - Devilish Honeymoon as Alzbeta
* 1970 - On the Comet as Ester

### 1980s

* 1980 - Julek as Sword eater's wife
* 1980 - Dnes v jednom domě as Dr. Frýbová (8 episodes)
* 1980 - Útěky domů as Actress
* 1981 - The Hit as Script
* 1982 - Jak svět prichází o básníky as School director
* 1983 - Bota jménem Melichar as Moutelíková
* 1984 - Barrandovské nocturno aneb Jak film zpíval a tančil as Singer
* 1984 - Křtiny as Secretary Karolína
* 1984 - Katapult as Anna
* 1984 - Slunce, seno, jahody as Hubičková
* 1984 - Vinobraní as Albína Brousková
* 1984 - Jára Cimrman Lying, Sleeping as Mother
* 1985 - Egy kicsit én, egy kicsit te as Eva Anyja
* 1985 - Sestřičky as Granny
* 1986 - Klobouk, měšec a láska as Enenke
* 1987 - Stačí stisknout as Chairwoman Macková
* 1987 - Arabesky as Sefrnova
* 1988 - Kdyz v ráji pršelo as Dočkajka
* 1988 - Muj hříšný muž as Jeníkova
* 1989 - Twins at the Zoo as Josefina
* 1989 - Slunce, seno a pár facek as Director Hubičková
* 1989 - Příběh '88 as Zdena

### 1990s

* 1990 - Motýlí čas as School director
* 1990 - Muka obraznosti as Artlova
* 1991 - Slunce, seno, erotika as Headmaster Hubičková
* 1993 - Jedna kočka za druhou as Landlady
* 1994 - Zámek v Čechách as Countess

### 2000s

* 2005 - Dobrá čtvrt as Mrs. Svobodová
* 2005 - Angel of the Lord as Abbess Magdalena
* 2006 - Rafťáci as Dany's granny