Ljubiša Samardžić(1936-2017)
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Ljubiša Samardžić was born into a miner's family. His acting talent was
discovered very early and he won a scholarship with respected director
Bojan Stupica. After graduating Belgrade Drama Arts Academy and playing a few
theater roles, Ljubiša Samardžić was given the part in Igre na skelama (1961). After that
experience, he decided to quit theater and try his luck in movies. In a
few years he got the leading roles in some of the most popular or
influential movies ever made in former Yugoslavia and soon became one
of the movie icons in that country, together with 'Velimir 'Bata'
Zivojinovic', Milena Dravić and Boris Dvornik. In the 1980s and during the
break-up of Yugoslavia his acting star began to fade but he managed to
switch careers by founding his own movie production company together
with his son Dragan Samardzic. The company not only survived the harsh times of
UN sanctions against rump Yugoslavia, but managed to produce few
successful movies that became popular in many of the former Yugoslav
republics. Ljubiša Samardžić now lives and works in Belgrade, is married and has
two children and two grandchildren.
