Otto Šimánek
Known for: Acting
Otto Šimánek (April 28, 1925 Třešť - May 8, 1992 Prague) was a Czech mime, film and theater actor. He has starred in a number of comedies and several fairy tales. Probably his most famous role was the title role in the series Pan Tau. He trained as an electrician at Tesla in Prague and has so far played the theater only amateuristically. He later got to the Theater on May 5 and also traveled for a few months at the Theater under the Placht of Jindřich Plachta. He gained acting experience in various theaters. He worked in theaters in Zlín, Ostrava and finally in 1958 he was engaged in the Municipal Theaters of Prague, where he lasted until 1990. He played a number of large roles on the stage. The character of the clown Jean Debureau remains unforgettable for the audience in the dramatization of Kožík's novel The Greatest of the Pierots, where he could fully use his love for pantomime. Acting in the Prague theater also meant an opportunity to win film and television roles. He mainly played smaller roles in about forty films. The most famous is probably the role from the movie I'll Get Up Tomorrow and Bake My Tea. His character, Mr. Tau, entered the European and, to some extent, world film consciousness in the co-production series of the same name by director Jindřich Polák and screenwriter Ota Hofman. He also taught pantomime at the Prague Conservatory and DAMU. Among his students was, among others, the actor Petr Čepek. On the site of the pharmacy where Otto Šimánek was born, an ash statue was installed in 2011 depicting an actor in the role of Mr. Tau with a typical hand movement near his hat. The author is Daniel Stejskal.
Filmography
Series
Bambi
Self
1948
Series
Bakaláři
1972
Series
Pan Tau
Pan Tau
1970
Series
Pan Tau
Pan Tau / Alfons
1970
Series
Arabela
1980
Series
Arabela
(uncredited)
1980
Úsměvy světa
1969
Series
Hříšní lidé města pražského
1969
Series
The Visitors
1983
Film
The Hope
Fojtar
1964
The Dow Hour of Great Mysteries
Kaiser
1960
Film
Three Wishes for Cinderella
King (voice) (uncredited)
1973
Das Sonntagskonzert
Self
1969
Series
Malý pitaval z velkého města
1983
Series
F. L. Věk
1971
Film
Dva muži hlásí příchod
1975
Series
The Octopuses from the Second Floor
Teacher
1986
Film
Death Is Called Engelchen
1963
Series
Inženýrská odysea
1980
Series
The Train of Childhood and Expectation
1989
Film
No Magic from Tomorrow
Pan Tau
1979
Series
Muž na radnici
1976
Film
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
The Man on the Train
1958
Film
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
Michal Ardan
1962
Series
Sňatky z rozumu
1968
Series
Bejvávalo
1966
Bidýlko
1967
Tři chlapi v chalupě
Arnošt Kacíř
1961
Film
Who Wants to Kill Jessie?
1966
Had z ráje
Mr. Forchheim
1981
Film
Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea
Patrick White
1977
Poručík Petr
1981
Nedělní dostaveníčko
1954
Tři mušketýři
1983
Pinocchiova dobrodružství
(voice)
1967
Series
Dobrodružství šesti trampů
1970
Zajatci tmy
1964
Film
Desire
Brother-in-law (segment "Lidé na zemi a hvezdy na nebi")
1958
Film
The End of Agent W4C
Inventor
1967
Případy komisaře Mejzlíka
1965
Maryla
1969
Film
...and again that Lucy!
Mall Detective
1984
Polka jede do světa
1965
Tlustý anděl z Rouenu
1958
Medvěd
1956
Film
You Are a Widow, Sir
průmyslník Alfred Keletti
1971
Little Dorrit
1967
Film
The Phantom of Morrisville
Miky
1966
Film
Poslední růže od Casanovy
1966
Film
Lucy, the Menace of Street
Mall Detective
1984
Film
Všude žijí lidé
Rehák
1960
Film
Svatby pana Voka
1971
Film
Men About Town
muž
1969
Film
The Octopuses from the Second Floor
1987
Film
Mature Wine
1981
Film
Crime at the Girls School
Prop Man (segment "Jak se koupe žena")
1966
Film
Pan Tau – der Film
Rudolf Karasek / Josef Novák
1988
Měšťáci
1958
Film
Merry Christmas Octopus
učitel
1987
Básník, služka a král
1977
Film
Ta naše písnička česká
1967
Trezor
Adámek
1989
Dařbuján a Pandrhola
1959
Film
Shoesmachine
laborer
1954
Film
Where an Alibi Is Not Everything
Moravec
1961
Film
Alarm in the Clouds
Pan Tau
1978
Statečný Azmun
1986
Film
Ohnivé ženy se vracejí
1987
Film
Tři chlapi v chalupě
1963
Film
Young Wine
1986
Území strachu
1986
Film
Zkouška pokračuje
Inspicient
1960
I andělé ztrácejí trpělivost
1949
Lásky Emanuela Přibyla
1971
Kde bydlí štěstí
zlatník
1987
Film
Touha Sherlocka Holmese
1972
Film
Letiště nepřijímá
Pilot Dvořák
1960
Tři chlapi po roce
(uncredited)
1964
Santa Lucia
1985
Film
Every Young Man
voják
1966
Film
Fear
okrskář v Roudné
1964
Film
Wine Working
1976
Tvrdohlavá žena a zamilovaný školní mládenec
1962
Film
Chicken on Travels
Teacher
1962
Film
Black Saturday
Slávek (voice)
1961
Film
One of Them Is the Murderer
Adam (voice)
1971
Šach mat
1985
Podnájem na Champs Ellysèes
Georges De Rillettes
1991
Film
Malý Bobeš ve městě
1962
Film
Panenka z vltavské tůně
1976
Švec Janek v pohádkové zemi
1979
Film
Šlechetný cowboy Sandy
1964
Film
Sedm žen Alfonse Karáska aneb Když holky berou, já nevím kterou
1967
Film
Zelená vlna
1982
Cesta řeky k moři
1966
Honza a Růžová panenka
táta
1975
Film
Bubny
1965
Film
Spadla s měsíce
1961
Film
Přísně tajné premiéry
lupič Mareček
1968
Film
Světáci
1963
O bílém jadýrku
1983
Poslední návrat
1983
Vajíčko
1969
Film
Začít znova
1964
Dům na Ořechovce
1959
Bajaja
1960
Film
The Black Dynasty
1962
Táto, přečti to!
1963
Stalo se jedné neděle
1985
Svatební cesta aneb Ještě ne, Evžene!
1966
Film
Objev na Střapaté hůrce
1962
A Prayer for Katerina Horovitzova
krejčí
1965
O kohoutovi, kose a kocourovi
1969
Co je platno kárat, co je platno kázat
1978
Kalif čápem
1970
Film
Policejní hodina
1961
Sganarel lékařem
1962
Kamenný orchestr
Matas
1982
Sedm sestřiček
1966
Vo modrým ptáčku
1968
Údolie večných karaván
1968
Duch soudce Pauknera
1983