Otto Šimánek
Also Known As: Oto Šimánek, Otta Šimánek, Ota Šimánek
Biography: 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.
Department: Acting
Place of Birth: Třešť, Československo
Birthday: April 28, 1925
Deathday: May 08, 1992
Adult: No
Gender: Male
Popularity:
Known For:
Měšťáci
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1958-02-05
Popularity:
Tlustý anděl z Rouenu
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1958-03-12
Popularity:
Dařbuján a Pandrhola
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1959-12-24
Popularity:
Where an Alibi Is Not Everything
Overview: “A bored housewife, a husband who married her for show, and a stupid boy who is full of himself because he is dating a Swiss woman.” The words of Inspector Tůma sound like they’re from a European melodrama, but in fact they come from a Czechoslovak crime story. A pair of detectives, counterfeit medicine, the high-society setting of a Karlovy Vary hotel, and Oldřich Nový as the aging hotel manager Kraus.
Genres: Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1961-07-28
Popularity:
Básník, služka a král
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1977-12-02
Popularity:
Vo modrým ptáčku
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1968-12-24
Popularity:
Tři chlapi v chalupě
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1963-12-25
Popularity:
Dům na Ořechovce
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1959-10-16
Popularity:
The End of Agent W4C
Overview: The invincible agent Cyril Juan Borguette alias W4C has been assigned a mission to go to a hotel in Prague, get hold of a saltcellar with a plan for the military exploitation of Venus hidden in it, and hand it over to the beautiful agent Alice. He will have to compete for the saltcellar with other agents working for the world's various greater and smaller powers. The head of the Prague counter-intelligence unit gets news of agent W4C's mission. Deficient in personnel, he nominates accountant Foustka as agent 13B. Mr Foustka takes his dog Pajda with him and the two head for the airport. Pajda helps him track down agent W4C in a classy hotel that becomes the battleground for the interests and plans of the secret agents from different countries, each trying to get hold of the precious saltcellar.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1967-10-06
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Švec Janek v pohádkové zemi
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1979-12-30
Popularity:
Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea
Overview: Former Nazi Klaus Abard survives to the 1990s by taking anti-ageing pills. He plans to use a time travel trip to return to Germany in 1944 and present Hitler with a hydrogen bomb, so that he can win the war. Unfortunately the pilot, woman-chasing Karel Bures, dies on the morning of the trip and his earnest twin brother Jan impersonates him, without knowing about the plot.
Genres: Comedy Science Fiction
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1977-08-12
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Kamenný orchestr
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1982-03-11
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Black Saturday
Overview:
Genres: Crime Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1961-01-06
Popularity:
Šach mat
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1985-01-01
Popularity:
Policejní hodina
Overview:
Genres: Drama History
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1961-04-21
Popularity:
O kohoutovi, kose a kocourovi
Overview:
Genres: Fantasy Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1969-09-14
Popularity:
Černá dynastie
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-11-30
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Mature Wine
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1981-07-31
Popularity:
Malý Bobeš ve městě
Overview:
Genres: Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-12-07
Popularity:
Objev na Střapaté hůrce
Overview:
Genres: Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-11-16
Popularity:
Death Is Called Engelchen
Overview: Pavel is a Czech partisan fighter in the waning days of the war. Just as peace is declared, Pavel is shot in the spine and sent to the hospital emergency ward. As he fades in and out of consciousness, he recalls the events that led to his participation in the underground. Holding German occupation commander Engelchen responsible for all the horrors and deprivations heaped upon his comrades, Pavel is kept alive by the possibility of recovering and exacting vengeance upon the Nazi officer - no matter how long it takes.
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1963-05-03
Popularity:
Začít znova
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1964-03-13
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Bajaja
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1960-12-24
Popularity:
Táto, přečti to!
Overview:
Genres: Family Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1963-01-01
Popularity:
Sganarel lékařem
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-12-25
Popularity:
Tvrdohlavá žena a zamilovaný školní mládenec
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-05-01
Popularity:
Bubny
Overview:
Genres: Drama Comedy Horror
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1965-03-12
Popularity:
Zelená vlna
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1982-06-25
Popularity:
Poslední návrat
Overview:
Genres: Drama Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1983-07-17
Popularity:
Lucy, the Menace of Street
Overview: A first part of a funny adventures of six years old Lucie and her two magic dolls.
Genres: Comedy Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1984-10-01
Popularity:
Zajatci tmy
Overview:
Genres: Drama War
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1964-01-01
Popularity:
Crime at the Girls School
Overview: Three short story omnibus. The main hero and connecting link is Lieutenant Boruvka, created by Lubomír Lipsky. He deals with the murder case between climbers, the death of the dancer in the music theater and the strange disappearance of the mathematics professor.
Genres: Comedy Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-02-18
Popularity:
Poslední růže od Casanovy
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Romance
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-08-05
Popularity:
The Phantom of Morrisville
Overview: Inspector Brumpby (Jaroslav Marvan) and the young crime reporter Allan Pinkerton (Vít Olmer) attend wedding of Sir Hannibal Morris (Oldrich Nový) with beautiful Clarence (Kveta Fialová). After the ceremony, Clarence's ex-husband, criminal Manuel Diaz (Waldemar Matuska), who was believed dead, shows up in her room. He wants to get his hands on Clarence and, most importantly, on the money she would inherit in the eventuality of her new husband's death. Diaz makes attempts on Hannibal's life. He knows his way about an underground labyrinth in the château and the traps he sets up for Hannibal seem to work, since Hannibal is apparently found dead after an explosion in the labyrinth, after which his body vanishes. The inspector tries to solve the countless mysteries. In this, he is joined by Allan, always ahead of the man of the law in his estimation and judgment of the situation.
Genres: Comedy Mystery
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-07-15
Popularity:
Sedm sestřiček
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-12-25
Popularity:
Who Wants to Kill Jessie?
Overview: In this zany Czechoslovakian comedy, a scientist invents a machine that projects a sleeping person's dream on a screen; disaster soon follows when the machine malfunctions and the cartoon-like dream characters become very real!
Genres: Comedy Science Fiction
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-08-26
Popularity:
Honza a Růžová panenka
Overview:
Genres: Fantasy Family TV Movie
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1975-05-18
Popularity:
Sedm žen Alfonse Karáska aneb Když holky berou, já nevím kterou
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1967-12-31
Popularity:
Údolie večných karaván
Overview:
Genres: Fantasy
Original Language: sk
Release Date: 1968-02-15
Popularity:
Kalif čápem
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1970-04-12
Popularity:
Maryla
Overview:
Genres: History Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1969-12-24
Popularity:
One of Them Is the Murderer
Overview: Marek (Jirí Holý), formerly a driver of a long-distance lorry, has served his term for smuggling art works abroad and is released from jail. Years ago, he sacrificed himself and confessed his guilt on behalf of his companions - the drivers Krása, Jelínek, Hess and Novák from the Ministry of Culture who gave them tips. Marek finds Hess and tells him that now he expects the gang to compensate him for the wasted years of his life.
Genres: Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1971-04-23
Popularity:
Svatby pana Voka
Overview: Czech nobleman Petr Vok of Rozmberk (Milos Kopecký) is no longer so young, but his amatory adventures continue to arouse the envy of men and the indignation of respectable ladies. In his "female retinue" at the chateau in Bechyne he has twelve comely girls, but he still manages to seduce the miller's wife and the maid. Lord Vok is in great financial difficulties. His elder brother Vilém advises him to marry a rich woman. Petr surprises him by announcing his intention to marry the very young Katerina of Ludanice.
Genres: History Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1971-03-26
Popularity:
Pan Tau – der Film
Overview: Pan Tau, the friend of all children, now also helps the adults. A movie producer is in trouble and decides to shoot another Pan-Tau movie. But the old Pan-Tau actor Karasek is no longer young enough to walk the almost weightless walk of Pan Tau. Mr. Novak turns up - he resembles Pan Tau like a twin brother. He succeeds every pirouette. And as if by magic, he solves all the problems between people! Who is Mr. Novak? Is he really ...?
Genres: Family Fantasy Comedy
Original Language: de
Release Date: 1988-11-03
Popularity:
Letiště nepřijímá
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1960-02-26
Popularity:
Touha Sherlocka Holmese
Overview: Sherlock Holmes likes to play violin and expects a great career in music. He gets a place in a spa orchestra, but he is again and again distracted by criminal cases. Therefore he is the only one who does not see that his violin has no future. He solves the criminal mysteries in passing but the final test shows that the famous detective is tone-deaf.
Genres: Comedy Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1972-03-03
Popularity:
Lásky Emanuela Přibyla
Overview:
Genres: Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1971-12-31
Popularity:
No Magic from Tomorrow
Overview: Mr. Tau, the quiet and kind magician with a bowler hat and an umbrella, shows up unexpectedly on the wings of a plane during flight. The terrified crew contact the airport security service. After the plane lands, Mr. Tau disappears. The third security inspector Málek is determined to catch the hooligan at any price. To achieve this, he gives up his holiday to visit the children's summer camp. Mr. Málek's son, who just like all the other children is delighted by the new camp cook, Mr. Tau himself, has unknowingly set the inspector on the magician's trail. But the children at the camp are determined not to let their beloved magician get caught and ingeniously place all sorts of traps in Inspector Málek's way.
Genres: Comedy Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1979-11-01
Popularity:
Alarm in the Clouds
Overview: In defiance of all the laws of physics Mr. Tau is walking on the wing of an aircraft flying close to Prague. Young Alenka is enthusiastic, but the other passengers are horrified. The security inspector Málek believes the report from the crew to be a code alerting him to a hijack, and orders an emergency landing. In the confusion at the airport the fairytale Mr. Tau disappears into one of the halls.
Genres: Adventure Family Fantasy Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1978-11-01
Popularity:
Bidýlko
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1967-05-24
Popularity:
Světáci
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1963-05-01
Popularity:
Every Young Man
Overview: Jurácek's feature debut is shot in two parts. In the first, a corporal accompanies a new recruit with a sore Achilles tendon for his physical, and all the girls or young women they see are played by the same actress (Ruzickova). In the longer second segment, shot with the help of the Czechoslovakia army, the soldiers pass the time during basic training and maneuvers by talking about girls.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-05-13
Popularity:
Dva muži hlásí příchod
Overview: An only son, Jirí Valenta (Jaromír Hanzlík), has been drafted to the army. At the barracks he acquires the nickname Seamstress because he sews rugs in his spare time. One day, his friend introduces him to Julka Vávrová (Jorga Kotrbová), a girl he is desperate to get rid of. The naive Jirí falls in love with the girl and accepts her invitation to spend Easter together in the country. There he learns that the girl is the single mother of the young boy Martínek, whose father is the married tractor driver.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1975-09-26
Popularity:
Duch soudce Pauknera
Overview:
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1983-07-03
Popularity:
Wine Working
Overview: It is the summer of 1968 and also in South Moravian Pálavice appear political clashes. The so far peacefully farming Unified farmers' cooperative starts splitting. Some of the farmers have found the cooperative called Vidrupa and want to deal with wine in private trade. Michal Janák, chairman of the farmers' cooperative is a deliberate man and refuses the latent return to the capitalism. As an excellent farmer he continues preparing planting out new vineyards. His adversaries do not agree - the returns will come many years later. Jozka Hrdlicka, an émigré, notices on the Austrian TV the interview with the representatives of Vidrupa and decides to visit his native village. The new suit and the hired car transform the bankrupt and criminal to the successful businessman with wine.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1976-04-30
Popularity:
...and again that Lucy!
Overview: A second part of a funny adventures of six years old Lucie and her two magic dolls.
Genres: Comedy Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1984-12-01
Popularity:
Ohnivé ženy se vracejí
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1987-03-28
Popularity:
Vajíčko
Overview:
Genres: Drama Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1968-01-01
Popularity:
The Hope
Overview: A group of outcasts, including a vagabond and a prostitute, gather at the outskirts of the industrial area of a large Czech city, one of the things that helps some of them survive is alcohol.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1964-01-17
Popularity:
Chicken on Travels
Overview:
Genres: Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-06-01
Popularity:
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
Overview: A 20th century man lands on the Moon and discovers that Baron Munchausen has beaten him to it, accompanied by Cyrano de Bergerac and the characters from Jules Verne's novels about the conquest of the satellite.
Genres: Fantasy Adventure Animation Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1962-07-01
Popularity:
Desire
Overview: A poignant overview of how short life can be, this interesting drama from Czech director Vojetch Jasny is divided into four separate segments. In the first skit, a young child's impressions are observed as his newborn baby sister becomes a part of the family. In the second, a young woman falls in love for the first time one summer, and in the third, a tough, older peasant woman battles against the farming cooperatives. Finally, in the last segment, everything comes full circle as a woman who is about to become a grandmother dies while her daughter-in-law has not yet given birth.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1958-12-25
Popularity:
Men About Town
Overview: Three blue collar workers have a night out in big city Prague.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1969-10-10
Popularity:
The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
Overview: As the world progresses into the industrial age, a professor studying the "nature of pure matter" is spirited away by a would-be dictator and connived into building a super-bomb, as a young reporter and a girl rescued from the sea attempt to warn him of their mutual kidnapper's intentions to dominate the world with a new and more-deadly-yet weapon.
Genres: Adventure Science Fiction
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1958-08-22
Popularity:
You Are a Widow, Sir
Overview: After a soldier cuts off the arm of king's cousin, king decides to deactivate the army. Of course, generals don't like it at all and they try to kill the king. The assassin should be artificial body in the shape of actress Evelina Keleti and with brain of psychotic serial killer Fany Stubová. They also manage to kill king's astrologer Stuart Hampl, who warns the king. Accidentally, Hampl's brain is implanted into assassin's body, actress Keleti is killed and chaos begins.
Genres: Science Fiction Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1971-01-15
Popularity:
O bílém jadýrku
Overview:
Genres: Fantasy Family TV Movie
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1983-05-09
Popularity:
Kde bydlí štěstí
Overview:
Genres: TV Movie Fantasy Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1987-03-18
Popularity:
Panenka z vltavské tůně
Overview:
Genres: Family Fantasy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1976-12-24
Popularity:
A Prayer for Katerina Horovitzova
Overview: A group of wealthy American Jewish businessmen have been captured by the SS and are told that they are to be traded to the American army for several SS officers. However, these hostages are being required to pay bribes for their "transportation costs." In order to ensure that the businessmen will be more cooperative in paying up, a beautiful female singer is placed in their midst as a bargaining chip. The group of hostages are then placed on a train which is supposed to take them to the ship that will deliver them to freedom, but a series of "mishaps" delays their escape.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1965-10-13
Popularity:
Fear
Overview: A car deliberately runs down a young man on a road by a small border town. The locals recognize the dead man as one of the students who were there on volunteer work some time before. The police detectives, Major Kalas (Rudolf Hrusínský) and Lieutenant Varga (Radoslav Brzobohatý) can then get on the trail of the people with whom the victim was involved, especially at the photographic studio headed by Bohuslav Pacer (Bohus Záhorský).
Genres: Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1964-04-03
Popularity:
Merry Christmas Octopus
Overview: Eva and her younger brother Johnny own two sentient octopuses made out of strange matter. Will their parents divorce and ruin Christmas? Will a scientist find a way to use their pets as fuel? Live action film with stop-motion octopuses.
Genres: Comedy Family Science Fiction
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1987-11-01
Popularity:
Trezor
Overview:
Genres: Crime
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1989-01-01
Popularity:
Spadla s měsíce
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1961-08-18
Popularity:
Shoesmachine
Overview: The happenings in a shoe factory serve as a not very thinly veiled examination of the pros and cons of both socialism and democracy.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1954-09-24
Popularity:
Stalo se jedné neděle
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1985-01-01
Popularity:
Šlechetný cowboy Sandy
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Western TV Movie
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1964-01-01
Popularity:
Polka jede do světa
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1965-01-01
Popularity:
Cesta řeky k moři
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-12-25
Popularity:
Všude žijí lidé
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1960-12-16
Popularity:
Svatební cesta aneb Ještě ne, Evžene!
Overview:
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1966-12-31
Popularity:
Tři chlapi po roce
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1964-10-31
Popularity:
Ta naše písnička česká
Overview:
Genres: Music Romance Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1967-08-11
Popularity:
I andělé ztrácejí trpělivost
Overview:
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1949-01-01
Popularity:
Statečný Azmun
Overview:
Genres: Fantasy Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1986-01-01
Popularity:
Přísně tajné premiéry
Overview:
Genres: Crime Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1968-01-26
Popularity:
Nedělní dostaveníčko
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1954-01-01
Popularity:
Co je platno kárat, co je platno kázat
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1978-02-11
Popularity:
Santa Lucia
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1985-02-07
Popularity:
Podnájem na Champs Ellysèes
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1991-01-18
Popularity:
Medvěd
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1956-04-18
Popularity:
Zkouška pokračuje
Overview:
Genres: Drama
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1960-09-02
Popularity:
Three Wishes for Cinderella
Overview: Popelka, a resourceful and independent young girl, is a servant in her stepmother's house and confides in her closest friend the owl. When she comes across three magical acorns, she's granted a single wish for each one of them.
Genres: Fantasy Family Romance
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1973-11-16
Popularity:
The Octopuses from the Second Floor
Overview: While on vacation with their bickering parents, young Eva and her little brother Johnny find in a polluted lake two strange friendly sentient octopuses made of strange material that attracts electricity. They take them as pets.
Genres: Comedy Science Fiction Family
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1987-07-01
Popularity:
Young Wine
Overview:
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: cs
Release Date: 1986-09-01
Popularity: