Vlasta Burian

Josef Vlastimil Burian, better known as Vlasta Burian, (9 April 1891, in Liberec – 31 January 1962, in Prague) was an internationally renowned Czechoslovak film and stage actor, singer, comedian, footballer and film director. In the Czech Republic, he is known as Král komiků (King of Comedians). Biography He is well known in the Czech Republic for his comic roles in many movies before and during World War II. His films are still shown regularly on Czech television, being particularly popular around Christmas time. He ran a popular comic theater until 1944, when the Nazis closed down all Czech-language theaters. After the war Burian was charged and convicted of collaboration with the Nazis. He was briefly imprisoned, and then not permitted to return to the stage until 1950. He was officially exonerated of all charges in 1994.