Ljubiša Samardžić(1936-2017)

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.