Henryk Bista, courtesy fot. Filmoteka Narodowa / www.fototeka.fn.org.pl
Film and theatre actor. Henryk Bista was born on March 12, 1934 in Kochłowice and died on October 8, 1997 in Warsaw and was buried at the Old Powązki Cemetery.
"He was described, not without merit, as a master of detail, worked out to perfection" - wrote Lidia Górska. - "His intonations, pauses, facial expressions, body movement on stage, all seemed precisely studied. At the same time he kept full authenticity, and in accordance with Stanisławski’s dictum he didn’t play a character, he became it." ("Dialogue" 1998, nr 3)
Bista gained wide popularity through his numerous film roles, mainly as a supporting actor. He reached the highest critical acclaim for his theatrical roles, primarily with the Wybrzeże Theatre. He was equally successful in the contemporary and classical repertoire, rendering the dramatic characters of Słowacki, Mickiewicz and Shakespeare.
Henryk Bista graduated in 1958 from the Acting Department of The State Academy of Drama in Warsaw. Immediately after his studies, he was hired by the Warsaw Ateneum Theatre, where he remained until 1962. For the next two years, he performed for the Juliusz Osterwa Theatre in Lublin. In 1962 he joined the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk and would remain there for the next thirty years. He returned to Warsaw in 1992 and worked with the Contemporary Theatre until his death in 1997.
He debuted on stage in 1958 in the role of Arlekin in "Le Médecin Malgré Lui" (The Doctor in Spite of Himself) by Moliere directed by Jerzy Rakowiecki at the Warsaw Ateneum Theatre. He remained very active, first at the Ateneum, later at the Osterwa Theatre in Lublin and lastly at the Wybrzeże Theatre, where he initially appeared in the plays of Kazimierz Braun (including Valère in Moliere’s "The Miser",1963) and Jerzy Goliński (as Edmund Mortimer in "Henry IV" by Shakespeare, 1963, and Don Pedro in Shakespeare’s "Much Ado about Nothing", 1966).
His first prominent roles were Lasarus in "The Tragedy of The Rich Man and Lazarus" – a 16th Century text by an anonymous Gdańsk playwright directed by Tadeusz Minc (1968). A year later, he played Lucchesini in a premiere of Tadeusz Miciński’s "Polish Thermopylae" directed by Marek Okopiński (1970), where he created the diabolic character of a Prussian envoy. In 1973 he played the role of Jagon in Shakespeare’s "Othello" directed by Okopiński.
Andrzej Żurowski wrote about his performances: “Bista’s performance transformed ‘Othello’, from a study of jealousy to a study of evil. On Jagon’s phenomena of evil rested the weight of the whole play. This Jagon, without a doubt, intellectually prevailed over the rest of the characters - on them he tested his ideology, the concepts for action, which was base, more than cynicism, for his ambiguous approach to Desdemona (...). Such a well thought out Jagon ceased to be a pattern for a psychopathological ‘black character’ - he became multidimensional, psychologically complex." ("Theatre" 1977, nr 18)
Bista considered the role of Jagon as a censorship of his acting skills. He was able to combine his earlier work with new experiences that would, in the future combine to generate many complex characters stretched between absolute evil and human weakness.
In 1977, the actor created another memorable character in the part of Lucifer in Juliusz Słowacki’s "Samuel Zborowski" directed by Stanisław Hebanowski. Its focal point was a twelve-minute monologue in the second act that "struck not only with the power of the word but with the clarity and logic of the reasoning" - noted Lidia Górska. ("Dialogue" 1998, nr 3). In this way Bista gave an outline to the character, becoming not only an embodiment of the devil but a satanic idea, suggestive and intelligent to the core. Two years later, at the age of 45, Bista played Gustaw-Konrad in Mickiewicz’s "Dziady" produced by Maciej Prus, and creating an interesting interpretation of the romantic character. In his creation, Gustaw-Konrad was a mature, focused man. Bista also avoided the usual "technical" acting (gestural and facial expressiveness) that often led him in the direction of mannerism.
"(...) Henryk Bista showed that his acting craft is flexible and expressive" - wrote Bożena Frankowska. - "(...) his whole role was based not on external suggestiveness (...) but on the rhythm of declamation determined by the meaning of the spoken word and the rhythm of Mickiewicz’s verse." ("Theatre" 1980, nr 19)
In 1980, Bista gave an outstanding performance in the role of Robespierre in Stanisława Przybyszewska’s "Danton’s Case" produced by Andrzej Wajda and directed by Maciej Karpiński.
"Bista’s Robespierre is not a played as an ‘idea’, ‘form’, or ‘utopia’'" - noted Irena Kellner. - "It is a living, breathing human entity fighting for the realisation of an idea of utopia that he believes the most. And he is filled with sadness when it turns out that the man who started the revolution cannot control its direction or stop it from falling into the abyss of the future." ("Theatre" 1980, nr 26)
In addition to his work in the classics, Bista also appeared in many modern dramas. He played, among others, the Lawyer in "Tiny Alice" by Edward Albee (1971) and Milos in "Car Cemetery" by Fernando Arrabal (1972) - directed by Stanisław Hebanowski. He also portrayed The Stage Manager in "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder (1972, dir. Lech Hellwig-Górzyński).
He created interesting comic characters including Fujarkiewicz in "Open House" by Michał Bałucki directed by Jerzy Kreczmar (1971) and Ordęga in Michał Choromański’s "Lament" directed by Andrzej Rozhin (1973). One of his best known comic roles was Grandpa in "White Marriage" by Tadeusz Różewicz produced by Ryszard Major (1976) "Sharply sketched, almost farce-like, consisting of several etudes, that are treated as a whole, that make up a consistent silhouette (...)" (Andrzej Żurowski, "Theatre" 1977, nr 18)
Another great creation was his portrayal of Papkin in "Zemsta" by Aleksander Fredro. Bista played him in a production directed by Stanisław Hebanowski (1982). He created a Papkin who was "naive as a child, creating his own world of illusion. This Papkin even believed that he could get Klara to love him". (Lidia Górska, "Dialogue" 1998, nr 3)
In the following years Bista would continue in comic roles. These were, among others, the character of Isidore in Carlo Goldoni’s "The Chioggia Scuffles" (1993) and The President in "Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogol (1995) directed by Maciej Englert at the Warsaw Contemporary Theatre.
"What was characteristic for him were snake-like arm movements and clumsiness, emphasized by an unchanging facial expression, with the drooping corners of his mouth and buttery eyes and by his waddle on stage, all these slowly started to become his mannerisms" - wrote Lidia Górska. - "It is particularly visible in the roles of old men - unsure, lost and goofy - which he would portray often towards the end of his career." ("Dialogue" 1998, nr 3)
With his hallmark expressive exaggeration he played one of his last roles - The Man in "Ambassador" by Sławomir Mrożek directed by Erwin Axer (1995).
Bista also played in over 100 roles on film. These were mostly supporting roles or episodes such as the excellent Lovenstein in "Schindler’s List" by Steven Spielberg (1993). His film dossier also contains appearances in light comedies - "Between the Lips and the Brim of the Goblet" by Zbigniew Kuźminski (1987), and serious roles - Grzegorz in "Mother of Kings" by Janusz Zaorski (1982) and the Senator in "Lava" by Tadeusz Konwicki based on Adam Mickiewicz’s "Dziady" (1989).
He was one of those rare actors who needed only a short scene to show the audience the core traits of the character. "It is the most outstanding skill to be able to show in one short flash, sometimes in a short scene, with condensed techniques, the whole truth of the portrayed character" - said Maciej Englert about Bista. - "It takes not only an enormous imagination but also some impressive technique." ("Theatre" 1997, nr 11) Henryk Bista was a master of episode - he layered his characters and gave them multiple dimensions. He often played “theatrically” in film, consciously referring to given stage conventions.
Bista’s first important screen appearances were the roles of Stefan Waniek in a criminal drama by Tadeusz Chmielewski entitled "In the Silence of the Night" and Doktor Kauters in "Hospital of Transfiguration" by Edward Żebrowski (both from 1978.) He created intriguing silhouettes of the characters, progressively revealing their true psychological appearance. He later played in TV series - "Queen Bona" by Janusz Majewski (1980), in the "TV Station" by Antoni Krauze (1981) and a psychopathic teacher in Yesterday by Radosław Piwowarski (1984). He appeared in movies by Piotr Szulkin in "O-bi, O-ba and The End of Civilization" (1984) and "Ga, Ga Praise the Heroes" (1985) and Filip Bajon’s "The Magnate" (1986), "Ball at the Train Station in Koluszki" (1989) and "Sauna" (1992). He appeared in "Inner Life" (1986), "Porno" (1989) and "Nothing Funny" (1995) by Marek Koterski. He was a cynical and corrupt referee in "Football Poker" by Janusz Zaorski (1988) and a helpless school director in "The Last Bell" by Magdalena Łazarkiewicz (1989). He played the Jew, Mistig in Andrzej Barański’s "Two Moons" (1993), and a TV maniac in "Polish Death" by Waldemar Krzystek (1994).
His largest film roles were in the second half of the 1980s. In 1985, he played Mr. M., a retired dignitary in the film by Tomasz Zygadło "Children’s Scenes of Provincial Life".
"It was easy to fall into a superficial caricature" - wrote Maciej Maniewski. - "Bista, not limiting the clearly ironic tones, portrayed his character casually and humanely. There is this pride and resignation in him, longing for the old times and the bitter awareness he is one of the losers. But mostly there is some unfulfilled grandness that fascinates." ("Kino" 1997, nr 12)
Two years later he achieved one of his greatest creations as a Senator in Lava, a film directed by Tadeusz Konwicki. In this role, as in his greatest stage characters, Bista created a human being with a devil’s face. This rendition contained a frightening portrait of a tyrant, and, at the same time, a pathetic man of power, changing the tone from dramatic to comic. The critics responded that his Senator had “everything”.
Awards:
1962 - Award for the role of Jim Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill’s "A Moon for the Misbegotten" directed by Jerzy Rakowiecki at the Osterwa Theatre in Lublin, 2nd Kalisz Theatre Meetings
1968 - Golden Medal for Merit for the Country Defense
1969 - Award for the role of Lazarus in "The Tragedy of The Rich Man and Lazarus" directed by Tadeusz Minc from The Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 11th Northern Poland Theatres Festival in Toruń
1971 - Silver Cross of Merit
1972 - Honorary Distinction for Meritorious Service for Gdańsk District
1975 - Medal for the 30 Years of People's Republic of Poland; award for the role of Gorgoniusz in "Warsaw Bohemia" by Adolf Nowaczyński, directed by Stanisław Hebanowski from the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 17th Northern Poland Theatres Festival in Toruń
1976 - Golden Medal for Merit
1977 - Ministry of Culture Award for Acting Achievements
1978 - Award for the role of Lucifer in Juliusz Słowacki’s "Samuel Zborowski" directed by Stanisław Hebanowski of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 4th Opole Theatrical Confrontations; Wybrzeże’s Theatrical Award for an outstanding acting creation, Lucifer in Samuelu Zborowskim by Juliusz Słowacki directed by Stanisław Hebanowski of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk
1980 - Theatrical Award of the Gdańsk Voivode for the Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Culture
1981 - The Golden Carriage Award for the role of Wilhelm Ton in "Prince Potemkin" by Tadeusz Miciński directed by Maciej Prus of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 23rd Northern Poland Theatres Festival in Toruń; Award for the role of Wilhelm Ton in "Prince Potemkin" by Tadeusz Miciński directed by Maciej Prus of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 7th Opole Theatre Confrontations
1982 - Gdańsk Voivode Award, International Theatre Day for the role of Prosecuting Attorney Scurvy in "The Shoemakers" by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz directed by Marcel Kochańczyk of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk
1983 - Award for the role of the Drunkard in Witold Gombrowicz’s "The Wedding" directed by Ryszard Major of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 25th Northern Poland Theatres Festival in Toruń
1984 - Knight’s Cross Polonia Restituta
1985 - Award for the role of Lopakhin in Anton Chekhov’s "The Cherry Orchard" directed by Krzysztof Babicki of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk at the 25th Kalisz Theatre Meetings
1986 - Meritorious Culture Activist
1987 - Award for the role of butler Franz in the film by Zbigniew Kuźmiński "Between the Lips and the Brim of the Goblet" at the 6th Polish Film Digest in Wrocław; Gdańsk Voivode Award for the role of Brecht in "Tales from Hollywood" by Christopher Hampton directed by Kazimierz Kutz of the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk
1989 - "Golden Screen Award" for his roles in the spectacles of Teatr TV: title role in Franz Werfel’s play "Jacobowsky and the Colonel" directed by Edward Dziewoński, the role of Octavio Piccolomini in "Wallenstein" Friedrich Schiller directed by Krzysztof Babicki, the role of Messerschmann in Jean Anouilh’s "Invitation to the Castle" also known as Ring Round the Moon directed by Krystyna Sznerr, and Tomasz Cromwell in "Double-Edged Sword" by Jerzy Zawieyski, directed by Tadeusz Malak
1990 - Individual award for the best supporting male role, The Senator in the film by Konwicki Lava at the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia; The President of Gdańsk Theatre Award
Author: Monika Mokrzycka-Pokora, January 2005.