Otto Šimánek
Born
April 28, 1925
Died
May 8, 1992 (67 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Třešť, Československo
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.
Known For
Podnájem na Champs Ellysèes
Georges De Rillettes
1991

The Train of Childhood and Expectation
(1 episode)
1989
Trezor
Adámek
1989

Pan Tau – der Film
Rudolf Karasek / Josef Novák
1988

Merry Christmas Octopus
učitel
1987
Kde bydlí štěstí
zlatník
1987

The Octopuses from the Second Floor
1987

Ohnivé ženy se vracejí
1987
Statečný Azmun
1986

The Octopuses from the Second Floor
Teacher · (4 episodes)
1986

Young Wine
1986
Území strachu
1986
Santa Lucia
1985
Šach mat
1985
Stalo se jedné neděle
1985

...and again that Lucy!
Mall Detective
1984

Lucy, the Menace of Street
Mall Detective
1984
Tři mušketýři
(1 episode)
1983

Malý pitaval z velkého města
(1 episode)
1983

The Visitors
(3 episodes)
1983
Poslední návrat
1983
Duch soudce Pauknera
1983
O bílém jadýrku
1983

Zelená vlna
1982
Kamenný orchestr
Matas
1982
Poručík Petr
(1 episode)
1981

Mature Wine
1981
Had z ráje
Mr. Forchheim · (1 episode)
1981

Arabela
(1 episode)
1980

Arabela
(uncredited) · (2 episodes)
1980
Inženýrská odysea
(2 episodes)
1980
Švec Janek v pohádkové zemi
1979

No Magic from Tomorrow
Pan Tau
1979

Alarm in the Clouds
Pan Tau
1978
Co je platno kárat, co je platno kázat
1978
Básník, služka a král
1977

Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea
Patrick White
1977

Panenka z vltavské tůně
1976

Muž na radnici
(1 episode)
1976

Wine Working
1976

Dva muži hlásí příchod
1975
Honza a Růžová panenka
táta
1975

Three Wishes for Cinderella
King (voice) (uncredited)
1973

Touha Sherlocka Holmese
1972

Bakaláři
(3 episodes)
1972
Lásky Emanuela Přibyla
1971

F. L. Věk
(1 episode)
1971

One of Them Is the Murderer
Adam (voice)
1971

Svatby pana Voka
1971

You Are a Widow, Sir
průmyslník Alfred Keletti
1971

Pan Tau
Pan Tau · (21 episodes)
1970

Pan Tau
Pan Tau / Alfons · (12 episodes)
1970

Dobrodružství šesti trampů
(1 episode)
1970
Kalif čápem
1970
Maryla
1969

Men About Town
muž
1969

Hříšní lidé města pražského
(1 episode)
1969
O kohoutovi, kose a kocourovi
1969
Úsměvy světa
(1 episode)
1969
Das Sonntagskonzert
Self · (1 episode)
1969
Vo modrým ptáčku
1968

Sňatky z rozumu
(1 episode)
1968
Údolie večných karaván
1968

Přísně tajné premiéry
lupič Mareček
1968
Vajíčko
1968
Sedm žen Alfonse Karáska aneb Když holky berou, já nevím kterou
1967
Malá Dorritka
(2 episodes)
1967

The End of Agent W4C
Inventor
1967

Ta naše písnička česká
1967
Bidýlko
1967
Pinocchiova dobrodružství
(voice) · (5 episodes)
1967
Svatební cesta aneb Ještě ne, Evžene!
1966
Sedm sestřiček
1966
Cesta řeky k moři
1966

Who Wants to Kill Jessie?
1966

Poslední růže od Casanovy
1966

The Phantom of Morrisville
1966

Every Young Man
voják
1966

Crime at the Girls School
Prop Man (segment "Jak se koupe žena")
1966

Bejvávalo
(5 episodes)
1966
A Prayer for Katerina Horovitzova
krejčí
1965
Případy komisaře Mejzlíka
(1 episode)
1965

Bubny
1965
Polka jede do světa
1965
Tři chlapi po roce
(uncredited)
1964

Fear
okrskář v Roudné
1964

Začít znova
1964

The Hope
Fojtar
1964
Zajatci tmy
1964
Šlechetný cowboy Sandy
1964

Tři chlapi v chalupě
1963

Death Is Called Engelchen
1963

Světáci
1963
Táto, přečti to!
1963
Sganarel lékařem
1962

Malý Bobeš ve městě
1962

The Black Dynasty
1962

Objev na Střapaté hůrce
1962

The Fabulous Baron Munchausen
Michal Ardan
1962

Chicken on Travels
Teacher
1962
Tvrdohlavá žena a zamilovaný školní mládenec
1962
Tři chlapi v chalupě
(1 episode)
1961

Spadla s měsíce
1961

Where an Alibi Is Not Everything
Moravec
1961

Policejní hodina
1961

Black Saturday
Slávek (voice)
1961
Bajaja
1960

Všude žijí lidé
Rehák
1960

Zkouška pokračuje
Inspicient
1960

Letiště nepřijímá
Pilot Dvořák
1960
Dařbuján a Pandrhola
1959
Dům na Ořechovce
1959

Desire
Brother-in-law (segment "Lidé na zemi a hvezdy na nebi")
1958

The Fabulous World of Jules Verne
The Man on the Train
1958
Tlustý anděl z Rouenu
1958
Měšťáci
1958
Medvěd
1956

Shoesmachine
laborer
1954
Nedělní dostaveníčko
1954
I andělé ztrácejí trpělivost
1949

Bambi-Verleihung
Self · (1 episode)
1948