Who is Danilo Lazović

Danilo Lazović was a Serbian and Yugoslav theatre, film, and television actor, one of the most recognizable domestic actors of the second half of the twentieth century. He was born on November 25, 1951, in Brodarevo, and died on March 25, 2006, in Belgrade. Danilo Lazović achieved his greatest popularity through the role of Šćepan Šćekić in the television series Srećni ljudi ("Happy People"), but he also left behind a rich theatrical career, above all as a longtime member of the ensemble at the National Theatre in Belgrade.Over a career spanning more than three decades, Danilo Lazović appeared in numerous films, television series, and stage plays, building a reputation as an actor with a powerful stage presence and a distinctive, unmistakable voice. Audiences also remember him for his role in the series Porodično blago ("Family Treasure"), as well as for his one-man show Danilo Lazović protiv Šćepana Šćekića, which he performed across Serbia and Montenegro.

Early Life and Childhood

Danilo Lazović was born on November 25, 1951, in the town of Brodarevo, on the Lim River, then part of the Socialist Republic of Serbia within SFR Yugoslavia. Not long after his birth, his family moved to nearby Priboj, the town where Danilo spent most of his childhood and youth.In Priboj, Danilo Lazović completed elementary school and gymnasium. Although sources do not record detailed information about his earliest childhood, it is known that his interest in recitation and stage performance was born in Priboj — an interest that would later steer his professional path toward acting.

Education

After finishing gymnasium in Priboj, Danilo Lazović moved to Belgrade, where he enrolled at the Academy of Theatre, Film, Radio and Television. He graduated in acting in 1974, completing his formal artistic training and opening the way to a professional acting career.Notably, the very year he graduated, Danilo Lazović landed his first significant role, in the cult series Otpisani ("Written Off") — an unusually swift and successful transition from academic training to the professional stage.

Beginning of His Career

Danilo Lazović's professional acting career began in 1974 with a role in Otpisani, one of the most celebrated Yugoslav television productions of the period. That role brought him his first wide recognition and opened the door to further work in film and television.Soon after his debut, Danilo Lazović joined the ensemble of the National Theatre in Belgrade, one of the oldest and most respected theatre houses in Serbia, where he would remain engaged for the following decade. Alongside his theatre work, he also built a film career, appearing in productions such as Dvoboj za južnu prugu (1978) and Laf u srcu (1981).

Rise to Fame

Through the 1980s, Danilo Lazović continued to build his career with roles in films such as Lazar (1984) and Najbolji (1989), as well as in the television series Bolji život (1988), one of the most-watched domestic series of the era. Although Belgrade theatre audiences already knew his work well, true mass popularity did not arrive until the early 1990s.The turning point in Danilo Lazović's career came with the role of Šćepan Šćekić in the series Srećni ljudi, which aired from 1993 to 1996. Thanks to that role, Danilo Lazović became one of the most recognizable actors in Serbia, and his character from the series is still remembered today as one of the symbols of domestic television production of the 1990s.

Greatest Successes

Besides his role in Srećni ljudi, Danilo Lazović delivered notable performances in the films Poslednji krug u Monci (1989), Mala (1991), Tri karte za Holivud (1993), and Jagoda u supermarketu (2003). He also appeared in the series Zaboravljeni (1990), Porodično blago, and Kraj dinastije Obrenović, as well as in the series Stižu dolari.His theatrical body of work was equally impressive. As a member of the National Theatre ensemble in Belgrade, where he was engaged until 2000, he delivered a number of significant roles, among them:Vuk in Đura Jakšić's Stanoje Glavaš Vladika Danilo in Petar Petrović Njegoš's The Mountain Wreath Gaius Julius Caesar in Hermann Broch's The Death of Virgil Leon Davidovich Bronstein-Trotsky in Christian Vermorin's play Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky Old Perišić in Dragoslav Mihailović's Kad su cvetale tikve Rogozhin in Nastasya Filippovna, based on Dostoevsky and Andrzej Wajda Agamemnon in Aeschylus's Oresteia Gregers Werle in Henrik Ibsen's The Wild DuckAfter leaving his permanent post at the National Theatre, Danilo Lazović continued to perform at Atelje 212 and Zvezdara Theatre, appearing in close to six hundred performances. Particularly notable were his roles in Dušan Kovačević's Claustrophobic Comedy and in Đorđe Milosavljević's stage production of Mala, based on a text by Milena Marković, which was later also adapted for film.

Private Life

In 1976, at a youth event on Mount Zlatar, Danilo Lazović met his future wife, Branka, who was originally from Cetinje. According to family accounts, Danilo told his friends even then that he would marry her — which he did in the early 1980s.With his wife, Branka, Danilo Lazović had four children — daughters Milena and Jelena, and sons Vuk and Miloš. In 1996, the family moved from central Belgrade to Avala, so their children could grow up in a more natural setting, away from the bustle of the city. His son, Vuk Lazović, later pursued a professional career in handball, playing for RK Partizan.Danilo Lazović was known for keeping his private life and family out of the public eye, and his children later noted in interviews that as young children they had not even been aware their father was a well-known figure, since at home he behaved simply as an ordinary parent.During the 1990s, at the time of the Yugoslav wars, Danilo Lazović was known for publicly expressing political support for Slobodan Milošević, and he was also personally connected to Radovan Karadžić, whose politics he publicly supported. He also served as an instructor for volunteers at a base in Bubanj Potok. These details about his public engagement during the 1990s appear in available sources, but the exact scope and nature of that involvement are not fully documented publicly.

Tragic Death

Danilo Lazović died suddenly on March 25, 2006, in Belgrade, at the age of 54. A heart attack was cited as the cause of death. A memorial service was held on the Main Stage of the National Theatre in Belgrade, and, at the family's request, no speeches were given — instead, a recording of Lazović's monologue from Saint Nikolaj Velimirović's poem "The Kosovo Covenant of Tsar Lazar" was played over the sound system.He was buried at Topčider Cemetery in Belgrade, attended by family, friends, colleagues, and numerous admirers of his work. The funeral service in front of the Church of St. Trifun was led by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, together with clergy from the Eparchy of Raška and Prizren. On behalf of the "Radovan Bećirović Trebješki" gusle players' society, of which Lazović was a member, farewells were given by Slavko Aleksić and Boško Vujačić.

Trivia

Although he very often and convincingly portrayed Montenegrin characters throughout his career — in the films Laf u srcu, Igmanski marš, and Odlazak ratnika, povratak maršala, and in the series Srećni ljudi — Danilo Lazović was not of Montenegrin origin himself; he was born in Serbia. He was known for almost never watching his own films and series after they were filmed and aired. He performed the one-man show Danilo Lazović protiv Šćepana Šćekića across Serbia and Montenegro, sometimes several times a day, further strengthening his connection with audiences outside the major city theatres. In his honor, since 2013 Priboj has hosted the "Dani Danila Lazovića" festival, at which competitors recite poetry, with the winner receiving a certificate bearing his name.

Awards and Recognition

For his acting work, Danilo Lazović received the Sterija Award for acting achievement in 1989, one of the most prestigious honors in theatre across the former Yugoslavia. He also won the "Ćuran" statuette for best role in Claustrophobic Comedy.

Legacy and Influence

Danilo Lazović is remembered as one of the actors who defined the Serbian and Yugoslav acting scene from the 1970s to the 2000s. His role as Šćepan Šćekić in Srećni ljudi is still regarded today as one of the most recognizable television roles in the history of domestic production, and lines from the series continue to be quoted in everyday speech.The "Dani Danila Lazovića" festival in Priboj brings together lovers of the spoken word and poetry every year, preserving the memory of his contribution to culture. His body of work on the stages of the National Theatre, Atelje 212, and Zvezdara Theatre remains a reference point for younger generations of actors working in both classical and contemporary repertoire.

Biography — Frequently Asked Questions

When was Danilo Lazović born? Danilo Lazović was born on November 25, 1951, in Brodarevo.What is Danilo Lazović best known for? He is best known for the role of Šćepan Šćekić in the television series Srećni ljudi, which aired from 1993 to 1996.When and how did Danilo Lazović die? Danilo Lazović died on March 25, 2006, in Belgrade, at the age of 54, of a heart attack.Where is Danilo Lazović buried? He is buried at Topčider Cemetery in Belgrade.Was Danilo Lazović Montenegrin? No, he was born in Serbia, although he frequently and convincingly played Montenegrin characters over the course of his career.Did Danilo Lazović have children? Yes, with his wife, Branka, he had four children — daughters Milena and Jelena, and sons Vuk and Miloš.Which theatre did Danilo Lazović work at the longest? He was longest a member of the National Theatre ensemble in Belgrade, where he performed until 2000, later going on to perform at Atelje 212 and Zvezdara Theatre.What awards did Danilo Lazović win? He won the Sterija Award for acting achievement in 1989 and the "Ćuran" statuette for his role in Claustrophobic Comedy.What was Danilo Lazović's first significant role? He landed his first significant role in 1974, in the series Otpisani.Is there a festival dedicated to Danilo Lazović? Yes, since 2013 Priboj has hosted the "Dani Danila Lazovića" festival, dedicated to spoken poetry.

Conclusion

Over the course of his career, Danilo Lazović became one of the most recognizable Serbian actors, remembered both for his television role as Šćepan Šćekić in Srećni ljudi and for his rich body of theatre work at the National Theatre, Atelje 212, and Zvezdara Theatre. Born in Brodarevo, raised in Priboj, and having built his career in Belgrade, Danilo Lazović left a lasting mark on domestic culture, one still preserved today through the memories of audiences, the awards he won, and the festival held in his honor.