Who is Feđa Stojanović

Feđa Stojanović was a Serbian theater, film and television actor, born on January 31, 1948, in Aleksinac, and who passed away on May 5, 2021, in Belgrade. Over a career spanning five decades, Feđa Stojanović was a permanent member of the renowned Belgrade theater Atelje 212, and he appeared in more than 70 films and television series. He is best known to wider audiences for playing Inspector Kečić in the series "Selo gori, a baba se češlja" ("The Village Is Burning, and Grandma's Combing Her Hair"), but also for many other roles that made him one of the most recognizable actors of his generation.

Besides his work in film and television, Feđa Stojanović also made his mark as a theater artist, an acting professor, and a radio performer. His body of work includes dozens of stage productions, and he was a longtime participant in the language-focused radio show "Srpski na srpskom" ("Serbian in Serbian") on Radio Belgrade.

Early Life and Childhood

Feđa Stojanović was born in Aleksinac, into a family of teachers who often relocated because of the nature of their work. As a baby, the family moved to Belgrade, where Feđa Stojanović spent most of his childhood and youth. He began acting as a child, in the drama group led by Bata Miladinović, a well-known teacher whose workshops produced a large number of later Yugoslav actors.

According to some sources, Feđa Stojanović's first film role came in the 1964 film "Nikoletina Bursać," while other sources cite his role in the 1968 film "Višnja na Tašmajdanu" as his film debut (sources differ on this point). In any case, it is clear that he became acquainted with acting very early in life, which shaped the course of his professional path.

Education

Feđa Stojanović graduated from the Fourteenth Belgrade Gymnasium, after which he decided to pursue acting professionally. He graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) in Belgrade in 1973, in the class of Professor Milenko Maričić, one of the most respected acting teachers of that period. His acting studies gave him a solid theatrical foundation that he later applied both on stage and in front of the camera.

Early Career

Immediately after graduating, Feđa Stojanović became a permanent member of Atelje 212 in 1973, one of the most important theaters in Belgrade and the wider region. He spent most of his theatrical career at this theater, taking on roles in numerous productions that defined the Atelje 212 repertoire from the 1970s onward.

Alongside his theater work, Feđa Stojanović also turned to film and television acting. His early film roles, in works such as "Šešir profesora Koste Vujića" (1971), in which he played Branislav Rajić, and "Mileva Ajnštajn" (1972), in which he played Jakob Erat, showed his versatility and his ability to adapt to the different genres and historical periods portrayed in these films.

Rise to Popularity

During the 1980s and 1990s, Feđa Stojanović continued building his career in both film and television, where audiences could follow him in series such as "Bolji život" ("A Better Life"), one of the most-watched Yugoslav television series of that period. In it, according to some sources, he played the character of Dr. Ivo Lukšić. Roles in such projects made him a familiar face throughout what was then Yugoslavia.

True popularity among younger generations arrived in 2008, when he began playing the character of Inspector Kečić in the comedy series "Selo gori, a baba se češlja." This role, which he played until 2011, became one of his signature parts and brought him enormous popularity, especially among younger audiences who had not previously followed him through his theater roles.

Greatest Achievements

Feđa Stojanović's filmography includes more than 70 titles. In addition to the roles already mentioned, notable ones include his parts in the films "Lepa sela lepo gore" (1996), in which he played Džemal Bijedić, "Kupi mi Eliota" (1998), "T.T. Sindrom" (2002), "Mala noćna muzika" (2002), in which he played the character of Paun, also known as Baba Pauna, and "Čarlston za Ognjenku" (2008).

On television, besides "Selo gori, a baba se češlja," his roles in the series "Porodično blago," in which he played the character Jeza, "Stižu dolari," where he played master craftsman Voja, "Moj rođak sa sela," "Vojna akademija," "Bela lađa," "Košarkaši," "Srećni ljudi," and "Istine i laži," in which he played the character Ilija Isidorović, were also well received. His final role in his career was in the series "Kralj Aleksandar."

On the stage of Atelje 212, Feđa Stojanović appeared in productions such as "Molijer," "Čudo u Šarganu," "(Ne)sumnjivo lice," "Tri verzije života," "Otac na službenom putu," "Zoran Đinđić," "Revizor," in which he played the character Osip, and "Gospodin Biderman i piromani." He also performed in the play "Lari Tompson, tragedija jedne mladosti" at Zvezdara Theatre.

Personal Life

Feđa Stojanović was married to Olja Stojanović, with whom, according to available information, he remained married from 1979 until his death in 2021. The couple had two children, a daughter, Zoja, and a son, Uroš Stojanović, who became known as a film director.

The Stojanović family was struck by great tragedy when, four years before Feđa Stojanović's own death, his son Uroš Stojanović, a respected Serbian film director, passed away. Feđa Stojanović said of his son Uroš that he had been his greatest critic when it came to his acting work, which speaks to the close relationship the two shared throughout the son's professional career.

At the end of 2020, Feđa Stojanović was diagnosed with a kidney tumor, after which he underwent a difficult surgery. Despite treatment, the illness progressed, and Feđa Stojanović passed away on May 5, 2021, in Belgrade, at the age of 73, after a prolonged battle with the disease.

Interesting Facts

• Feđa Stojanović began his acting career as a child, in the drama group led by Bata Miladinović.
• He was a longtime participant in the show "Srpski na srpskom" on Radio Belgrade, dedicated to language dilemmas, a show that, according to available information, was highly valued by academic Ivan Klajn as well.
• For Radio Belgrade, he performed roles in numerous radio dramas.
• His role as Inspector Kečić in "Selo gori, a baba se češlja" made him the eighth character from that series whose actor has passed away, while his death was the second among the show's cast in 2021, following the death of actor Goran Daničić.
• He also worked as a professor at the Department of Acting of the BK University Academy of Arts, passing on his experience to younger generations of actors.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his long career, Feđa Stojanović received several significant awards in the field of acting. He won the "Strahinja Petrović" award from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, as well as the "Tanhofer" award from the same faculty. He is also the recipient of a Charter for an Outstanding Role at the Niš Film Meetings in 2002, confirming the consistency of his quality in both earlier and later stages of his career.

Legacy and Influence

Feđa Stojanović is remembered as one of the pillars of Atelje 212 and as an actor who was equally successful on the theater stage, in film, and on television. His role as Inspector Kečić is still remembered today as one of the more recognizable characters in Serbian television comedy, while his theater roles testify to the serious acting craft he built over decades alongside colleagues from Atelje 212, Zvezdara Theatre, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, and other Belgrade theaters.

Through his teaching work at the BK University Academy of Arts, Feđa Stojanović also left his mark on younger generations of actors, to whom he passed on the knowledge gained over his own career. His body of work, comprising more than 70 film and television productions as well as numerous theater roles, makes him one of the permanently remembered names in Serbian acting.

Biography - Frequently Asked Questions

When was Feđa Stojanović born?

Feđa Stojanović was born on January 31, 1948, in Aleksinac.

When and how did Feđa Stojanović die?

Feđa Stojanović passed away on May 5, 2021, in Belgrade, at the age of 73, after a prolonged battle with illness. At the end of 2020, he was diagnosed with a kidney tumor, for which he underwent a difficult surgery.

What is Feđa Stojanović best known for?

Feđa Stojanović is best known for playing Inspector Kečić in the series "Selo gori, a baba se češlja," as well as for his roles in the series "Bolji život" and "Porodično blago" and the films "Lepa sela lepo gore" and "Kupi mi Eliota."

Where did Feđa Stojanović study acting?

Feđa Stojanović graduated in acting from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) in Belgrade in 1973, in the class of Professor Milenko Maričić.

Which theater was Feđa Stojanović a permanent member of?

Feđa Stojanović was a permanent member of Atelje 212 from 1973, where he built the largest part of his theatrical career.

Did Feđa Stojanović have children?

Feđa Stojanović had a daughter, Zoja, and a son, Uroš Stojanović, who was a well-known film director and who passed away before his father.

Who was Feđa Stojanović's wife?

Feđa Stojanović was married to Olja Stojanović, according to available information from 1979 until his death.

What awards did Feđa Stojanović win?

Feđa Stojanović won the "Strahinja Petrović" award and the "Tanhofer" award from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, as well as a Charter for an Outstanding Role at the Niš Film Meetings in 2002.

What was Feđa Stojanović's last role?

Feđa Stojanović's final role in his career was in the television series "Kralj Aleksandar."

Did Feđa Stojanović also work as a teacher?

Yes, Feđa Stojanović worked as a professor in the Department of Acting at the BK University Academy of Arts.

Conclusion

Feđa Stojanović was one of the most versatile Serbian actors of his generation, whose career stretched from the stage of Atelje 212, through dozens of film roles, to television series that made him a beloved figure among wider audiences. While many will remember him above all for his role as Inspector Kečić in "Selo gori, a baba se češlja," Feđa Stojanović left behind a rich and varied body of work that also includes serious theater roles and teaching work with younger actors. He passed away on May 5, 2021, in Belgrade, after a prolonged battle with illness, leaving a lasting mark on Serbian acting.