Who is Velimir Bata Živojinović

Velimir Bata Živojinović was a Serbian and Yugoslav actor and politician, born on June 5, 1933, and died on May 22, 2016, in Belgrade. Over a career spanning nearly six decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and television productions, making him the record holder for the number of roles in the history of Yugoslav cinema. His greatest fame came from the character of Valter in the film Valter brani Sarajevo, thanks to which he achieved remarkable popularity even beyond the borders of the former Yugoslavia, particularly in China. Besides his acting career, he also led an active political career within the ranks of the Socialist Party of Serbia.

Early Life and Childhood

Velimir Bata Živojinović was born on June 5, 1933. His officially recorded place of birth is Jagodina, although sources are not entirely consistent on this point: according to his son Miljko Živojinović's account, he was actually born on a train, on the railway line between Jagodina and Mladenovac, while his father was working at the time as a court clerk. He was baptized in the village of Koraćica, at the foot of Mount Kosmaj, where his parents' family originally came from, which is why this place is often, though incorrectly, cited as his birthplace.He spent his earliest childhood years in Koraćica, where he also completed the first grade of elementary school, close to his family home. He grew up alongside his older sisters, Nada and Ćale, who, according to family recollections, supported him from his earliest days. Somewhat later, the family moved to Belgrade because of his parents' work, where Živojinović continued his schooling.Despite moving to the capital, Bata Živojinović remained emotionally attached to Koraćica for the rest of his life, later building a family weekend house there, to which he regularly returned with his wife and children.

Education

He discovered his love of acting at just 15, working as a stagehand, and occasionally as an extra, at the "Branko Krsmanović" Academic Theatre in Belgrade. Thanks to his persistence and the support of director Soja Jovanović, he got the chance to get closer to the world of theatre, even though he was at the time a completely unknown figure.He then attended secondary acting schools in Niš and Novi Sad, gaining his first formal grounding in the acting craft. He then tried to enroll at the Academy of Theatre Arts in Belgrade, succeeding only on his third attempt. The persistence he showed on his path to university would later become one of the recognizable traits of his character, both in his private and professional life.

Beginning of His Career

After finishing the academy, Velimir Bata Živojinović performed for several years at the Belgrade Drama Theatre, building theatre experience before dedicating himself entirely to film. He himself noted on several occasions that he loved theatre more than film, even though it was film that would become the field of his greatest fame.He made his film debut in 1955 in the film Pesma sa Kumbare, directed by Radoš Novaković. This was soon followed by a collaboration with director Veljko Bulajić, in the films Vlak bez voznog reda (1959) and Rat (1960), in which he played supporting roles that opened the door to more serious film engagements. Because of the sheer volume of his film work, he eventually left the theatre stage and directed his career entirely toward film.

Rise to Fame

The 1960s brought Živojinović his first major roles and recognition on the Yugoslav film scene. In Veljko Bulajić's film Kozara (1962), he played a Kozara peasant, a role for which he was honored at the Pula Film Festival, then the most important Yugoslav film showcase. He won similar awards for his roles in the films Tri (1965) and Skupljači perja (1967), both directed by Aleksandar Petrović.During this period, Živojinović also appeared in works considered part of the Yugoslav "Black Wave," such as Uzavreli grad, a work regarded as one of the first films of this movement. According to journalist Bogdan Tirnanić's assessment, it was this very film that heralded the emergence of the Black Wave in Yugoslav culture, although it was never officially declared part of that movement. At the same time, Živojinović also built a career in partisan films, a genre that would make him a genuine film star throughout Yugoslavia and beyond its borders.He also had a particularly fruitful collaboration with director Stole Janković, in films such as Radopolje (1963), Narodni poslanik (1964), Višnja na Tašmajdanu (1968), and Tren (1978), for which he received an award in Moscow and which he himself described as the crowning achievement of his work up to that point.

Greatest Successes

Velimir Bata Živojinović reached the peak of his popularity through roles in the partisan film epics made during the 1960s and 1970s. He appeared in works such as Kozara (1962), The Battle of Neretva (1969), Sutjeska (1973), Vrhovi Zelengore (1976), and many others, often sharing the screen with the biggest acting names of Yugoslavia at the time.He achieved his greatest, almost unparalleled popularity with the film Valter brani Sarajevo (1972), directed by Hajrudin Krvavac, in which he played the partisan commander Valter. The film achieved extraordinary popularity in the People's Republic of China, where, according to Chinese media reports, it was shown continuously for decades, and where, by some estimates, it was watched by several billion viewers. Thanks to this role, Živojinović became one of the most recognizable foreign actors in China overall, and Chinese manufacturers even offered him a collaboration promoting a beer named after his character, an offer he declined.Over the course of his career, he appeared in more than 300 films and television series, including seventeen western films made in Germany, which are less well known to domestic audiences. According to available information, this makes him the record holder for the number of film roles in the history of Yugoslav cinema.On television, he also became famous for the role of Buliđa in the series Građani sela Luga, showing his comic talent, quite different from the serious war heroes for which he was best known. The last film in which he took part was Led, from 2011.

Private Life

Velimir Bata Živojinović married his wife, Julijana Lula Živojinović, in 1960. He had known his wife since her childhood, as they were next-door neighbors in Belgrade's Crveni krst neighborhood, and their love, according to both their statements, developed gradually over the years.Two children were born from this marriage — a son, Miljko Živojinović (1961), and a daughter, Jelena Živojinović (1964). Because of his frequent film engagements, and later his political engagement, most of the responsibility for raising the children fell to his wife, for which Živojinović publicly and often expressed his gratitude. The couple also had several grandchildren, with whom, in their own words, they maintained a close family relationship.Živojinović was also actively involved in politics. He was a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, and from the founding of the Socialist Party of Serbia in 1990 he became a member and was elected a member of parliament across several convocations of the Serbian Assembly. He also served as president of the party's Council for Culture, as well as president of the parliamentary committee on petitions and complaints, and for a period, on the proposal of Slobodan Milošević, he was also vice president of the SPS. In 2002, he was the party's candidate in Serbia's presidential election.His health seriously declined during the final decade of his life. He survived a heart attack on October 17, 2006, and a few years later was treated for gangrene in Cuba, where his daughter, Jelena, was working at the Serbian embassy at the time. The gangrene later returned following a leg injury sustained during the filming of Led in 2011, and in 2012 he also suffered a stroke, after which he recovered at the Selters Spa near Mladenovac.Velimir Bata Živojinović died on May 22, 2016, at 10:45 PM, at the "Sveti Sava" Hospital in Belgrade, where he had been admitted at the end of April that year due to a sudden deterioration in his health. The cause of death was cited as a combination of multiple conditions, including gangrene, heart failure, diabetes, anemia, kidney failure, and blocked blood vessels. He was buried on May 26, 2016, in the Alley of Distinguished Citizens at Belgrade's New Cemetery.

Trivia

Director Predrag Dinulović gave him the nickname "Bata Životinja" ("Brother Animal"), for his persistence and diligence in his work. A Chinese beer manufacturer offered him a deal to appear in an advertisement for a beer named "Valter," after his film character, but Živojinović declined the offer so as not to "ruin" the popularity that Serbia and the character of Valter enjoyed in China. He survived a heart attack in 2006, and a few years later was treated for gangrene in Cuba. The last film in which he took part was Led, from 2011. A street in Belgrade's Vračar municipality was named after him in 2019, three years after his death. Serbia's postal service issued a postage stamp bearing his likeness at the end of 2023. He himself noted that he loved theatre more than film, even though it was film that became the field of his greatest fame.

Awards and Recognition

Over the course of his career, Velimir Bata Živojinović won numerous awards, among which the following stand out:Several Golden Arenas at the Pula Film Festival, including the lifetime achievement award in 1997 The "Slavica" lifetime achievement award at the Niš Film Festival in 1993, as its last recipient before the award was renamed The award for Best Actor at the "Golden Chest" International Television Festival in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in 1989 The "Golden Badge" of the Cultural and Educational Community of Serbia, in 1994 The "Crystal Bell" award at the festival in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1999 The "Golden Knight" award at the festival in Kaluga, Russia, in 2000 The "Zlatna antena" award for his overall contribution to television production, in 2013 The "Crystal Prism" lifetime achievement award from the Serbian Academy of Film Art and Science, in 2013 A state decoration awarded to him on February 15, 2015, by President of the Republic of Serbia Tomislav Nikolić

Legacy and Influence

Velimir Bata Živojinović is regarded as one of the most significant and prolific actors in the history of Yugoslav and Serbian cinema. His body of work, comprising more than 300 film and television productions, as well as the role of Valter that defined generations of viewers around the world, left a deep mark on the cultural memory of the region.In tribute to his contribution, the Yugoslav Film Archive opened his legacy collection on February 28, 2023, and a street in Belgrade's Vračar municipality was named after him in 2019. In 2017, a book dedicated to his life and career was also published, titled Velimir Bata Živojinović: Valter pre Valtera.His character remains synonymous today with the partisan film genre and an entire era of Yugoslav cinema, while his popularity in China attests to the fact that his influence far exceeded the boundaries of the region in which he worked.

Biography — Frequently Asked Questions

When was Velimir Bata Živojinović born?

He was born on June 5, 1933, and his officially recorded place of birth is Jagodina.

When and where did Velimir Bata Živojinović die?

He died on May 22, 2016, in Belgrade, at the age of 83, after prolonged treatment for multiple health conditions.

What did Bata Živojinović die of?

The cause of death was a combination of multiple conditions, including gangrene, heart failure, diabetes, anemia, and kidney failure.

Where is Bata Živojinović buried?

He is buried in the Alley of Distinguished Citizens at Belgrade's New Cemetery.

What is Velimir Bata Živojinović best known for?

He is best known for the role of Valter in the film Valter brani Sarajevo, as well as for his numerous roles in partisan films made during the 1960s and 1970s.

How many films did Bata Živojinović make?

According to available information, he acted in more than 300 films and television series, placing him among the most prolific actors in the history of Yugoslav cinema.

Was Bata Živojinović also a politician?

Yes, he was active in the Socialist Party of Serbia, a member of parliament across several convocations of the Serbian Assembly, and in 2002 was also the party's candidate in the presidential election.

Who was Bata Živojinović's wife?

His wife was Julijana Lula Živojinović, whom he married in 1960 and with whom he had two children, a son, Miljko, and a daughter, Jelena.

Why is Bata Živojinović so popular in China?

Thanks to his role in the film Valter brani Sarajevo, which was shown in China for decades and which, according to Chinese media reports, was watched by an extremely large number of viewers.

Did Bata Živojinović have children?

He had two children, a son, Miljko Živojinović, and a daughter, Jelena Živojinović, as well as several grandchildren.

Conclusion

Velimir Bata Živojinović is remembered as one of the most significant actors from the former Yugoslavia, whose body of work defined several generations of viewers. From modest beginnings at the Academic Theatre, through roles in partisan film epics, to the worldwide fame brought to him by the role of Valter, his life path represents a unique story of persistence and dedication to the acting profession. Alongside his rich film career, he also left his mark on Serbia's political life, and his legacy continues to live on today through films, honors, and the memories of audiences around the world.