Who is Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković

Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković was a Serbian theatre, film, television, and radio actor, one of the most distinguished figures of Serbian theatre in the second half of the twentieth century. He was born in 1929 in Ražanj, and died in 2015 in Belgrade, leaving behind a career spanning nearly seven decades. Over the course of his work, he delivered more than 130 stage roles, appeared in numerous films and television series, lent his voice to cartoon characters, and hosted popular radio and television shows. Audiences remember him most widely for the role of Rodoljub "Rođa" Petrović in the series Pozorište u kući and for the song "Devojko mala."

Early Life and Childhood

Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković was born on June 30, 1929, in Ražanj, a town not far from Kruševac, in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He grew up in a family of teachers — his father was named Mladen, and his mother, Leposava, and both worked in education. His mother personally taught him in the first two grades of elementary school.Vlastimir Stojiljković's childhood was marked by the war years. During the Second World War, his father was for a time held as a prisoner, and the family continued to live in modest conditions, in the premises of the village school where his mother taught. In later interviews, the actor described the hardships of that period, including long walks without shoes as the family relocated. He also spent part of his childhood in Ribarska Banja, a place to which he remained emotionally attached for the rest of his life, and about which he said he would like to be laid to rest there, beside his grandparents.

Education

Vlastimir Stojiljković received his elementary and secondary education in Kruševac, where he finished gymnasium. It was at the Kruševac gymnasium that he had his first encounter with acting, performing in Nušić's one-act play "Kirija." As a student, he was also a frequent guest performer in productions at the National Theatre in Kruševac, where in 1946 he also made his first professional stage appearance.After finishing gymnasium, he enrolled at the Faculty of Mining and Geology in Belgrade, apparently following the family logic of pursuing a more secure profession. His love of acting, however, proved stronger, and he left the faculty after just the third semester to enroll at the Academy of Theatre Arts in Belgrade. He graduated in the class of Professor Mate Milošević, one of the most respected Serbian theatre teachers of the era, between 1948 and 1952.

Beginning of His Career

Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković began his professional acting career in 1951 at the Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), one of the leading Belgrade theatre houses of the period. He remained at this theatre until 1968, building a repertoire of roles that gradually established him as a serious dramatic, and soon also comic, actor.He made his film debut in 1957 in Tuđa zemlja, directed by Jože Gale. Although his film career formed a significant part of his work, Stojiljković remained, throughout his life, primarily a theatre actor, with film, television, and radio serving as a complement to his versatile artistic engagement. Already in this early period he also showed a talent for singing, which would soon contribute to his wide popularity.

Rise to Fame

In 1968, Stojiljković moved to Atelje 212, one of the most progressive theatres in Yugoslavia at the time, where he remained for the next ten seasons. It was during this period that his popularity grew further, and one of the turning points of his career was his performance of the song "Devojko mala" in the 1960 musical comedy Ljubav i moda, which remained one of the most recognizable moments of his body of work and is still regarded today as a classic of domestic film music from that period.Vlastimir Stojiljković's greatest and most lasting popularity came from his role in the television series Pozorište u kući, in which, from 1972, he played the character Rodoljub "Rođa" Petrović. The series was extremely popular throughout Yugoslavia, and his on-screen partner, actress Stanislava Pešić, was named, together with him, "Acting Pair of the Year" in 1972, as voted by readers of the newspaper TV Novosti. His character's catchphrase, "Boga mu poljubim," entered everyday speech and remained his lasting trademark — according to one account, the series' screenwriter, Novak Novak, borrowed this phrase from the actor himself for the character of Rođa Petrović.In 1978, Stojiljković returned to the Belgrade Drama Theatre, where he remained until 1985, when he returned once again to Atelje 212, where he continued performing until his retirement in the mid-1990s. Even after retiring, he remained active, appearing as a guest performer in numerous productions, primarily at the BDP and Atelje 212. Over the course of his career, he delivered more than 130 stage roles.

Greatest Successes

Besides the role of Rođa Petrović, one of the roles for which Vlastimir Stojiljković is remembered is that of the fake Italian count Mario Marko del Tintoreta in Siniša Pavić's series Srećni ljudi, which he played in the mid-1990s. This role further confirmed his comic talent and his ability to easily win over television audiences, including younger generations of viewers.A significant part of his body of work also consists of his television and radio work. At Television Belgrade, he recorded more than thirty dramas and around twenty series, while on radio he delivered more than 300 roles in radio dramas. He hosted the popular radio show Zabavnik on Radio Belgrade for twelve years, and on television, together with actress Milena Dravić, he hosted the variety show Lift za peti sprat.Stojiljković was also engaged as a voice actor in the dubbing of numerous cartoons and children's series. His voice was lent to characters such as Donald Duck, Pepé Le Pew, Optimus Prime from Transformers, and Raphael and Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which is why he is also remembered by younger generations of viewers who never followed his theatre and film career.One of his last, and by critical assessment one of the most significant, roles of his film career was his performance in the film Bez stepenika, directed by Marko Novaković, for which he received the "Naisa" Grand Prix at the Niš Film Meetings in 2015. Colleagues from this production described him as an exceptionally professional and dedicated actor, who always arrived on set with his lines learned.

Private Life

Vlastimir Stojiljković rarely spoke publicly about his private life. He was married twice. His first wife was actress Olga (Olgica) Stanisavljević, his colleague, who died in 1987. He later married dentist Dušanka (Dušica) Stojiljković, to whom he remained married until his death. The couple had no children, something the actor spoke of with regret in his later years, noting that when he thought about what Belgrade meant to him without work and children, he was left with a feeling of emptiness.Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković died on June 17, 2015, in Belgrade, at the age of eighty-five, after a long illness. The final years of his career were marked by performances in productions such as Otac na službenom putu and Gospoda Glembajevi at Atelje 212, as well as Elijahova stolica at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, which he performed right up until he was hospitalized. He was cremated on June 23 of that same year at New Cemetery in Belgrade, and the urn containing his remains was placed in the family tomb of his second wife's parents, Živko and Vera Vranjanac.

Trivia

The catchphrase "Boga mu poljubim," spoken by his character Rođa Petrović in Pozorište u kući, according to one account, originated with the actor himself, from whom screenwriter Novak Novak borrowed it. Over the course of his career, he lent his voice to numerous animated characters, including Donald Duck, Pepé Le Pew, Optimus Prime, and characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. At Radio Belgrade, he recorded more than 300 roles in radio dramas over the course of his career. Together with actress Milena Dravić, he hosted the popular television variety show Lift za peti sprat. His final film role, in Bez stepenika, was regarded as one of his finest and most mature acting achievements. A monograph about his life and work, Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković, was published, prepared by theatre scholar Zoran T. Jovanović.

Awards and Recognition

Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković received numerous significant acting awards and honors over the course of his long career. Among the most important are:The Sterija Award for his role in Borislav Pekić's production Na ludom, belom kamenu, Atelje 212 (1972) The "Golden Microphone" of Radio Television Belgrade, for hosting the show Subotom uveče (1967) The October Award of the City of Belgrade (1983) The Dobrica Ring, the highest acting honor in Serbia for lifetime achievement (2001) The Zlatni ćuran, for lifetime achievement as a comic actor (2009) The "Raša Plaović" Award for best acting achievement on Belgrade stages, for his role in Trg heroja (2006/2007 season) The "Joakim Vujić" statuette, for his contribution to the development of theatrical art in Serbia (2012) The Sterija Award for special merit in advancing theatrical art and culture (2015) The "Naisa" Grand Prix for best role in the film Bez stepenika, Niš Film Meetings (2015)Besides these, he also received the "Bora Mihajlović" Award from the National Theatre in Kruševac, for his contribution to the theatrical life of that city, as well as a recognition for best acting achievement at the BH Drama Festival in Zenica, for his role as Dino Zolja in the production Otac na službenom putu.

Legacy and Influence

Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković left a deep mark on Serbian acting and cultural heritage. His career, which lasted nearly seven decades, spanned almost every segment of the performing arts — theatre, film, television, radio, and dubbing. Thanks to his versatility, he remained present in the minds of several generations of viewers, from those who followed him from the 1960s, through those who grew up with Pozorište u kući and Srećni ljudi, to the youngest viewers who recognized his voice through dubbed cartoons.His life and work are further presented in the monograph Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković, prepared by theatre scholar Zoran T. Jovanović, in which numerous respected critics and theatre scholars, among them Jovan Ćirilov, Muharem Pervić, and Milutin Čolić, wrote about his work. This work stands as an important resource for the study of the history of Serbian theatre in the second half of the twentieth century, and as a testament to the influence Stojiljković had on colleagues and younger actors.

Biography — Frequently Asked Questions

When was Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković born? He was born on June 30, 1929, in Ražanj.When and where did Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković die? He died on June 17, 2015, in Belgrade, after a long illness.What is Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković best known for? He is best known for the role of Rodoljub "Rođa" Petrović in the series Pozorište u kući and for his performance of the song "Devojko mala."Did Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković have children? No, the actor did not have children.Who was Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković's wife? He was married twice — first to actress Olga Stanisavljević, and then to dentist Dušanka Stojiljković, to whom he remained married until the end of his life.What awards did Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković receive? Among his most significant honors are the Sterija Award, the Dobrica Ring for lifetime achievement, the Zlatni ćuran, and the "Joakim Vujić" statuette.Which theatres did Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković perform at? He spent most of his career at the Belgrade Drama Theatre and Atelje 212.Which characters did he lend his voice to in cartoons? He lent his voice to characters such as Donald Duck, Pepé Le Pew, Optimus Prime, and characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.What was his film debut? He made his film debut in 1957 in Tuđa zemlja, directed by Jože Gale.What was his last film role? His last film role was in Bez stepenika, directed by Marko Novaković, for which he was posthumously honored with the "Naisa" Grand Prix in Niš.

Conclusion

Vlastimir Đuza Stojiljković is remembered as one of the most versatile and best-loved Serbian actors. From modest beginnings in a family of teachers in Ražanj, through his training at Belgrade's Academy of Theatre Arts, to the status of an acting legend with more than sixty years of active work, his path stands as an example of dedication to art in all its forms. Through roles in theatre, film, television, and radio, as well as through his recognizable voice in dubbed cartoons, he built a body of work that has left a lasting mark on Serbian culture in the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first century.