Who is Živojin Milenković

Živojin Milenković, better known by the nickname Žika Milenković, was a Serbian theatre, film, and television actor whose career spanned more than six decades. He was born on January 26, 1928, in Niš, and died on March 18, 2008, in Belgrade, at the age of eighty. Živojin Milenković is remembered by audiences for a series of memorable roles in cult Yugoslav television series, among which the roles of Soća Šurdilović in Vruć vetar ("Hot Wind") and Garac in Srećni ljudi ("Happy People") stand out in particular. Over the course of his career, he appeared in more than 30 films, more than 300 television programs, dramas, and series, as well as in around 150 stage productions.

Early Life and Childhood

Živojin Milenković was born in Niš in 1928, in the period between the two world wars. His childhood was marked by modest material circumstances — the family did not have the means for a shared meal every day, gathering instead on Sundays, when his mother would prepare a pan of pita and divide it into six equal portions, so that no one would go hungry. The actor later described these childhood experiences as memories he had thought were long behind him, until a similarly frugal way of life returned to him in his retirement years.Interestingly, Živojin's father, Aleksandar, also acted, albeit as an amateur, with the "Car Konstantin" cultural and artistic society in Niš. This early family connection to the stage and theatre likely influenced young Živojin's later choice of the acting profession.

Education

Before fully committing himself to acting, Živojin Milenković completed a higher pedagogical school and worked for a time as a literature teacher in his native Niš. His love of theatre and acting, however, set him on an entirely different path in life, and he traded the teaching profession for the stage.

Beginning of His Career

Živojin Milenković began his acting career in 1947 in Niš, at the Niš National Theatre. Later in his career he had the opportunity to return to his hometown in various capacities — as an actor, but also as a director and theatre manager, reflecting the breadth of his engagement with the Niš theatre house.After his time in Niš, Milenković moved to the Belgrade Drama Theatre (BDP), where he remained loyal to the theatre house until his retirement. Colleagues remembered him as an exceptionally dedicated and disciplined actor — he was never late for a rehearsal, a performance, or a shoot, and he was known to arrive for theatre obligations as much as two hours early, so that any shortcomings on stage could be corrected in time. His dedication to his work was also reflected in the sheer volume of his engagements — in one season alone, he performed in as many as 172 productions.

Rise to Fame

Živojin Milenković achieved wider television and film popularity thanks to his roles in Television Belgrade series. Audiences first came to know him through the variety show Veselo veče, and later through the series Ljubav na seoski način, in which he played the character of landowner Cvetko.The turning point in his career was the role of Soća Šurdilović in the cult series Vruć vetar, which the actor himself named as one of his favorites. Audiences grew fond of this miserly character with a southern temperament, who bravely faces up to a harsh life, precisely because of his complexity — a blend of flaws and virtues, much like in real life.Milenković achieved similar success in the series Srećni ljudi, where he played the character Garac, and in Porodično blago. All three of these major series were the work of screenwriter Siniša Pavić, with whom the actor built a long-standing collaboration. Milenković himself noted that the character of Garac was especially dear to him, as he was a hardworking man who was, at the same time, something of a loser — a character that, as he himself said, mirrored his own life in many respects, apart from the family sphere.

Greatest Successes

Alongside his television fame, Živojin Milenković built a notable film career, with roles in productions such as Žuta, Sok od šljiva, Davitelj protiv davitelja, Šmeker, and Neka druga zemlja. Over the course of his career, he appeared in more than 30 films in total.On television, he left an even deeper mark — with more than 300 television programs, dramas, and series to his name, Milenković ranks among the actors with one of the most extensive television bodies of work in Serbian acting history. His theatre work was likewise remarkably prolific, with around 150 productions performed over the course of his career at the Niš National Theatre and the Belgrade Drama Theatre.Milenković was regarded as a "people's" actor of the old school — direct and unpretentious in expression, with humor accessible to the broad masses, which earned him great affection from audiences across the former Yugoslavia.

Private Life

Regarding Živojin Milenković's private life, it is publicly known that he had a daughter and a grandson, who, in the actor's own words, were a great support to him in his later years. His grandson was named Žika Milenković, in honor of his grandfather.The actor spent his final years in modest, and at times difficult, material circumstances. He himself stated that he entered retirement in poverty, and that from a certain point on he had to rely solely on his modest actor's pension. He stopped driving at age 70, after all of his car maintenance tools were stolen and he lacked the means to replace them. In his retirement, he filled his free time with hobbies — cooking and reading books.Živojin Milenković died on March 18, 2008, in Belgrade, at the age of eighty. In an interesting coincidence, his colleague Dušan Poček, with whom he had acted in the series Srećni ljudi, died on the very same date exactly six years later.

Trivia

Živojin Milenković's father, Aleksandar, also acted as an amateur, with the "Car Konstantin" cultural and artistic society in Niš. In one theatre season, Milenković performed in as many as 172 productions, a testament to his work discipline and dedication to the profession. He was never late for rehearsals, performances, or shoots — he would arrive as much as two hours before the scheduled time. Although he appeared in more than 450 roles across film, television, and theatre over the course of his career, he received only a single formal honor in his lifetime. His grandson bears the name Žika Milenković, in honor of his grandfather.

Awards and Recognition

Unlike many colleagues with similarly extensive bodies of work, Živojin Milenković received only one official honor over the course of his entire career — the Nušić Award for lifetime achievement, given to him in Smederevo as a comic actor. Interestingly, the actor received this award with a certain reservation, stating that it had somewhat spoiled his idea of being remembered in theatre history as an actor who never received an award. Milenković noted that such a fact would have been a special distinction of its own — one he said he would have been proud of.

Legacy and Influence

Živojin Milenković is remembered as one of the representatives of the generation of Serbian actors whose work defined the television and theatre scene of the second half of the twentieth century. Characters such as Soća Šurdilović and Garac are still passed down to new generations of viewers today, thanks to reruns of the cult series Vruć vetar and Srećni ljudi. His work was carried out in collaboration with a number of prominent names in Yugoslav cinema and television, among them director Zdravko Šotra, screenwriter Siniša Pavić, and fellow actors Ljiljana Lašić, Vukašin Marković, Dragoslav Lazić, and Svetlana Ceca Bojković.Milenković's body of work, comprising more than 30 films, over 300 television productions, and around 150 stage plays, places him among the actors with one of the most extensive careers in the history of the Serbian acting scene.

Biography — Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Živojin Milenković? Živojin Milenković, known as Žika Milenković, was a Serbian theatre, film, and television actor, born in 1928 in Niš and died in 2008 in Belgrade.What is Živojin Milenković best known for? He is best known for the roles of Soća Šurdilović in the series Vruć vetar and Garac in the series Srećni ljudi.When was Živojin Milenković born? He was born on January 26, 1928, in Niš.When and where did Živojin Milenković die? He died on March 18, 2008, in Belgrade, at the age of eighty.Where did Živojin Milenković begin his acting career? He began his career in 1947 at the Niš National Theatre.Which theatres did Živojin Milenković perform at? He performed at the Niš National Theatre and the Belgrade Drama Theatre, where he remained until retirement.How many films and series did Živojin Milenković appear in? He appeared in more than 30 films, over 300 television programs and dramas, and around 150 stage productions.Did Živojin Milenković receive any awards? Over the course of his career he received only one award — the Nušić Award for lifetime achievement, given in Smederevo.Did Živojin Milenković have education outside of acting? Yes, he completed a higher pedagogical school and worked for a time as a literature teacher in Niš.Did Živojin Milenković have a family? He had a daughter and a grandson, who was named Žika Milenković in honor of his grandfather.

Conclusion

Živojin Milenković, better known as Žika Milenković, stands as one of the recognizable names of the twentieth-century Serbian acting scene. From modest beginnings at the Niš National Theatre, through decades of work at the Belgrade Drama Theatre, to the roles that made him a beloved face of Yugoslav television, Milenković built a rich and varied body of work. Although professionally he achieved an extraordinarily extensive career, in his personal life he remained a modest man, devoted to his family and his profession to the end. He died in 2008 in Belgrade, leaving behind characters like Soća Šurdilović and Garac, who continue to live on in the memory of audiences across the region.