Rade Šerbedžija (Serbian Cyrillic: Раде Шербеџија; born 27 July 1946), occasionally credited as Rade Sherbedgia in some English-language productions, is a Croatian actor, director and musician of Serb origin. He was one of the most popular Yugoslav actors in the 1970s and 1980s. He is now internationally known mainly for his supporting roles in Hollywood films during the 1990s and 2000s. Recently, Šerbedžija received attention for his recurring role as former Soviet Army General Dmitri Gredenko in the sixth season of TV action series 24.
[>>]Source: WikipediaRade Šerbedžija (Serbian Cyrillic: Раде Шербеџија; born 27 July 1946), occasionally credited as Rade Sherbedgia in some English-language productions, is a Croatian actor, director and musician of Serb origin. He was one of the most popular Yugoslav actors in the 1970s and 1980s. He is now internationally known mainly for his supporting roles in Hollywood films during the 1990s and 2000s. Recently, Šerbedžija received attention for his recurring role as former Soviet Army General Dmitri Gredenko in the sixth season of TV action series 24.
Early life and career in Yugoslavia
Šerbedžija was born in the village of Bunić in Lika, Yugoslavia. In 1969, he graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Arts of the University of Zagreb and then worked as a theatre actor in the City Drama Theatre Gavella and at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb. While still a student, Šerbedžija started to play leading roles in films and theater productions. He is remembered as an outstanding Peer Gynt, Don Juan, Melkior Tresić, Oedipus, Hamlet, Leone Glembay and Richard III. Šerbedžija was among the top actors in the former Yugoslavia, as well as an esteemed acting teacher at the Universities of Zagreb and Novi Sad.
In 1964 he first visited the USA, where he enrolled in drama school. Small parts on stage followed for many years until his 1974 breakthrough performance as "Hamlet" at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival made him a star. Although he continued to appear in theatrical productions (notably, "Peer Gynt" and "Oedipus Rex"), Šerbedžija broke into films around the same time. Although many of the more than 40 features he has made in the 70s and 80s have been little-seen outside of Yugoslavia, a handful have received widespread distribution. His early work included the starring role in "The Republic of Užice" (1974).
He had various notable roles in Yugoslav film, among others in U gori raste zelen bor (1971), Variola Vera (1981), Kiklop (1982), Život je lep (1985). He was also among the leading actors in several TV series, such as in Prosjaci i sinovi (1971), U registraturi (1976), Nikola Tesla (1977), Putovanje u Vučjak (1986).
Rade founded the Ulysses Theater with Borislav Vujčić on the Brijuni islands, where he also directs and acts in most plays. The theater was founded in 2000 and has been very successful so far.
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