Little Known Spaghetti Western Actors ~ Rikard Brzeska

[These daily posts will cover little known actors or people that have appeared in more recent films and TV series. Various degrees of information that I was able to find will be given and anything that you can add would be appreciated.]

Rikard Brzeska was born in Zagreb, Croatia on April 3, 1917, in the midst of the First World War. His parents were Franjo Brzeska, and his mother Was Angela. After high school, he started acting at the age of 23. in Zagreb in 1940. At the time of World War II, from 1941 to 1944, he attended acting school and completed three classes. He started working at the National Theatre in Zagreb. In Split, he played “The Devourer in Lovers”, Tatarina according to the script. At the Maxim Gorky, Bojchinsky in Gogol's comedy “The Auditor”. He spent almost three years in Split. Since 1948 he performed for the National Theatre Rijeka. That's where he played Alfred Doolittle in “Pygmalion”, The Scheme in Shakespeare's A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”, Juan the Red in de Vega's “Sheep Spring”.

Riki Brzeska was tall, striking, handsome A strong voice with that special Kajkavian accent. Brzeska's first film role was in Hanžeković's "My Body Master" from 1957. There he starred with the famous Maria Kohn, Nela Eržišnik and Mladen Šerment. The same actor, Šerment, appeared in a series of other roles along with Brzeska. The famous Superlight played with Ricky. In 1958, Ricky played a minor role. in Santis's Yugoslav-Italian film “La strada lunga un anno” (Road a Year Ago), where he was nominated for an Oscar.

Brzeska appeared in two Euro-westerns: As Tah-Sha-Tunga he appeared in 1964’s German Winnetou film “Winnetou - 2. Teil” (Last of the Renegades) then in 1966 he played Smith in “Winnetou und das Halbblut Apanatschi” (The Halbreed).

Rickard spoke German and Czechoslovakian languages. He later married six years younger actress Ivona Grünbaum. In 1950, their daughter Dubravka was born to Rijeka. However, Dubravka died at the age of 45.

Richard Brzeska died on January 7, 2005, in Zagreb at the age of 87.

BRZESKA, Rickard (aka Rikard Brezeska, Riki Brzeska) [4/3/1917, Zagreb, Croatia - 1/7/2005, Zagreb, Croatia] – film, TV actor, married to actress Ivona Grunbaum [1923-2010] (194?-2005), father of Dubravka Brzeska [1950-1995].

Last of the Renegades – 1964 (Ta-Sha-Tunga)

The Halfbreed – 1966 (Smith)