Milan Mikulyan: "We fell from our horses right on the rocks..."

 

He was born in Bremerhaven (Germany) in the family of a foreign worker. From the age of three, he lived in Trnje, a suburb of Zagreb.

He participated in nine film adaptations of Karl May and Spaghetti westerns. He was a stunt double for Italian actor Mario Girotti. One of the first automobile stuntmen in Yugoslavia. After 1968, he left the film industry and worked as a turner. Since 2008, he has retired. He currently lives with his family in Switzerland.

Winnetou.Ru

Big Chief

6/28/2015

The interview with stuntman Milan "Emil" Mikuljan took place in June 2014 in Croatia at the tavern "Marasović", located in a picturesque place near the entrance to the legendary gorge of Velika Paklenica. The conversation turned out to be more detailed than the one that took place in Platak. [Reference Westerns… All’Italiana! blog December 8, 2018, for firstinterview]

Dear Emil, during our previous conversation, you talked about how you came to the cinema. And what can you say about the other stuntmen-partners who ended up with you?

I must say, at that time we were very friendly and always kept in a large group. They looked after each other, helped. It was a very well-coordinated team. They communicated like real friends.

Jadran Film stuntmen at the saloon during the filming of the western “Vinnetou I” (1963).
Top row (from left to right): Kasim "Šargač" Kučković, Mađar Čikoš, Ivan "Ivo" Krištof, Šimun "Jazo" Jagarinec, Miroslav "Isus" Buhin, Stjepan "Štef" Špoljarić, Kemal Jahić. Bottom row (from left to right): Mirko Latinović, Milan "Emil" Mikuljan, Zlatko "Hrast" Hrastinski.
Location: in the vicinity of the village of Đevrske near Kistanje.

– And how would you assess your work and the work of your colleagues today, after 50 years?

You know, I rate it very highly. Superb! All the directors were always very pleased and did not skimp on praise. So, Elke Sommer spoke highly of our work today. By the way, she also surprised us very much with her courage at that time. In general, we often did stunts not in the way that is customary in American cinema. They usually pour a lot of sand there. But we didn't, we fell from our horses directly onto the rocks or on the hard ground.

Milan Mikuljan (left) and Ivo Krištof in the western “Vinnetou I” (1963).

Location: Grobničko polje

– It is known that you are very friendly with the chief stuntman Ivo Krysztof. How did you meet?

In 1962, Ivo was not with us yet, I didn't know him at all. But after the first German Western, I got some photos of me in cowboy gear. Once Krishtof saw these photos from a western at Jazo's (* Croatian stuntman Šimun Jagarinec – Ed.). Big Chief). He liked them. Krzysztof asked who he was and if he could meet him. Jazo replied that he knew me well. That's how we met. Ivo began to go to the racetrack. He knew how to ride a horse perfectly! Ask where he came from? It's simple: his father always kept horses at the house. They were draft horses. Ivo and his father used them to transport cement and everything that would be needed during construction. It was on these horses that Ivo learned to ride without a saddle at all. Not far from their house there was a river. So, he constantly brought water from there, and grass for horses from the meadow. In general, when he appeared at the hippodrome, he was already an excellent trained rider. There we became close and have been friends ever since. He always calls me "Small". The fact is that Ivo is taller than me, and at that time he was even bigger. So, he gave me such a nickname. Today, when I call him, he says into the phone: "Well, Kid, how are you?"

Milan Mikuljan (left, on a black stallion) is injured in a fall during the filming of the western “Unter Geiern” (1964). Location: Vrličko polje near Vrlika,

in the background of the Dinarske planine.

– Last time you said that "Unter Geiern " is your favorite film. Do you remember anything during the filming of this film?

Yes, I remember... It was then that I got my most serious injury. During the attack of a gang of "Indians" on a wagon train of migrants, we jumped right onto the wagons. Here we are, next to us is the white mare of my partner. According to the plot, we have to fall soon, but either we got close, or something else, my horse suddenly slipped and fell earlier than necessary. My hip joint almost ruptured from the blow. I am not exaggerating. Doctors later located a serious crack. The pain was very strong. Director Alfred Forer was on the set at that moment. He was the first to jump up to me: "Well, how are you? Alive?" I wasn't particularly worried then, but today, when I remember... In general, they lifted me up. They wanted to transport me to a hospital in Split, but I did not agree. For a couple of days, I somehow existed, the pain did not subside. When they took an X-ray and showed it to the doctor, it turned out that it was a crack. After a while, it got a little better. Two weeks passed like this. Then everything healed on its own, but I could no longer ride a horse. I walked the rest of the shooting.

German actor Götz George performed all the stunts himself during the filming. A shot from the western "Unter Geiern " (1964). Location: Mali Alan Mountains.

– They say that in this film, as well as in the other two, the German actor Götz Gheorghe always performed all the stunts himself. Is it true?

Yes, it's true. He started out as an amateur. In the first film, "Der Schatz im Silbersee ", he was just learning how to stay in the saddle, but almost immediately he joined our group of cascaders and spent all his time with us. He said quite simply: "I can't ride a horse. Teach me to do it well." He has a great talent and at the same had a big heart. Gheorghe carefully watched our movements and learned a lot very quickly. I confirm, he did everything, absolutely everything, himself! He did not need any stunt double. The directors, of course, did not support him. If he had been injured, the shooting would have had to be curtailed. But he is a risky man of great courage, I must say. By the way, he often boxed with us during the breaks... Indeed, a multifaceted talent.

– Stunts are a dangerous business. But injuries could happen not only on the set. Do you remember the incident with the bus during the filming of the film "Old Surehand, 1. Teil"?

That's right, there were funny things outside of the shooting. I remember that incident well. We were traveling from the motel "Alan" in a bus along the embankment road to the top of Mali Alan. From Alan to Alan, so to speak... It was early in the morning; a thick fog was spreading around. And on this mountain serpentine road you know, a truck suddenly flies out from behind a sharp turn. A second - and it crashes right into us. The bus spun so that it was almost carried down the cliff. Only a large stone stopped it - it is still there. And the bus almost slid into the abyss. If it were not for the stone, I think that we would not be here anymore. How much is there - a hundred or two hundred meters... In general, the bus was extremely unstable, and we got out very slowly. I didn't have a scratch, but Yazo - he was just dozing off at the moment before the collision - hit his nose on the front seat. He broke his nose and there was plenty of blood. And many others, by the way, also hit their noses...

A bandit (left) killed by an Old Shatterhand bullet in the western “Vinnetou II” (1964).

Location: Lukovo Šugarje.

– Were there any funny moments during the filming?

Of course. Here is one of them. I remember being in the motel "Alan", after a hot working day, we went for a swim. I must say, then everything looked different there. There were practically no buildings around, and there were a lot of thickets. Since there was no beach as such, and the motel was relatively far from the shore, we decided to swim nude, which we left our clothes right on the sand. There were probably five or six of us. And so, the five of us swam and were about to leave, but the sixth was gone. He keeps splashing in the water. They got tired of waiting for him and then decided to play a joke - they stole his clothes. As a result, he had to return naked to the motel. Just imagine - there were a lot of guests at the bar counter, and people were also wandering around. And then a completely naked man returns past them. In general, there was a lot of noise and laughter... but not for him.

Stuntmen of the "Jadran film" in the Italian western by Sergio Corbucci " Massacro al Grande Canyon" (1964). Location: Velika Paklenica Gorge.

— When was the last time you stood in front of the camera?

In November 1968, a film was filmed in Paklenica with the working title "Bitka za Radar" (* "The Battle of Britain" - Ed.). Big Chief ). I don't know what the film was called after filming. I can say that this happened often. For example, we starred with Italians in a western with James Mitchum. Its working title was: "Izazov u Red Gras". I still don't know the exact title of the film.

— I think I saw this film. Several scenes were definitely filmed here, in Paklenica.

Yes, yes. In Paklenica, and also in Grobnik. And what was it called?

— I think it's Massacro al Grande Canyon (1964).

In German, the film was called something else (* "Not a Cent for Ringo's head" / Keinen Cent für Ringos Kopf - Ed.). Big Chief ). It also starred Krysztof and Jazo. Vladimir Medar, by the way, too.

Together with Milan Mikuljan, his wife Duda and Luka Knežević on the site of the Shoshone camp from the western "Among the Kite" (1964). Platak / Platak.

- Dear Emil, what did you do after the cinema?

Since 1969, I have been living in Switzerland. For several years, as I have already retired. In recent years, I have usually been in Switzerland somewhere from the end of September until the Easter holiday. The rest of the hot months my wife and I always enjoy spending in Croatia in our apartments by the sea. My beloved wife's name is Dužica, or Duda. We have a daughter and a seven-year-old granddaughter.

 

MIKULJAN, Milan (aka Emil Mikulan) [2/20/1943, Bremenhaven, Germany -     ] – stuntman, film actor, married to Dužica,’Duda’ Mikuljan (1965-    ), father of a daughter.

The Treasure of Silver Lake – 1962 (Tramp) [stunts]

Apache Gold – 1963 (train conductor) [stunts]

Apache's Last Battle – 1963 [stutnts]

Massacre at Grande Canyon - 1963 [stunts]

Frontier Hellcat – 1964 (Shoshone, rider) [stunts]

Last of the Renegades – 1964 (ranchhand, Indian) [stunts]

Desperado Trail – 1965 (Rollins’ henchman) [stunts]

Flaming Frontier – 1965 (O’Neal henchman, Indian) [stunts. Mario Gitotti double]

The Halfbreed – 1965 [stunts]

Rampage at Apache Wells – 1965

Thunder at the Border – 1966 (Metz) [as Emil Mikuljan] [stunts]

The Man With the Long Gun – 1968 (shotgun rider) [stunts]