Branka Veselinović

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

Branka Veselinović
Бранка Веселиновић
Veselinović in 2012
Born
Branka Ćosić

(1918-09-16)16 September 1918
Óbecse, Austria-Hungary
Died8 February 2023(2023-02-08) (aged 104)
Education
Occupations
  • Actress
  • UNICEF ambassador
Years active1938–2023
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1948; died 2012)​
Awards

Branka Veselinović (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранка Веселиновић; née Ćosić; 16 September 1918 – 8 February 2023) was a Serbian actress. Her acting career, including 100 stage performances and 50 film and television productions, spanned more than 80 years. She was a UNICEF ambassador.

Personal life[edit]

Branka Veselinović was born Branka Ćosić on 16 September 1918 in Óbecse, Austria-Hungary (now Bečej, Serbia).[1][2][3] She was the sixth child of Aleksandar, a librarian, and his wife, Jovanka (née Monašević), a teacher.[2][4] Her parents were accomplished in the artistic field, and she learnt to play the piano at an early age. She was also able to write verses and recite them with ease. She had six siblings.[3][4]

Veselinović spoke Russian, English, German, Czech, Hungarian, Slovenian and Macedonian.[3] She married actor and translator Mlađa Veselinović on 30 September 1948.[1] They remained married until his death in 2012.[5] She was a close friend of poet Desanka Maksimović and actor Mija Aleksić.[6]

Veselinović died on 8 February 2023, at the age of 104.[7][8]

Career[edit]

Acting[edit]

Veselinović's legacy in Adligat, Belgrade

Veselinović studied acting at National Theatre in Belgrade from 1936 until 1938.[4] At the age of 19, she trained at the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad, where she made her debut as a stage actress in the play Charles' Aunt.[6] She earned a reputation for her humorous and satirical roles. In 1940, she moved to Belgrade.[9][10]

From 1940, she began to make a name for herself by appearing in numerous stage performances across different theatres in Belgrade.[10] Between 1940 and 1978, she was cast in several performances at the Art Theater (1940–1942), the National Theater (1944–1947), and the Yugoslav Drama Theater (1947–1978), with over 40 stage performances at the latter.[10] On 3 April 1948, she appeared in the first stage performance at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, in the play King Betajnova.[3] In the United States, she played the main character in the English-language play Mother Courage.[3] In 1970, she appeared in Mel Brooks's film adaptation of The Twelve Chairs.[11] She later appeared in Three Sisters (1982),[12] Russian Tzar (1993),[13] Ljubav, navika, panika (2005),[14] Peasants (2006),[15] and Emergency Room (2014).[15]

Veselinović had over 100 stage performances and 50 film and television productions.[16][17] An award named after her was established in 2012, with actors such as Nebojša Glogovac, Vojin Ćetković, and Seka Sablić receiving it.[18] Veselinović turned 100 in September 2018.[2][19] She was the oldest living actress in Serbia and still performed until her death in 2023.[9][20][17]

Humanitarian[edit]

Veselinović became an ambassador of UNICEF in 1980.[7][21] With her husband Mlađa, she headed the Branka and Mlađa Veselinović Fund to help disabled children.[18]

Awards[edit]

In 1964, she received the Sterija Award for playing the role of Gina in Branislav Nušić's Bereaved Family.[1][5][22] She was also awarded with the Order of Labour with golden wreath, Branislav Nušić's award, and Vuk Karadžić's award.[17] She was the honorary resident of Belgrade, Novi Sad, and the Children's Village near Sremska Kamenica.[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Jovanović, Zoran T (2003). Branka Veselinović: na dnu smeha leže suze [Branka Veselinović: There are tears at the bottom of the laughter] (in Serbo-Croatian). Beograd: Savez Dramskih Umetnika Srbije. ISBN 978-86-902447-8-2. OCLC 163535378.
  2. ^ a b c "Stoti rođendan Branke Veselinović" [Branka Veselinović's 100th birthday]. Politika (in Serbian). 17 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Oprijan, Bojana (13 November 2017). "Branka Veselinović humanošću i dobrotom prkosi godinama" [Branka Veselinović has been defying humanity and kindness for years] (in Serbo-Croatian). Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Strugar, Vukica (2 February 2015). "Branka Veselinović: Neka vam Bog da moje godine" [Branka Veselinović: May God give you my age]. Večernje novosti (in Serbian). Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b Savanović, Dunja (16 September 2020). "Torta i cveće za legendarnu glumicu: Branka Veselinović napunila 102 godine" [she received the "Sterija Award" in 1964]. Telegraf (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Branka Veselinović napunila 102 godine" [Branka Veselinović turned 102 years old]. Politika (in Serbian). 17 September 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Čuvena glumica Branka Veselinović preminula je u 105. godini života". Danas (in Serbian). 8 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Preminula legendarna Branka Veselinović". B92 (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Branka Veselinović – stoljeće velike glumice i humanitarke". Vox Feminae (in Serbo-Croatian). Archived from the original on 13 August 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Panić, Anita (15 November 2010). "Brankina zemlja čuda" [Branka's wonderland]. Večernje novosti (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  11. ^ "The Twelve Chairs (1970)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  12. ^ "TV Teatar: Tri sestre". Radio Television of Serbia (in Serbian). 21 March 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Dramski ponedeljak: Ruski car". Radio Television of Serbia (in Serbian). 18 November 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  14. ^ Stojić, Silvija (14 September 2018). "Branka Veselinović: Dobrotom do duboke starosti". iSerbia (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  15. ^ a b Strugar, Vukica (20 August 2018). "Slavno doba "Vesele večeri"". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Branka Veselinović: Sa čašću primam nagradu "Mali princ"". B92 (in Serbo-Croatian). 20 September 2019. Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d Koprivica, Jelena (8 February 2023). "Umrla Branka Veselinović". NOVA portal (in Serbian). Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Biografija Branke Veselinović". Espreso (in Serbian). 14 September 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Велико срце за век доброте". Večernje novosti (in Serbo-Croatian). Archived from the original on 12 September 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Posećuje domove za nezbrinutu decu i izvodi lutkarske predstave: Branka Veselinović proslavlja 102. rođendan". Večernje novosti (in Serbo-Croatian). 16 September 2020. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  21. ^ Tošić, Saša (27 February 2016). "Branka Veselinović: Nadam se da ću doživeti stotu" [Branka Veselinović: I hope to live to be a hundred]. Glossy (in Serbo-Croatian). Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Yugoslav Drama Theatre Timeline". Yugoslav Drama Theatre. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2021.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Branka Veselinovic.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Branka_Veselinović&oldid=1182171416"