Břetislav Pojar
A Czech master who brought puppets to life with a gentle, melancholic wit, enchanting generations without a single word.
1923–2012 (age 89)·Czech puppeteer, animator and director·Birthday: October 7·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Břetislav Pojar’s world was one of wood, string, and silent poetry. Emerging from the rich tradition of Czech puppet theatre, he translated its intimate magic to film, becoming a quiet giant of animation. His work, often created in collaboration with his mentor Jiří Trnka, possessed a distinctively tender and observational humor. Pojar had a genius for imbuing inanimate figures with profound emotion, telling stories that ranged from whimsical folk tales to subtle political allegories. Films like 'To See or Not to See' and his 'Mr. and Mrs. K' series gained international acclaim, winning awards at Cannes and captivating audiences worldwide. His career spanned the fraught decades of mid-century Europe, yet his art maintained a universal, humanist core that spoke directly to the heart, proving that the oldest forms of storytelling could feel utterly new on screen.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Břetislav was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Břetislav Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Břetislav's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2012Died at 89
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Won the Special Jury Prize at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival for his animated short 'To See or Not to See'.
- Created the beloved and internationally syndicated puppet series 'Mr. and Mrs. K' in the 1970s.
- Directed the feature-length puppet film 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' (1978), a technical and artistic marvel.
- Served as a key animator and collaborator on the seminal works of Jiří Trnka, including 'The Hand'.
Did You Know?
He began his artistic career as a painter and graphic designer before falling in love with puppetry.
Pojar moved to Canada in the 1980s, where he taught animation and created work for the National Film Board.
His film 'Baly' (1984) was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
“A puppet's truth is in the slight tremble of a wooden hand.”
