THE RETURN TO CZECHOSLOVAKIA

The duo once again opened the V+W theater in the re-established democratic Czechoslovakia. However, freedom didn’t last long. This time, the communists sought power. The duo had a hard time coming up with new material for their plays as political satire fell out of favor once again. After the communist coup of 1948, Voskovec left his homeland for good and headed for Paris, where he founded the American Theater of Paris. Werich stayed in communist Czechoslovakia and had a brilliant career in film and theater, managing the V+W Theater under the new name of ABC Theater. He starred in hits such as Císařův pekař (The Caesar’s Baker, 1951) and Byl jednou jeden král (There was Once a King, 1954). He was even supposed to star in a James Bond movie as villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld; however, he wasn’t menacing enough as the producer and director thought Werich reminded them of ‘a poor, benevolent Santa Claus.’ Still, in Czechoslovakia, Werich was officially recognized in 1963 as a National Artist.