Tadeusz Olsza

Who was Tadeusz Olsza?

Tadeusz Olsza, born Tadeusz Blomberg, was a Polish film and stage actor, cabaret singer, dancer and director. From 1915 to 1917, he taught vocal classes at Warsaw Conservatory. Starting in 1921 he performed in such Warsaw cabarets and vaudevilles as Stańczyk, Karuzela, Nietoperz, Stara Banda, Qui Pro Quo, Perskie Oko, Morskie Oko, Nowości, and Cyruliku Warszawskim. He was known for his parody of Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski, a Polish physician, general and politician.

He performed monologue, satires, revue sketches, vignettes and in musical theater; was also known as a great tango dancer, partnering Loda Halama and her sister Zizi in a hit musical review Tysiąc pięknych dziewcząt and performing with Stanisława Nowicka, "Queen of the Tango."

He began his film career in small roles in German films. In Poland his film appearances included Uwiedziona, Krzyk w nocy, O czym się nie mówi, Głos Serca, Antek Policmajster, Jaśnie pan szofer, and Jego wielka miłość.

Olsza worked in Polish Radio almost from its inception; some of his archived performances are still broadcast.

After the Nazi invasion of Poland he went to Bucharest, Romania, where he joined the group of Polish emigree theater artists. In 1941 he joined the Polish Army in France, then Scotland where he run the theatre for First Brigade of the Polish-Scottish Shooters.