Relja Bašić

Who is Relja Bašić?

Relja Bašić is a Croatian actor, one of the most prolific and versatile Croatian actors with a career which lasts for more than half a century.

Bašić was born on 14 February 1930 in Zagreb, at the time of Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He was born to a Jewish mother Elly Bašić. Bašić was raised by his mother and stephfather Mladen Bašić. He first appeared on screen in 1954 classic film Koncert. Through the decades, he played many different roles in many different films, often in international co-productions. He never became a star, but remained one of the most recognisable and dependable character actors. His specialty were the roles of suave aristocratic villains, especially in historic films dealing with World War II, but his best remembered role is Mr. Fulir in 1970 cult musical comedy Tko pjeva zlo ne misli.

In the 1990s, Relja Bašić was an enthusiastic supporter of the Croatian Social Liberal Party. During 1992 parliamentary elections he appeared as that party's candidate in one of Zagreb constituencies. He lost that race to Nedjeljko Mihanović of HDZ in controversial circumstances.