Věra Hanslíková

Věra Hanslíková was a Czech stage and film actress born in Prague on May 4, 1913. She came from an old Prague merchant family. After graduating from the French lyceum in Nîmes, she worked in her father's shop. Before launching her acting career, she was a well-known swimmer and a front-crawl champion, holding three swimming records at the time. Additionally, she won the City of Prague gold medal in archery, paddled canoes, and skied. Věra pursued amateur acting in secret, with only her mother's knowledge, as her father strongly opposed her acting career. It was only after his death that she joined the theater. She initially performed in Brno and Plzeň. Following her performance in the play "Dvě ženy pana Frazera" at Prague's Na Slupi venue, she was hired by the Anna Sedláčková Theater. Later, she performed briefly at the Uranie Theater and the Pražské Okružní Theater. She also went on tours with the drama ensemble of the Městská divadla pražská (Municipal Theaters of Prague), where she reportedly gained her most valuable experience, transitioning from an amateur to a professional actress. From there, she joined the guest performances of the Vinohrady Theater, which staged plays in the countryside. Shortly after, she was accepted into the J. K. Tyl Theater (today’s Karlín Theatre), performing with the Vinohrady Theater acting troupe.