Josef Vlastimil Burian, better known as Vlasta Burian, (9 April 1891, Liberec – 31 January 1962, Prague) was a Czech stage and film actor, singer, comedian, footballer and a film director. In the Czech Republic, he is known as Král komiků (King of Comedians).

Biographie

He is well known in the Czech Republic for his comic roles in many movies before and during World War II. His films are still shown regularly on Czech television, being particularly popular around Christmas time. He ran a popular comic theater until 1944, when the National socialists closed down all Czech-language theaters.

After the war Burian was charged and convincted of collaboration with the National socialists. He was briefly imprisoned, and then not permitted to return to the stage until 1950. He was officially exonerated of all charges in 1994.

His famous movie partner was Jaroslav Marvan, with whom he made the following films:


To neznáte Hadimršku
Funebrák
Anton Špelec, ostrostřelec
Pobočník Jeho Výsosti
Revizor
Hrdinný kapitán Korkorán
Nezlobte dědečka
Hrdina jedné noci
U pokladny stál…
Ulice zpívá
Katakomby
Baron Prášil
Přednosta stanice
Provdám svou ženu
Ryba na suchu