Marian Kociniak

Marian Kociniak (11 January 1936 – 17 March 2016) was a film, television, voice and radio actor and comedian. He was best known from portraying Franciszek Dolas, a main character in the 1969 film How I Unleashed World War II. Kociniak also had main and secondary roles in films such as Morning Stars (1979), Danton (1983), Fucha, Bermuda Triangle (1987), Circus is Leaving (1987), Yesterday Goodbye (1993), Sir Thaddeus (1999), Kalipso (2000), and The Last Action (2009), as well as in television series such as Janosik  (1974), Jan Serce (1981), Sukces (1995), and The Deep End (2013).

Biography
Marian Kociniak was born on 11 January 1936 in Warsaw, Poland. He grew up in the district of Mokotów. During the German occupation in World War II, his home was burned down, and his family took shelter in an abandoned brick factory.

He has graduated from the engine manufacturing vocational school, and in 1958, from the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw. He was a student of Ludwik Sempoliński. From 1959 to 2010, he acted in the Ateneum Theatre, and from 2010 to 2013, in the Wola Theatre.

His film debut was in 1960, when he had a small uncredited role in Innocent Sorcerers. Kociniak became best known from portraying Franciszek Dolas, a main character in the 1969 film How I Unleashed World War II. He also had main and secondary roles in films such as Morning Stars (1979), Danton (1983), Fucha, Bermuda Triangle (1987), Circus is Leaving (1987), Yesterday Goodbye (1993), Sir Thaddeus (1999), Kalipso (2000), and The Last Action (2009), as well as in television series such as Janosik  (1974), Jan Serce (1981), Sukces (1995), and The Deep End (2013).

Additionally Kociniak acted in numerous plays of Polish Television. He also appeared in episodes the Kabaret Starszych Panów comedy troupe show, and worked in Polish Radio Three. there, he co-hosted together with Andrzej Zaorski sketch comedy segments titled Kulisy srebrnego ekranu, in the radio show 60 minut na godzinę, and performed the theme song of programme Powtórka z rozrywki.

In 2003, during the 8th Festival of Stars in Międzyzdroje, Kociniak has unvailed his plaque at the Promenade of Stars walk of fame.

Throughout his career, he completely refused giving interview. The exception was made for TVP Info in 2010, in light of the 50th anniversary of his work in the industry. On April 2010, was also published book Spełniony by Remigiusz Grzela, consisting of the interview with him. Kociniak retired from acting in 2013.

He was an honorary member of the campaign wupport committee of Bronisław Komorowski during the 2010 and 2010 presidential elections in Poland.

Kociniak died in a Warsaw hospital on 17 March 2016, at the age of 79. He was burried on 23 March 2016, next to his wife, at the Warsaw Evangelical Reformed Cemetery.

Private life
For over 50 years he was married to film editor Grażyna Kociniak (died 2016). Together they had a daughter, Weronika, and he was also a stepfather to his wife's son, Piotr.

He was also a cousin of actor Jan Kociniak.

Awards and decorations

 * Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2001)
 * Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1988)
 * Gold Cross of Merit (1974)
 * Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture (2010)