Danilo Lazović | Origin of Street Names

Danilo Lazović (1951 - 2006) was a great Serbian actor known for his energetic and strong characters, as well as his legendary roles in television series filmed during the 1990s.

He was born into a working-class family in Brodarevo, but he spent most of his childhood and school days in Priboj until the late 1960s when he first arrived in Belgrade to study acting.

He showcased his great talent and future successful career even during his student days with a brilliant portrayal of Vladike Danilo in Njegoš's "The Mountain Wreath," based on the adaptation by Matija Bećković and Borislav Mihailović Mihiz.

His first notable television role was in the cult series "The Written Off," and after that, they simply kept coming, both in popular Yugoslav movies and series, and on the stages of Zvezdara Theater, Atelje 212, and the National Theatre.

Danilo Lazović left an indelible mark and gained enormous popularity among audiences of all generations through his roles in family series produced during the 1990s. Among them, the authentic character of Šćepan Šćekić in the series "Happy People" stood out as the one with which Danilo Lazović was associated until the end of his life, despite successfully portraying dozens of different characters throughout his rich career.

An actor with exceptional oratory skills, Danilo Lazović was also a man of strong and unwavering character, devoted to the traditions of his ancestors and patriarchal family values.

It is little known that during the height of his acting fame in the challenging 1990s, Danilo Lazović left the comforts of the city and the life of a star and moved to the countryside with his large family, settling on the outskirts of the village of Vrčin in Belgrade.

In between filming popular series and performing in Belgrade theaters, Danilo Lazović could often be seen working on his estate, engaging in agricultural activities or tending to sheep, living a peaceful and secluded life far from the hustle and bustle of the city, theater cafes, and the then "jet set" lifestyle.

On a March day, at the age of 55, Danilo Lazović passed away suddenly due to a heart attack. The untimely departure of the beloved actor deeply shocked the theater and film circles, as well as the ordinary people whose respect and love he had earned over the years.

Instead of a speech, the famous monologue from the poem "The Kosovo Covenant of Emperor Lazar" was played at the memorial gathering in the National Theatre. It was recited by a great orator according to the text by Saint Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović.

The renowned actor was buried in the Topčider Cemetery in Belgrade.

Today, several streets in cities and villages in Serbia symbolically bear the name of Danilo Lazović.