Pavle Vuisić | Origin of Street Names

Pavle Vuisić (1926 - 1988) was one of the most popular actors in the history of Serbian and Yugoslavian cinema. A method actor, dissident, temperamental loner, and bohemian with an awkward physical appearance, he is certainly one of the most memorable characters ever to appear on the domestic film scene.

He was born in Belgrade, into the Vujisić family, originally from Montenegro, but for unknown reasons, he voluntarily dropped the letter "j" from his surname and signed his name as Vuisić for most of his life.

Due to his father's job, he frequently moved during his childhood, but he returned to his native Belgrade during World War II. However, at the age of 18, he was mobilized and sent to the Srem Front.

After the war, the popular Paja enrolled in the Faculty of Law, which he fortunately abandoned. His second choice was journalism, so he worked as a host on Radio Belgrade for several years, occasionally appearing as an extra in films and theaters.

His great talent for acting soon became evident, but Paja never managed to enroll in the Academy of Dramatic Arts and obtain formal acting education. Time would show that it didn't bother him in the least, as he became an absolute legend of Yugoslavian cinema as a method actor.

Pavle Vuisić often said about himself that he didn't know how to act, but that he simply "behaved" in front of the camera. And his roles really appeared that way - in a wide range of characters played during his thirty-year career, Paja "just behaved" and it seems that he couldn't have been more convincing even if he had several completed academies.

A rebel and an eccentric who didn't care about fame, popularity, and protocol, a great lover of a glass and the atmosphere of taverns, although his appearance and behavior didn't indicate it in any way - he was a great professional. Difficult for communication and collaboration, Paja would shoot every scene on the first take and therefore became a favorite actor of most directors.

Countless anecdotes are associated with Pavle Vuisić, and most of them can be read in the super-interesting book "Posle Fajronta", a kind of biography of the great actor. One of them, perhaps best reflecting Paja's character and attitude, says that he appeared completely uninterested, with an unbuttoned shirt, shorts, and slippers the first and last time he met Josip Broz. Also, well-known is the story of his hostile relationship with Čkalja, the legendary buddy from "Kamiondžije."

A great lover of Ada Ciganlija and the Sava River, he spent most of his time off the set on his houseboat, socializing with fishermen, accompanied by inevitable alcohol, fishing, and writing poetry, just to complete the image of a great bohemian.

Interestingly, Pavle Vuisić didn't like to perform in the theater, so his roles were exclusively related to movies, of which he made over 170. Those who have immortalized him are certainly "Who's Singin' Over There," "The Marathon Family," "More Than a Game," and the aforementioned "Kamiondžije."

The legendary Paja died at the age of 63 from an illness. At his explicit personal request, the news of his death was published only a few days after the funeral, and only his wife Mirjana and the priest attended the burial at the New Cemetery.

The name of Pavle Vuisić is now carried by streets in several cities in Serbia.