Nowicki’s highly acclaimed film roles included those in Jerzy Skolimowski's The Barrier, Krzysztof Zanussi's Family Life and Spiral, Wojciech Has' The Glass-Hour Sanatorium, and Jerzy Hoffman's Colonel Wołodyjowski.
He was also one of the favourite actors of Oscar-winning director Andrzej Wajda, appearing in his legendary theatre productions of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Possessed and Stanisław Wyspiański’s November Night, as well as in his films, including The Ashes (1965).
Nowicki graduated from the State Higher School of Drama in Kraków, southern Poland, in 1964, and made a name for himself as one of the stars of the city’s Stary Theatre.
In the early 1980, he achieved popularity thanks to his role as a gambling fraudster in Sylwester Chęciński’s feature Wielki Szu (Big Shar).
Nowicki often said he did not like to watch his films, mainly because it was too late to change anything in them.
Reflecting on his career as an actor, he once said: ”An actor is nothing but a trifle, a joke in art, someone in an incredibly modest situation – between the author’s idea and the expectations of the audience; he is in between, and in fact he is often nothing but an act of coquetry that nobody needs these days."
Jan Nowicki, one of Poland’s most popular actors, has died at the age of 83. Photo: PAP/Maciej Kłoś
Nowicki was also a writer. In 2000, he published a book entitled Między niebem a ziemią (Between Heaven and Earth), which consisted of letters addressed to his late friend Piotr Skrzynecki, founder of the Piwnica pod Baranami (Cellar Under the Rams) comedy and satire show.
He also wrote a short story called Grażyna, dedicated to Polish actress Grażyna Szapołowska, and was a contributor to several periodicals.
A passionate football fan, he was a staunch supporter of the Wisła Kraków club. In his characteristic ironic style, he once said: “I am a football fan and every fan is an idiot because he always believes in success.”
Nowicki received numerous awards for his artistic achievements in both theatre and film. His honours included the Order of Reborn Poland, the Gloria Artis Gold Medal for Cultural Merit, and the Hungarian Officer’s Cross of Merit.
Culture Minister Piotr Gliński wrote on Twitter that the passing of Nowicki is "a profound loss for Polish culture."
(mk/gs)