Petar Slabakov(1923-2009)

Petar Slabakov was a Bulgarian Theatre and Film actor. He was born at April 23, 1923 in Lyaskovetz, Bulgaria. He studied by correspondence industry economics in Varna. He had worked as tractor-driver and founder. He joined up Bulgarian army against German troops in World War II as volunteer. He had worked in the troupes of the country theaters as an apprentice in the beginning, and after an exam - as a professional actor. He played many roles in the theaters of Varna (1953 - 1957), Burgas (1957 - 1960), Plovdiv (1960 - 1963), and then in the Sofia's theater "Trudov front" (1963 - 1965), in Pernik's theater (1965 - 1966). He was an actor in Boyana Film Studio two years (1966 - 1967). After that, he played in "Sofia" theater (1972 - 1979), and in Satirical Theater (1980 - 1991). On the theatrical stage Petar Slabakov will be remembered best for his memorable appearance in The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare (Lanes), The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov (Lopahin), The Lower Depths by Maxim Gorki (Luka), etc. Petar Slabakov was one of the most important Bulgarian cinema actors. He appears in films such as Captive Flock (1962) by Ducho Mundrov, "Shibil" by Zahari Zhandov, "Tsar and General" by Vulo Radev, "Stars in Her Hair, Tears in Her Eyes" by Ivan Nitchev, "Eternal Times" by Asen Shopov, "A Roof" by Ivan Andonov and many others. He was one of the initiators of the establishing of the "Ecoglasnost" in 1989, which were one of the first opposition societies against the communist regime in Bulgaria. He was elected to the National Assembly of Bulgaria twice - in 1990 - 1991 and in 1995 - 1997.