Won international fame with the leading role of Maciek Chelmicki in Andrzej Wajda's Cendres et diamant (1958). He created a character which was imitated not only in Poland; often compared with James Dean.Graduated from the Higher State School of Acting in Cracow; also studied journalism. From 1953 to 1960 worked with Wybrzeze Theatre, Bim-Bom Student Theatre and Teatr Rozmow (all in Gdansk). From 1961 to 1967 acted and directed in Theatre Ateneum in Warsaw, Poland.Major leading roles: Kostek in Wajda's Une fille a parlé (Une génération) (1955) ("Generation"), Maciek Chelmicki in Wajda's Cendres et diamant (1958), Jacek in Janusz Morgenstern's A demain (1961) ("See You Tomorrow", co-scr.), Edmund in Wajda's Les innocents charmeurs (1960) ("Innocent Sorcerers"), Wiktor Rawicz in Wojciech Has's L'art d'être aimé (1963) ("How to Be Loved"), Alfons Van Worden in Has's Le manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse (1965), trainer Janczak in Aleksander Scibor-Rylski's Jutro Meksyk (1966) ("Mexico Tomorrow"), Rodecki in Scibor-Rylski's Morderca zostawia slad (1967) ("The Killer Leaves a Trace").