Miloslav Švandrlík

Miloslav Švandrlík (10 August 1932 – 26 October 2009) was a Czech writer and humourist. He also used the pseudonym Roman Kefalín.

After finishing secondary school he took a number of jobs and also completed a two-year teaching course at a music college in Prague. After 1950 he obtained his matura diploma. Between 1953 and 1954 he studied at the Faculty of Theatre in Prague, but left after two years.

After the completion of his studies he became an assistant director at the Vesnické Theatre (cs) in Prague. Švandrlík joined the Auxiliary Technical Unit of the Czech army (compulsory at the time) in 1953. Shortly after he left, he worked as a teaching assistant for Korean children in Liběšice before becoming a professional writer.

One of his most famous books is called Black Barons (Černí Baroni aneb Válčili jsme za Čepičky), based on stories from the time he served in the army. It pictures an ironic and satiric form of absurdity in the socialistic army of the time. Everything he ever wrote was humorous and satiric.

Švandrlík contributed regularly to a number of magazines and newspapers such as Dikobraz (cs) and to theatre. In his written work he often cooperated with Jiří Winter Neprakta, mostly coming up with texts for Winter's drafted jokes. He also wrote a number of screen plays and plays for radio shows.

• Z chlévů i bulvárů, 1960 – From pig sties and bulvars
• Krvavý Bill viola, 1961 – The bloody Bill viola
• Od Šumavy k Popokatepetlu, 1962 – From Sumava to Popocatepetl
• Kovbojská romance, 1964 – Cowboy's romance
• Hrdinové a jiní podivíni, 1969 – The heroes and other strange people
• Drakulův švagr, 1970, povídková sbírka, řazená do sci-fi – Dracula's brother in law
• Mořský vlk a veselá vdova aneb Proti všem – The sea wolf and gay (happy) widow
• Neuvěřitelné příhody žáků Kopyta a Mňouka, 1973 – Unbelievable adventures of the pupils Kopyto and Mnouk
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a mimozemšťané – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and aliens
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk opět zasahují – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk step in again
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a lesní netvor – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and forest creature
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a stříbrňáci – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and silverians
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk v jihlavských katakombách – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk in Jihlava dungeon
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a černá magie, řazeno do sci-fi – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and dark magic
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk, postrach Posázaví – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and menance of Posazavi
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk na stopě – – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk tracking
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a náměsíčníci – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and moonwalkers
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a maharadžova pomsta – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and the vengeance of maharaja
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a akta X – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and the X-Files
  • Žáci Kopyto a Mňouk a ryšavý upír – Pupils Kopito and Mnouk and ginger vampire
• Doktor od jezera Hrochů, 1980 – Doctor from the lake of rhynos
• Dívka na vdávání, 1983 – The girl to be married
• Muž, který se topil, 1985 – The man who was drowning
• Šance jako hrom, 1989 – The odds as hell
• Vražda mlsného humoristy, 1990 – A murder of sweet-toothed humorist
• Ještě máme co jsme chtěli, 1991 - We still have what we wanted
• Starosti korunovaných hlav, 1992 – The concerns of crowned heads
• Na nebožtíka vypadáte skvěle, 1992, vyvolán duch zemřelé vědmy – You look good for a dead man
• Sexbomba na doplňkovou půjčku, 1994 – sexbomb on loan
• Blanka oběť sexuálního harašení, 2004 – Blanka, the victim of sexual harassment
• Černí baroni aneb Válčili jsme za Čepičky – Black Barons, we fought for the hats (Hat being a surname of the minister of defense at the time) 1969, describes the life of common soldiers at Auxiliary Technical Unit. The novel was written in the period of Prague Spring, after which Švandrlík was not able to publish for some time. Second, additional publication of this book was only possible in 1990. The novel was filmed and on its basis a television series were created.

After the year 1990 Švandrlík wrote a number of books which followed on from Black Barons:

• Říkali mu Terazky aneb šest půllitrů u Jelínků – He was called Terazky and six pints at 'U Jelinka'
• Pět sekyr poručíka Hamáčka – - Five axes of lieutenant Hamacek
• Lásky Černého barona – The loves of the Black Baron
• Kam to kráčíš, Kefalíne? – Where are you off to Kefalin?
• Růžové sny pilného hňupa aneb Poručíme větru, dešti – Pink dreams of diligent tosser and 'we will order to the wind and rain' (communist motto)
• Černí baroni po čtyřiceti letech – The Black Barons after 40 years
• Černí baroni těsně před kremací – The Black Barons shortly before the cremation
• Stoletý major Terazky – A hundred years old Terazky
• Černý baron od Botiče – The Black Baron from Botic
• Terazky na hrad – Terazky onto the throne
• Terazkyho poslední džob – Terazky's last job
• Terazky v tunelu doktora Moodyho – Terazky in tunel of doctor Moody
• Nesmiřitelný Terazky – irreconcilable Terazky
• Černí baroni útočí na obrazovku – The Black Barons are attaking the TV screen – insight into the film

For a long time Švandrlík lived in Chodov, Prague. A few days before his death in 2009, he became an honorary citizen of Prague 11.

On 21 April 2010, a field bordered by the streets Skřivanova, Lažanského, Švabinského and 7. května in Chodov was named after him. A bust of Švandrlík by the Czech artist Miroslav Pangrác (cs) was unveiled there on 14 October 2010.

Miloslav Švandrlík was buried at the Church of the Holy Trinity (cs) in Kutná Hora.