Benke was born in 1952 in Kopydłów. He graduated from the Acting Department of the State Higher School of Theater in Krakow. After graduation, he began performing in theaters in Łódź. He was passionate about monodrama – as Radio Ziemia Wieluńskiej reminds us, for “Konopielka” according to Edward Redliński he was awarded several times at theater festivals
However, he gained the greatest popularity thanks to his appearances in the program “Spotaniem z Balladą” broadcast on TVP2 in the years 1972-1990 and 1993-2006. Benke played the commander of the Kopydłów Volunteer Fire Department. Over the years, actors such as Jerzy Stuhr, Mieczysław Grąbka, Jan Nowicki, Bohdan Smoleń, Teresa Budzisz-Krzyżanowska, Bogusław Linda, Ewa Kolasińska, Janusz Rewiński, Tomasz Kot and Anna Dymna have appeared in the “Meeting …”.
In an interview Małopolska TV in 2014, Benke returned his memories to the 1980s when he took over the role of the host of “Spotkania z Balladą”. He said: “Meeting with Ballad” has changed over the years. It used to be scenes, the script was on two typewritten pages. Recently – at 60. This is not a cabaret, but a cabaret show. Something different than what we see on TV now .. . I do not like it”. He added that initially Warsaw did not want Kopydłów at home, and the promoter Nina Terentiew said: “what are you guys going to do in some villages?” Over time, however, the program gained the status of a cult and was growing more and more.
Although Leszek Benke lived in Krakow on a daily basis, he often returned to the vicinity of Wieluń. He also died there – in his forester’s lodge in Wola Rudlicka. He was 68 years old.
(as, jb)
Creation date: July 23, 2021, 08:32
–
