--- name: "Jozef Kroner" canonical: "https://film.one/person/jozef-kroner" fi1m_id: "jozef-kroner" imdb_id: "nm0472166" tmdb_id: 124143 wikidata_id: "Q511930" roles: ["Actor"] born: "20 March 1924" died: "12 March 1998" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-26T15:44:51.410616+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jozef Kroner ## Identity Jozef Kroner - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jozef-kroner - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** jozef-kroner - **IMDb ID:** nm0472166 - **TMDB ID:** 124143 - **Wikidata ID:** Q511930 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jozef_Kroner, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q511930, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0472166/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/124143 Actor. Born 20 March 1924 in Staškov, Czechoslovakia. Died 12 March 1998. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 20 March 1924, Staškov, Czechoslovakia - **Died:** 12 March 1998 - **Also known as:** Jozef Króner , Josef Kroner, Йозеф Кронер - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jozef_Kroner, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q511930, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0472166/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/124143 ## Streaming the US now - **HBO Max:** [*The Shop on Main Street*](https://film.one/film/the-shop-on-main-street.md) (90) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Jozef Kroner > Jozef Kroner played men who lose the argument before it starts: shuffling, agreeable, decent up to the point where decency costs something. In *The Shop on Main Street* that man is hard to forget, and a long career afterwards mostly kept him in gentler company. The picture we keep of Jozef Kroner is a man sitting in a shop that is not his, cap in his hands, while a deaf old woman brings him soup. He has come to explain the law to her. He leaves having been fed. In *The Shop on Main Street* (1965) Kroner plays Tono Brtko, a carpenter who has never won an argument, and he plays him in the body first: the shuffle, the scratch, the yes that means no, the protest that lasts as long as it takes to pour a drink. We went in braced for a film about the Holocaust and spent the first hour laughing at him, gently, the way you laugh at an uncle, and when the laughing stopped we did not notice at first. He never asks for our sympathy. He never quite loses it either. He arrived at that part without a day of formal training. He came up through amateur theatre groups in Slovakia, turned professional around 1948 at the Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin, and joined the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava in 1956. His film work began modestly in 1949. It was Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos who put him in front of the world in 1965, and three years later he was Franz in Alain Robbe-Grillet's *The Man Who Lies* (1968), an experimental French-Czechoslovak co-production about truth and memory, about as far from a small-town shop as an actor can travel. After 1968 the demanding parts thinned out. The normalisation years gave him lighter work, a good deal of it on television, and the folk types he had always been able to play became most of what he was asked to play. There were exceptions. He was Pacho Matrtaj in *Pacho, hybský zbojník* (1975), a popular comedy with some social comment under the adventure, and Martin Pichanda, the patriarch, in Juraj Jakubisko's *The Millennial Bee* (1983). He worked twice with the director Martin Ťapák. He left the stage in the mid-1980s and was still filming in 1992, as Košťál in the Czech comedy *Dedičstvo alebo Kurvahošigutntag*. We have not reviewed those films and will not judge them here. What he did that other actors do not is take the joke and the shame in the same breath. Directors and critics noticed the voice, and it is a fine instrument, but the real thing is that he could make a coward funny without letting us off. Ida Kamińska is the reason *The Shop on Main Street* works, as we said in our review, and Kroner's part in that is to give her something to work against: a man who is present, kind and useless. It is harder acting than it looks, because there is nowhere in it to hide. If you know him only from the one film, that is not a bad way to know him. Start there. The later comedies are for people who already like him and want the same man in easier parts. ## Biography Jozef Kroner (1924–1998) was a Slovak actor. He appeared in more than fifty Slovak films and several Czech, Bulgarian and Hungarian productions. His best-known role was as the carpenter Antonín 'Tóno' Brtko in the Oscar-winning film *The Shop on Main Street* (1965). Kroner began his career in amateur theatre groups without formal training and later joined professional companies, including the Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin and, from 1956 to 1984, the drama ensemble of the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava. He also wrote several autobiographical books and was the subject of a 1987 documentary biography. His wife Terézia Hurbanová-Kronerová, brother Ľudovít Kroner and daughter Zuzana Kronerová were all actors. Awards in his name have been presented annually since 2001 by the Jozef Kroner Foundation. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *The Shop on Main Street* (1965), Fi1m 90, as Antonin 'Tono' Brtko — [page](https://film.one/film/the-shop-on-main-street.md) ## Complete filmography (139) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *...ani smrt nebere!* (1996), Actor - *Vášnivý bozk* (1995), Actor - *Tajomstvo šťastia* (1995), Actor - *Albert, Albert* (1994), Actor - *Spoveď* (1994), Actor - *The Inheritance or Fuckoffguysgoodday* (1992), as Košťál - *Shadow on the Snow* (1992), as Református pap - *Najdúch* (1992), Actor - *O psíčkovi a mačičke* (1992), Actor - *Pavilón číslo 6* (1992), Actor - *Můj přítel d’Artagnan* (1991), as Toníček Křepelka - *Králíci nemají jména* (1990), Actor - *Thou Who Art in Heaven* (1990), as Georg Henih - *Rýchlik* (1990), Actor - *Čertík Lucifuk* (1990), series, as Narrator (voice) - *Lovec senzací* (1989), as Mendel Mändl - *Jubileum* (1989), as Ján · Short Story, Screenplay, Story - *Dědek* (1988), Actor - *Commuters* (1988), as Grandfather - *Jakubove uniformy* (1988), Short Story - *Not Far From Heaven* (1987), Actor - *The Last Manuscript* (1987), as Nyáry György - *Trate života Jozefa Kronera* (1987), Actor - *Kamenný chodníček* (1985), Actor - *Pred sviatkami* (1985), Actor - *Vláčik do stanice víťazstvo* (1985), Actor - *Namiesto pamätí* (1984), series, narrator, Writer, Creator - *Tisícročná včela* (1984), series, as Martin Pichanda - *The Physician of a Dying Time* (1984), series, as Fels (voice) - *Mariša* (1984), Actor - *The Millennial Bee* (1983), as Martin Pichanda - *Salt & Gold* (1983), as Jester - *Život bez konca* (1983), series, as Teacher - *Popolvar, Biggest in the World* (1982), as Sablica - *The Balad of Mamelouk* (1982), as Sidi Ali - *Time Stands Still* (1982), as Szombathy, osztályfõnök - *Deadly Game* (1982), as Marek - *Another Way* (1982), as Comrade Erdõs - *Kosenie Jastrabej lúky* (1982), as Otec - *Bez ženské a bez tabáku* (1982), series, Actor - *Vendéglátás* (1982), Actor - *„Omladnutie“* (1982), Actor - *Nápadníci* (1981), Actor - *Mišo* (1979), Screenplay - *Two Stories from the Recent Past* (1979), Actor - *Dve frašky* (1979), as (uncredited) - *Vládca Oidipus* (1978), Actor - *Vietor v starých stromoch* (1978), Actor - *Muž, který nesmí zemřít* (1978), series, Actor - *Nech žije deduško* (1978), series, as Leopold Pradeno - *O nosatom kuchárovi a nohatom drotárovi* (1978), as Šimon - *Christmas Wafer* (1977), Actor - *Stratená dolina* (1977), Actor - *Rose Tinted Dreams* (1977), as Marcel (voice) - *Sváko Ragan* (1976), series, Actor - *Slovácko sa nesúdí* (1976), series, as Matúš Pagáč - *Pacho, the Brigand of Hybe* (1976), as Pacho - *Sváko Ragan* (1976), as Sváko Ragan - *My sme malí muzikanti* (1976), series, Actor - *Vivat Beňovský!* (1975), series, as Čurin (voice) - *Veľká poľovačka* (1975), Actor - *Pomsta* (1975), Actor - *Nepokojná láska* (1975), series, Actor - *Škriatok* (1974), Actor - *Kronika* (1974), series, Actor - *Hviezdy na zemi* (1974), Actor - *Veľké pokušenie* (1974), Actor - *Végül* (1974), as Varga János - *Sťopka a Šidielko* (1974), Actor - *Siroty* (1974), as (voice) - *Očovské pastorále* (1973), Actor - *Putovanie do San Jaga* (1973), Actor - *Adam Chvojka vicerichtár* (1973), as Adam Chvojka - *Mumu* (1973), Actor - *Vymenená princezná* (1973), Actor - *Škoda lásky* (1973), Actor - *Žiarlivosť* (1972), Actor - *Stávka o Leokádiu* (1972), Actor - *Tomorrow Will Be Too Late* (1972), Actor - *Until The Rooster Crows* (1972), Actor - *Portrét* (1972), Actor - *Bakaláři* (1972), series, Actor - *Pásli ovce valasi* (1972), series, as narrator - *Susedia* (1972), Actor - *Zázrak v Alžbetkove* (1971), Actor - *Kocúrkovo* (1971), Actor - *Women Offside* (1971), Actor - *Zlodeji* (1971), Actor - *Adrift* (1971), as Koktavý - *Pán si neželal nič* (1971), Actor - *Rozsudok* (1971), Actor - *The Ginger Cow* (1970), as Adam Krt - *Smutný lord* (1970), as Narrator (voice) - *A. C. Dupin zasahuje* (1970), series, Actor - *Der ewige Gatte* (1969), as Trusockij - *Traja svedkovia* (1969), Actor - *Stopy na Sitne* (1969), as Tatár (voice) - *Dialogue 20-40-60* (1968), as Old man (segment "The Sixty-Year-Olds") - *A Man Who Rose in Price* (1968), Actor - *The Man Who Lies* (1968), as Franz - *Koniec a začiatok* (1968), Actor - *People From Caravans* (1966), as Clown - *Líšky dobrú noc* (1966), Actor - *Muž, ktorý vedel lietať* (1966), Actor - *Husári* (1966), Actor - *The Shop on Main Street* (1965), as Antonin 'Tono' Brtko — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/film/the-shop-on-main-street.md) - *Kubo* (1965), as Kubo - *The Dead Don't Sing* (1965), Actor - *Kde leží naša bieda* (1965), Actor - *Noc v internáte* (1965), Actor - *Stratený list* (1965), Actor - *Mŕtvi nespievajú* (1964), series, Actor - *Slnečný kúpeľ* (1964), Actor - *Charleyho teta* (1964), Actor - *Jánošík* (1963), as Father Urhocik - *Bájka o psíčkovi, mačičke a mesiačiku* (1963), as Narrator (voice) - *Geľo Sebechlebský* (1963), Actor - *Vráťte mi školné* (1963), Actor - *Keď chybí trombón* (1962), Actor - *Midnight Mass* (1962), as Valentin Kubis - *Pokorené rieky* (1962), Actor - *Trasorítka* (1962), Actor - *Polnoc bude o päť minút* (1962), Actor - *Jerguš Lapin* (1960), as Uncle Kosalkula - *Strieborný Favorit* (1960), Actor - *Šťastie príde v nedeľu* (1959), Actor - *Náš školník* (1959), Actor - *An Honest Thief* (1958), as Jožko Púčik - *Earthly Honor* (1958), Actor - *The Last Witch* (1957), as Jakub Krvaj, bývalý kat - *The Devil Does Not Sleep* (1957), as Background Officer - *Štvorylka* (1955), as Sásik - *Profesor Poležajev* (1955), Actor - *The Wooden Village* (1955), Actor - *Geľo Sebechlebský* (1954), Actor - *Unploughed Field* (1954), Actor - *Profesor Poležajev* (1954), Actor - *Action B* (1952), as shoemaker - *Katka* (1950), as Jozef ## Gallery - ![Jozef Kroner](https://film.one/media/person/3911014/gallery-787220191876.jpg) Jozef Kroner — Peter Zelizňák (photo); Elena Pätoprstá (sculptor), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Kroner_Busta.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Kremnica, Žiar nad Hronom District, Slovakia. (2018)](https://film.one/media/person/3911014/gallery-d2da93e22843.jpg) Kremnica, Žiar nad Hronom District, Slovakia. (2018) — Palickap, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/Kremnica%2C_Uli%C4%8Dka_sl%C3%A1vnych_nosov%2C_Kr%C3%B3ner.jpg/1280px-Kremnica%2C_Uli%C4%8Dka_sl%C3%A1vnych_nosov%2C_Kr%C3%B3ner.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Jozef Kroner](https://film.one/media/person/3911014/gallery-5a6713fa6488.jpg) Jozef Kroner — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 3 won, 1 nominated - Cross of Pribina class I 2018: Cross of Pribina class I (won) - European Film Award for Best Actor 1989: European Film Award for Best Actor (nominated), for *Thou, Which Art in Heaven* - Národní umělec 1978: Národní umělec (won) - Merited Artist of Czechoslovakia 1967: Merited Artist of Czechoslovakia (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jozef-kroner