19. - 20. století
Viktor Ponrepo
A Bohemian pioneer of motion-picture technology
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Info text
His real name was Dismas Šlambor. He is one the pioneers of the Bohemian motion picture industry. He used to be the owner of the only one regularly performing movie theater in Prague. He operated the movie theater in a building called "u Modré Štiky" (Blue Pike) at Karlova Street. The movie theater was opened on September 15, 1907 featuring 56 seats and it was open daily except Fridays.
He was originally an artistic magician and that is how he finally ended up in the motion picture industry. Despite his father wanting him to be a jeweler, Viktor tried so long until he was granted a permit from the Austrian offices to conduct activities as an artistic magician. Actually, this is particular occupation that made him change his name, which he derived from the little manor called Bon Repos near the town of Lysá nad Labem. There was a jubilee exhibition
held in Prague in 1891 at the occasion of the first industrial exhibition, and over there Viktor saw an Edison's Phonograph for the first time. In the beginning, he started using it for his magical performances. Later he really got into the movies and started to operate a mobile movie theater, where he mostly played French movies.
He was a true pioneer in many aspects. First, he personally bowed to all his audiences at the entrance. Later the audiences got larger and he had an introductory signature tune shot to be played before each movie. During the movie performance, he often used to comment the movie making witty and relevant remarks.
The movie theater was still playing movies twenty years after his death. Today, there is a movie theater called Ponrepo in Bartolomějská Street, which shows movies to a discerning clientele.
