A Debut on 2 Million TV Screens

How did Radivoje Lola Djukić (1923-1995) manage to make a directoral debut in front of millions of viewers when there were just a few TV sets in the entire country at the time?

Lola never lacked viewers. When he directed for the first time on TV, around two million TVs was on!

– Ok, Lola, we’re talking about your first TV direction in October, 1957. Where did you find two million TVs at that time?

– In Moscow. Since in those days there was a joke in Zagreb (TV only could be found there at the time) about a TV presenter who was always starting the program saying “Good evening comrade state secretary”, I flew to the USSR and told Muscovites: “Turn on your TVs, I’ll be directing something for you”.

– Are you sure that they did so?

– Absolutely: I was covering the Cup finals Dinamo-Spartak!

– Meaning that your debut was on the Moscow TV. Why?

– I’ve already told you: I can’t stand being without viewers. I should have waited for these times when TVs are sold everywhere, like washing powder. Besides – there was no TV in Belgrade at that time.

– I suppose that broadcast is etched in your memory.

– Of course. I was completely alone in the transmission cabin, no assistants, no audio mixers, no translators… Get it: alone?

– I got it. I hope the viewers got the final score in the end?

– They did. Me, never.

Lola spent three months during autumn and winter in the studios of the Moscow TV. He lived in a hotel “Moscow” and he fought the severe winter with a grey fur winter hat, teas and – work.

– How did your colleagues call you?

– Lola.

– How did you communicate?

– At first I had an interpreter, and then without him. It was too slow for me… When I didn’t know how to say something, I acted.

– How?

– To actors. “This is the way you’ll do it”… Do you understand?

– No, I don’t understand, because we’re not properly following the chain of events… What did you do after covering the football mach?

– I covered a guest performance of a circus from our country, and then I became the director of their News…

– Wait a moment…! You were a guest there, right?

– Well, you have guests and then you have guests. And after a while, you’re fed up with any guest. I was guest who made guest appearances. And as such, I covered sports and circus events, I was a permanent “guest” of the News and, finally, as a first foreign guest, I directed a drama on the Moscow TV.

– Tell me about it.

– On November 29th, 1957, I directed a drama by Marijan Matković “Na kraju puta” (At the end of the road) with actors of the Maly Theatre in Moscow and with a famous Alla Parfanjak in the leading role. I did everything: the scenario, the scenography, costumes…

– And how did it go?

– I was satisfied: I arranged a banquet for everyone.

– And later?

– Three months passed. Train, home. In the meanwhile, there were still no TVs to be bought in our country, even though they were thinking about subscription. I had to wait for another year to get my first TV audience. Waiting was difficult for me, imagine how it was for them!

– We’ll talk about it next time. Thank you, Lola.

* The interview with Radivoje Lola Djukić published in “Radio TV revija” (Radio TV journal) was done by Aleksandar Saša Marković, the magazine’s editor-in-chief at the time.

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