The actor who made us laugh: at the end, he had no reason to laugh. Aurel Cioranu’s great suffering before his death

Aurel Cioranu was one of the important actors of a generation, starring in many films that you’ve certainly seen, if you like films made before 1989, or if you’re a film buff.

Aurel Cioranu, an actor with a native talent

“This is how theatre began for Aurel Cioranu, an actor at the Bulandra Theatre in Bucharest: The dawn of my debut was beautiful. ‘Nota zero la purtare’ was my first success, and Beligan saw me one evening and called me out: Cioranu, I liked you very much, don’t you want to come to our theatre? Leaving the stage was as discreet as leaving this life. We bid farewell to a sensitive, warm, generous and benevolent man”, said a UNITER press release in 2014, the year Aurel Cioranu left us forever.

Aurel Cioranu was born on 17 October 1929 in Bucharest and was a theatre and film actor.

He graduated from the Institute of Theatrical and Cinematographic Arts in Bucharest in 1954.

As many would say, he was an extraordinary actor, managing to maintain his authenticity.

When he was filming for “D-ale carnavalului”, Aurel Cioranu got to know many important actors of the time, including Alexandru Giugaru, Ion Lucian, Vasilica Tastaman, and many others.

He had a native talent for reproducing reality on stage, and he was not at all afraid of the spotlight.

On a personal level, Cioranu proved that he could also be a man of great character, always having a kind word for anyone who crossed his path.

The great suffering of Aurel Cioranu

Of all the things that happened to him, Aurel Cioranu’s greatest suffering happened when he could no longer play and was forced to retire.

“I was forced to retire and I suffered a lot of pain and distress, now I have recovered. I don’t want to play anymore. I can’t start again. It’s better to keep the pleasant memories.

I decided to do theatre when I was about 15, at 20 I went to the Institute, at 24 I graduated and was immediately assigned to the Theatre near the Police.

There I fell ill, was hospitalized, Liviu Ciulei visited me and took me to Bulandra. The dawn of my debut was beautiful.

The zero mark for acting was my first success, and Beligan saw me one evening and called me out: Cioranu, I liked you very much, won’t you come to our theatre? I played Lae in The Lucky Mill. The film hasn’t lost its charm even after all these years.

Then, I can’t forget Two Neighbours, where I played alongside the great Birlic, but also Mitzura Arghezi and Ion Lucian. And The Tormented Citizen, in the wonderful cast of Ciulei’s Lost Letter. No one else had the guts to direct after him.

Only Pintilie, much later, in Why Are the Bells Ringing, Mitica? I played in Geo Saizescu’s Păcală and others.

I had success with Ciulei, with Pintilie, but I didn’t hit any of the ground. My soul is closer to comedy, but I have also played drama”, the artist declared shortly before his death.

During his career, Aurel Cioranu had the opportunity to act in “Almost the Sun”, “Me, You and Ovidiu” (1977), “Carnival’s D-ale”, “I’m Staying with You” (1982), “The Blue Gates of the City”, “The Winner” (1981), “The Lucky Mill”, “Why are they ringing the bells, Mitica?” (1981), “Păcală”, “O scris perduta”, (1977), “Elixir of Youth”, “Haiducii lui Șaptecai”, “Explozia”, “Doi vecini”, “Erupția”, “Și Ilie face sport” or “Brigada Diverse”.

However, he was not absent from the stage of the Bulandra Theatre, where he played in “O scrisoare pierdută”, by I. L. Caragiale, directed by Liviu Ciulei, “Ivanov” by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, directed by Ioan Taub, “Varșovian Melody”, “The Brave”, “The Sleepy Adventure”, “The Flea in the Ear”, “Occisio Gregorii”, “Romeo and Juliet at the End of November”, “The Journalists”, “Cupid’s Revenge”, “The Military Braggart”, “The Bearded Coward the Country Hunter” or “The Notion of Happiness”.

Passed away on August 8, 2014, at the age of 84.