PRAGUE, Dec 4 (Reuters) – Painter and costume designer Theodor Pistek, who won an Oscar in 1985 for his work on fellow Czech Milos Forman’s film “Amadeus”, has died at the age of 93, CTK news agency reported on Thursday, citing his family.
Pistek was born into an artistic Prague family to parents who were well-known actors. He focused on painting and film after graduating in 1958 from the Academy of Fine Arts, but was also a car racer in international competitions.
As a surprise to him, he won Best Costume Design at the 57th Academy Awards for Amadeus, which won eight awards in total, including Best Director for Forman.
Pistek also collaborated with his compatriot Forman on films “Valmont” (1989), for which he won the French Cesar Award, and “The People vs. Larry Flynt” (1996).
Painting remained his “life’s calling”, as Pistek told Czech Radio years after winning the Oscar, and he was considered a master in photorealism.
Following the end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989, Pistek was picked to design new uniforms for the Prague Castle Guard.
In 2000, then Czech President Vaclav Havel awarded Pistek the state Medal of Merit.
(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Sharon Singleton)
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