Listen to the Professor Balthazar Theme Song
composed by Tomica Simović, Zagreb: Powered by Castpost Balt - Balthazar, Balt - Balthazar, Balthazaaar! |
Professor Balthazar, living in the Balthazar City, is the most successful project of the Zagreb School of Animated Film, Zagreb Film, Croatia.
The creator of Professor Balthazar is Zlatko Grgić (1931-1988), and the name was coined by Zdravko Štalter. His name is written in Croatian as profesor Baltazar.
Zlatko Grgić in 1967, Zagreb, in creative mood working on Shoe Inventor - the first film from the Professor Balthazar series.
The fascinating history of the Zagreb School of Animated Film (a term coined by a famous French film theorist Georges Sadoul) is described in enormous monograph prepared by Zlatko Sudarić (ed.): Zagrebački krug crtanog filma, 1-4, Zavod za kulturu Hrvatske i Zagreb film, Zagreb 1978. (The Zagreb Circle of Animated Film: Part 1 has 462 pp, Part 2 has 243 pp, Part 3 has 355 pp, Part 4 has 517 pp, altogether 1577 pp, covering the period till 1978 only! Parts 1 and 4 contain rather detailed summaries in English.) The two photos above and below are from the monograph.
About twenty people participated in the project of Professor Balthazar, and we mention just a few more names from this very creative team: Ante Zaninović, Boris Kolar, Milan Blažeković, Zlatko Bourek, and Tomica Simović - the author of lovely music. 
The team that started the Professor Balthazar series in 1967 in Zagreb: Zlatko Grgić (on the left), Ante Zaninović, Boris Kolar, Zdravko Pavičić
Professor Balthazar is popular throughout the world even today. The episodes have been shown with great success in many countries, like Denmark, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Iran (!), USA, Australia, New Zealand, etc. The Professor is especially popular in Scandinavian countries. Professor Balthazar in Iran!
57 episodes have been created between 1967 and 1978,
with duration 5 to 10 minutes each.
We provide the titles in Croatian and their translation into English. Series I, 1967-1969, Zagreb: Izumitelj cipela
Hanibalove Alpe
Horacijev uspon i pad
Leteći Fabijan
Martin na vrhu
O mišu i satovima
Rođendanska priča
Sreća u dvoje
Tetke Pletke
Viktorov jajomat
Vjetrovita priča
Zvjezdani kvartet | Shoe Inventor
Hannibal's Alps
The Rise and Fall of Horatio
Flying Fabian
Martin at the Top
On Mouse and Watches
Birthday Story
Happiness for Two
Wicked Aunts
Victor's Egg-Machine
Windy Story
Starry Quartet | Series II, 1971-1972, Zagreb: | Alfred noćni čuvar
Bim-bum
Čudotvorni kolac
Doktor za životinje
Duga profesora Baltazara
Figaro Hop
Krojač Silvestar
Ledeno vruće
Lutke bez kose
Oblačna priča
Problem nespretnosti
Zvonko sa zvonika
Najveći snjegović | Alfred the Night Guard
Bim-Bum
Miraculous Cake
Animal Doctor
Professor Balthasar's Rainbow
Figaro Hop
Silvestar the Tailor
Icy Hot
Hairless Dolls
Cloudy Story
Clumsiness Issues
Zvonko from the Belltower
The Largest Snowman | Series III, 1977, Zagreb: | Amadeusove uši
Drama oko cvijeća
Gusarski problem
Lavlje nevolje
Neman Fu-Fu
Oblačno sa padavinama
Pingvin Čarli
Stonožica Bosica
Svirka za Mirka
Vatrogasna priča
Veseli Most | Amadeus's Ears
Flower Drama
The Problem with Piracy
Lion's Troubles
Fu-Fu the Monster
Cloudy with Bickering
Charlie the Penguin
Miss Chilopoda Barefoot
Play for Mirko
Fireman Story
Happy Bridge | Series IV, 1978, Zagreb: | Baltazarova ljubav
Baltazarov sat
Duhovita priča
Dva cilindra
Hik
Izgubljeni zec
Igrati se lovice
Klaun Danijel
Obučar Kroko
Operna zvijezda
Pingvin Axel
Posao je posao
Ptica
Sportski život
Šampion
Ulični svirači
Veliko hrkanje
Violeta i Franc
Vjetrenjača
Zrak | Balthazar's Love
Balthazar's Watch
Spiritual Story
Two Cylinders
Hik
Lost Rabbit
Playing the Hunter
Daniel the Clown
Kroko the Cobbler
Opera Star
Axel the Penguin
Work is Work
Bird
Sport Life
Champion
Street Musicians
Big Snore
Violeta and Franc
Windmill
Air | If you come to the city of Zagreb, do not miss to visit the Zagreb Municipal Museum (in Croatian, Muzej grada Zagreba). Its permanent display, Section 34, is devoted to the Zagreb School of Animated Film. Professor Balthazar series is available on 10 DVDs, 50 min each, issued by Zagreb Film - highly recommended! Please, contact Zagreb Film, and indicate if you want Croatian or English version:
Source: Professor Balthazar web page, which contains many more details.
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