Biography

Toma Caragiu was one of the best Romanian actors, playing either comedy or drama, but having a special attraction to the comic movies. He tragically died during the earthquake in Bucharest in 1977, being trapped under the remains of the block of flats he lived in, which collapsed. His body was found days later. An unexpected death for the man who always succeeded to make the oppressed Romanians in Ceausescu's communist era laugh.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous

Toma Caragiu was one of the most prolific Romanian actors. He put on one of the most original, distinguishable acts in Romanian theater and television. Born in Ploiesti in 1925 his mother and father were of Aromanian origin from a village named Aetomilitsa in the Greek province of Epirus. His family's address in Ploiesi was 144 Rudului Street. He went to school there and continued his studies at "Sfintii Petru si Pavel" High-School in Ploiesti. His love for theater found expression there as he was involved in the school's theater team. He also wrote columns in the school magazine. Although he started studying Law he soon abandoned it and enrolled in the Music and Art Conservatory in Bucharest, his head-teacher being Victor Ion Popa, a very esteemed play writer and professor. He played some innovating roles during his studies in plays like "Take, Ianke si Cadar" by V.I. Popa in the local "Modern" cinema theater. He and some of his colleagues started a theater team, the Prahova Cultural Brigade which later spawned the "United Syndicates Theater" (Teatrul Sindicatelor Unite) in 1947 and then, in 1949, transformed in the Ploiesti State Theater. His debut on a real stage came in 1948 on the stage of the National Theater in Bucharest, while he was in his third year of university. He graduated in 1949. He got his first job on April 1st, 1951 at Constanta State Theater. In 1953, at only 28 he became the Director of Ploiesti State Theater where he stayed for 12 years until in 1965 when, upon the invitation of Liviu Ciulei, started acting for Bulandra Theater in Bucharest where he played some of his most notable roles. His movie career kicked off in the early 60s and by the early 70s he was a very well known movie star known in Romania. The "Brigada Diverse" movies especially( B.D. în alerta - Profesorul de mimica (1970), The Miscellaneous Brigade Strikes Again (1970), Miscellaneous Brigade in the Mountains and at the Sea (1971)) made him famous. He tragically died in 1977, being buried alive under the wreckage and rubble left by the 4 March 1977 earthquake that destroyed the block of flats where he lived at the times. He was interred in the Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Laurentiu Nedelcu