Hermína Týrlová
1900 - 1993Born in Březové Hory in Central Bohemia, Hermína Týrlová learned puppet-making skills from her father, who was a woodworker and made small wood figurines. As a teenager, she moved to Prague to make a living acting, singing, and dancing in vaudeville. She also began writing and illustrating children's magazines. In 1925, she joined Studio AB, where she met her future husband, Karel Dodal. The studio produced animated films for advertising companies such as Elektrajournal and IRE-Film.Dodal and Týrlová produced 5 animated advertising films together, and in 1935, they co-directed the first commercial Czech puppet animation film, Tajemství Lucerny ("The Lantern's Secret").
Following the 1939 German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Karel Dodal took exile in the United States and then Argentina. Týrlová chose to remain in Czechoslovakia. In 1941, she moved to Zlín in eastern Moravia to work with Ladislav Kolda at Bata Studios, where she remained for the rest of her life. In 1944, she released the short film Ferda Mravenec ("Fernando the Ant"), which achieved worldwide popularity. The original puppet for the main character is on display in the Toy Museum in Figueres, Spain. In 1947, she co-directed Vzpoura Hracek ("Revolt of the Toys") with Frantisek Sadek, which combined stop-motion animation with live action footage.
She continued to write and direct animated films until 1986, and she died in Zlín on May 3, 1993 at the age of 92.
Vzpoura hraček
Hermína Týrlová, František Sádek
Eduard Linkers, Jindřich Láznička
In WWII Czechoslovakia, an old toymaker incorporates secret messages in his models to fool the Germans. They find him out and he flees. As the Gestapo officer hunts around he is attacked by the toys, who send him packing. Live action and stop motion short by Hermína Týrlová.
Revolution in Toyland
Uzel na kapesníku
Hermína Týrlová, Josef Pinkava
Martin Brems
A boy makes a knot in his handkerchief to remind himself to repair his leaky faucet. The handkerchief, however, is alive and kicking, and flees from its pocket to explore the outside world. The boy gets distracted by a game of soccer, forgetting the faucet. In the meantime, the handkerchief meets other pieces of fabric that come to life.
The Knot in the Handkerchief