(1903-1984)
Screenwriter and prolific author of lyrics to several popular Polish songs. Starski scripted a number of prewar films beginning in 1934 that were directed by Michał Waszyński (Happy Days, 1936), Leon Trystan (Two Days in Paradise, 1936, and Upstairs, 1937), and Mieczysław Krawicz (Jadzia, 1936, and Paweł and Gaweł, 1938). With Jan Fethke, he coscripted a popular musical comedy, The Forgotten Melody (1938), directed by Konrad Tom and Fethke. For this and other films he also provided lyrics to songs composed by Henryk Wars that are popular in Poland to this day.
Starski also scripted some of the most popular postwar Polish films directed by Leonard Buczkowski. These include Forbidden Songs (1947), Treasure (1949), and the classic socialist realist comedy An Adventure at Marienstadt (1954). In the 1950s, Starski wrote the script for Aleksander Ford's Holocaust drama Border Street (1949, with Fethke), Jan Rybkowski's satire Nikodem Dyzma (1956), and Fethke's comedy Irena, Go Home! (1955). He produced his last script in 1978 for another musical comedy, Hello, Fred the Beard (Janusz Rzeszewski and Mieczysław Jahoda). In addition to writing, Starski headed film units Warszawa (1948-1949) and Iluzjon (1955-1963). He is the father of set designer Allan Starski.
Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema by Marek Haltof
Guide to cinema. Academic. 2011.