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Jan Rubes

Highest Rated: 93% Witness (1985)

Lowest Rated: 17% The Amityville Curse (1990)

Birthday: Jun 6, 1920

Birthplace: St. Volyne, Czechoslovakia

To movie fans, Jan Rubeš is best known for his portrayal of the stern Amish father in Peter Weir's Oscar-winning thriller "Witness." Yet Rubeš is more than a well-established character actor; he is an internationally renowned opera singer. Following World War II, the Czechoslovakia-born performer graduated from the Prague Conservatory and was soon performing at the Prague Opera House. In the late 1940s, he emigrated to Canada, where his career in opera flourished. Shortly thereafter, Rubeš broke into film with the lead role in the espionage drama "Forbidden Journey." Yet he didn't return to movies until 1963, when he accepted a supporting role in the animal adventure "The Incredible Journey." Since then, he's proven prolific, appearing in nearly 100 film and television productions, chief among them 1985's "Witness." Shortly after this eye-catching performance, Rubeš won a series regular role on the short-lived medical drama "Kay O'Brien." His next major film role came in 1994, when he played lovable father figure Jan opposite Emilio Estevez in Disney's ice hockey comedy "D2: The Mighty Ducks." Rubeš continued to balance work in the opera with appearances in film and television into the 2000s, with parts in such popular series as the Canada-set crime comedy "Due South," the paranormal series "The X-Files," and the Las Vegas-set drama "Tilt." He made his final television appearance in 2005, playing Pope John Paul II in the controversial drama "Our Fathers." Rubeš died four years later, leaving behind a lengthy filmography and a legacy of music.

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Highest rated movies

93% 80% Witness Watchlist
89% 74% The Incredible Journey
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77% 51% Class Action
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77% 47% Dead of Winter
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50% 23% The Burial Society
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44% 49% The Republic of Love
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40% 46% Deceived
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39% 67% Snow Falling on Cedars
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29% 56% Roommates
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20% 59% D2: The Mighty Ducks
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 68% Our Fathers Pope John Paul (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 44% Daniel and the Superdogs The Colonel (Character) - 2004
44% 49% The Republic of Love Strom (Character) - 2003
50% 23% The Burial Society Marvin Telekunsky (Character) $20.6K 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Anthrax Arthur Kowalski (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Christmas Secret Andree (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 47% Believe Jason Stiles (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nightmare Man Evan Hannibal (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 62% What Katy Did Dr. Reinhart (Character) - 1999
39% 67% Snow Falling on Cedars Ole Jurgensen (Character) $14.4M 1999
No Score Yet 22% The White Raven Markus Strand (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rescuers: Stories of Courage -- Two Couples Hendrick de Vries (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Boozecan Pops (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 50% The Third Twin Unknown (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 40% Flood: A River's Rampage Jacob Gunderson (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Never Too Late Joseph (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 71% Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Far (Character) - 1995
29% 56% Roommates Bolek Krupa (Character) $12.1M 1995
20% 59% D2: The Mighty Ducks Jan (Character) $45.6M 1994
No Score Yet 13% The Birds II: Land's End Karl (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 57% Mesmer Prof. Stoerk (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Coming of Age Tomas Havel (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet By Way of the Stars Hausierer Nathan (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Devlin Vittorio Di Fabrizi (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet On My Own The Colonel (Character) - 1992
77% 51% Class Action Alexander Pavel (Character) $23.9M 1991
40% 46% Deceived Tomasz (Character) $28.7M 1991
17% 14% The Amityville Curse Priest (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 10% Descending Angel Bishop Dancu (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 30% The Experts Illyich (Character) $89.1K 1989
No Score Yet 0% Blind Fear Lasky (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet 67% Courage Mountain Grandfather (Character) $1.3M 1989
No Score Yet 17% Blood Relations Andreas (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet 42% The Kiss Gordon Tobin (Character) $1.6M 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet No Blame Dr. Bloomer (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Two Men Michael Barra (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Something About Love Stan Olynyk (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet 33% The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick Augustus Glick (Character) - 1988
77% 47% Dead of Winter Dr. Joseph Lewis (Character) $2.2M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Marriage Bed Max Ehrlich (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murder: By Reason of Insanity Giorgi Denerenko (Character) - 1985
93% 80% Witness Eli Lapp (Character) $65.3M 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Charlie Grant's War Jacob (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 64% The Amateur Kaplan (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mr. Patman Vrakettas (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lions for Breakfast Ivan (Character) - 1975
89% 74% The Incredible Journey Carl Nurmi (Character) - 1963

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Outer Limits Robert Greene / Older Karl Rademacher (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet 83% Due South Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 85% ER Mr. Duzak (Guest Star) 1997
74% 86% The X-Files Vassily Peskow (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fame Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kay O'Brien Dr. Josef Wallach (Character) 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Night Heat Unknown (Guest Star) 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lassie Johann (Guest Star) 1972