Czech puppeteer, director and stage designer, academic painter, secondary school professor, a significant figure of Czech and international puppet theatre, creator of the puppet characters Spejbl and Hurvínek. From 1917, he cooperated with the Puppet Theatre in Pilsen, displaying his acting talent as well as his writing and directing skills. In 1930, he founded his own professional puppet theatre in Pilsen. In 1945, he founded the Theatre of Spejbl and Hurvínek in Prague, with a repertoire aimed at both children and adults. In 1933–1957, he was the president of the international federation of puppeteers UNIMA.