Relja was born on February 14th 1930 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia (now Croatia), to Jewish mother Elly, a famous pianist, who raised him with his stepfather, Mladen, a Croatian conductor (I found no information regarding his father). His name is included in the database of holocaust survivors and victims. He was married twice, his second wife was Koraljka, and he had 2 children, Nika and Nina.
He studied acting at the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared as a stage actor. He was a member of the Croatian National Theatre from 1956-68, where he was both actor and director. Beginning his film career in 1954, Relja became one of the busiest actors in Yugoslavia, with a film and television career which lasted for the next 60 years. He was particularly active in Yugoslav television films, usually in fairly substantial roles (unfortunately many of which are not currently available). Relja was also fluent in French, German, Italian and English, making him a popular choice to appear in smaller roles in the many international productions shot in his homeland. He would win a number of awards for his film and theatre work.
In the 1990's, while continuing to work in films, Relja entered politics, winning a seat in the Croatian Parliament as a representative of the Croatian Social Liberal Party in 1993, where he served a 4-year term. In 1995 he was awarded one of his country's highest honours, the Order of Danica Hrvatska. He was also recognised as a UNESCO artist for peace in 2004.
Relja died in Zagreb on April 7th 2017, aged 87.
Relja's biographical details are well documented and are gathered from and confirmed by many sources, including interviews, obituaries and his UNESCO profile[1].
- Koncert .... Bartol (credited)
1955 - Milioni na otoku .... Zuti / Stakor (credited)
1956 - Opsada .... Adam (credited)
- Pulverschnee nach Übersee .... role unknown (credited as "Relija Basic")
1957 - La ragazza della salina .... Innkeeper (credited)
- Vraticu se .... Witness at the bar (credited)
1960 - Austerlitz .... Austrian officer (uncredited)
1961 - Febbre di rivolta .... Commander (credit unknown)
- Il ratto delle sabine .... Man offering a horse to join the Romans (uncredited)
- Le sette sfide .... role unknown (credited as "Rela Basic")
1962 - Il capitano di ferro .... One of Furio's men (credited)
1964 - Le maledette pistole di Dallas .... Guitar player (uncredited)
- Ursus, il terrore dei kirghisi .... One of Zereteli's men (uncredited - re-used footage)
1965 - Covik od svita (TV movie) .... Croatian guest worker (credited)
- Kljuc .... Hotel guest (credited)
- Tonkina jedina ljubav (TV movie) .... Andrea (credited)
1966 - Madamigella di Maupin .... Bandit (uncredited)
- Mokra koza .... role unknown (credit unknown)
- Rondo .... Feda (credited)
1967 - Crne ptice .... Milan (credited)
- Hasanaginica .... Property caddy (credited)
- Posalji coveka u pola dva .... Inspector (credit unknown)
1968 - Flammes sur l'Adriatique .... Captain Popovitch (credited)
- Imam dvije mame i dva tate .... First father (credited)
- Operation Cross Eagles .... Admiral Von Vogels (credited as "Relja Bashich")
1969 - Divlji andjeli .... Hotel animator (credited)
- Michael Kohlhaas - Der Rebell .... Nagel (credited as "Relia Basic")
- Most .... Sava (credited)
1970 - Dio è con noi .... Lieutenant George Romney (credited as "Relia Basic")
- Moji dragi dobrotvori (TV movie) .... Feri (credit unknown)
- Tko pjeva zlo ne misli .... Gospon Fulir (credit unknown)
- Togetherness .... Mr. J.C. (credited)
1971 - La corta notte delle bambole di vetro .... Ivan (credited)
1972 - Sammy (TV movie) .... Sammy (credit unknown)
- The Curse of a Faithful Wife .... role unknown (poster credit)
- Valter brani Sarajevo (Movie / TV mini-series) .... Obersturmführer - the leader of the thrown group (credited)
1973 - Kuzis stari moj .... Grof (credited)
- Ljubavnik (TV movie) .... Richard (credit unknown)
- Sutjeska .... Captain Stewart (credited)
1974 - Crna lista (TV movie) .... Dzordz Vaj (credited)
- Deps .... Pijanac (credited)
- Tatort (TV series) Ep. 39: "Acht Jahre später" .... Brossberg (credited)
1975 - Kuca .... Architect (credited - role unconfirmed)
1976 - Izbavitelj .... Izbavitelj / Gradonacelnik (credited)
- Izjava (TV movie) .... Official Stipe (credited)
1978 - Ljubica .... Zdenko (credit unknown - role unconfirmed)
- Praznovanje pomladi .... Captain (credited)
- Punom parom (TV series) Eps. unknown .... Tumbas (credit unknown)
1979 - Usporeno kretanje .... Bruno (credited)
1980 - Alpensaga (TV series) Ep. 6: "Ende und Anfang" .... Alexander (credited)
- Rad na odredjeno vreme .... Zeljko Gospodnetic (credited)
1981 - Ujka Vanja (TV movie) .... Astrov (credit unknown)
- Poveli smo, Mestre .... voice of Actor in 'Glembajevima' (credited)
- Visoki napon .... Jurcec (credited)
1982 - Caruga (TV movie) .... role unknown (credit unknown)
- Gospon lovac (TV movie) .... role unknown (credit unknown)
- Kiklop (movie & TV mini-series) .... Atma (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
- Moj tata na odredjeno vreme .... Zeljko Gospodnetic (credited)
- Nepokoreni Grad (TV series) Eps. 1, 2 .... Gazda Milan (credit unknown)
1983 - Un foro nel parabrezza .... Tommasini (credited)
1984 - Memed My Hawk .... Mad Durdu (credited)
1985 - Anticasanova .... Mirkov chief (credited)
- Bal na vodi .... Glenn (credit unknown)
- Drei und eine halbe Portion .... Gonzales (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
- Inspektor Vinko (TV series) Eps. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 .... Tajnik Zmegac (credited)
- Jenseits der Morgenröte (TV series) Eps. 3, 5, 6 .... Volkov (credited in 4 episodes)
- Mussolini: The Untold Story (TV mini-series) Ep. 1 .... Minister of foreign affairs (uncredited)
- Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (TV movie) .... Colonel Laszlo Ferenczy (credited)
1986 - Putovanje u Vucjak (TV series) Eps. unknown .... Jurica Mazur (credit unknown)
1987 - Fortunes of War (TV mini-series) Eps. 1, 3 .... Emmanuel Drucker (credited)
- Il generale (TV mini-series) All episodes .... Stefano Turr (credited)
- Race for the Bomb (TV mini-series) Eps. 2, 3 .... Harry Gold (credited)
- Secondo Ponzio Pilato .... High Priest Anna (credited)
- The Magic Snowman .... Captain Longbrau (credited)
1988 - Eksperiment profesora Hincica (TV movie) .... Ambroz Strukelj (credit unknown)
- Honor Bound .... Gorodnikov (credited)
- Tako se kalio celik .... Misel (credit unknown)
1989 - Covjek koji je znao gdje je sjever a gdje jug (TV movie) .... Prison warden (credited)
- Just Another Secret (TV movie) .... role unknown (uncredited)
- Ptice nebeske (TV mini-series) Ep. 5: "Prst sudbine" .... Menadzer (credited)
1990 - Captain America .... Industrialist (credited)
- Dirigenti i muzikasi (TV mini-series) Ep. 7: "Krstitke" .... role unknown (credited)
- Neunistivi (TV series) Eps. 7, 8 .... Director Grgec (credit unknown)
1991 - Memories of Midnight (TV mini-series) All episodes .... Theophilos (credited)
- The Pope Must Die .... Alberto (credited)
1993 - Kontesa Dora (movie & TV mini-series) .... Krsnjavi (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
1995 - Internationale Zone .... role unknown (credit unknown)
1997 - Puska za uspavljivanje .... role unknown (poster credit)
1998 - Die strassen von Berlin (TV series) S. 2, ep. 5: "Die Bazooka-bande" .... Pantic (credit unknown)
- Kanjon opasnih igara .... (credited, as "Karl Stolzer", but not found)
- Transatlantik .... role unknown (poster credit)
2001 - Nasi i vasi (TV series) S. 1, eps. 2, 4 .... Uncle Misko (credited)
2002 - Nasi i vasi (TV series) S. 2, ep. 10 .... Uncle Misko (credited)
2003 - Heimkehr .... Chairman (credited)
2006 - Libertas .... Spanish consul (credit unknown)
- Obicni ljudi (TV series) 28 episodes .... Redatelj Branko (credited in 32 episodes)
- Ivo Štivičić Glumački portret Relja Bašić (1995 documentary) as interviewee
- Sonne über der Adria (1954) IMDb
- Audicija (1957 TV movie) IMDb
- Pravilna linija (1959 TV movie) IMDb
- Veselo putovanje (1959 TV series) IMDb, episodes unknown
- Avion za Paragvaj (1960 TV movie) IMDb
- Krokodil (1960 TV movie) IMDb
- Kurir Tonci - Truba (1960 TV movie) IMDb
- Parnica oko magarece sjene (1960 TV movie) IMDb
- Pokojnik (1961 TV movie) IMDb
- Vucjak (1961 TV movie) IMDb
- Blizanci (1962 TV movie) IMDb
- Il bandito della luce rossa (1962) IMDb
- Nasljednici putuju zajedno (1962 TV movie) IMDb
- Bezimena (1963 TV movie) IMDb
- Le verdi bandiere di Allah (1963) IMDb. I didn't recognise him, but the only available prints are all kinds of awful, so it's possible I missed him.
- Mit Karl May im Orient (1963 TV series) IMDb, episodes unknown
- Zenidba gospodina Marcipana (1963 short) IMDb
- Autobiografija utopljenice (1964 TV movie) IMDb
- Cuvaj se senjske ruke (1964 TV movie) IMDb as Antonio
- Gogoljeva smrt (1964 TV movie) IMDb
- Umorstvo na pozornici (1964 TV movie) IMDb
- Usluga tocna i solidna (1964 TV movie) IMDb
- Apel (1965 TV movie) IMDb
- Bademi s onu stranu smrti (1965 TV movie) IMDb
- Banket (1965 TV movie) IMDb
- Licem u nalicje (1965 TV series) S.2, ep.3. IMDb
- Mala nocna muzika (1965 TV movie) IMDb
- Udruzenje radoznalih (1965 TV series) 2 episodes. IMDb
- Mediteranska klima (1966 TV movie) IMDb as Pavle
- Nastavak slijedi (1966 TV movie) IMDb
- Trazenje sibice (1966 TV movie) IMDb
- Zagrebacki koktel (1966 TV movie) IMDb
- Der Kommandant von Molinette (1967) IMDb
- Kroz sibe (1967 TV movie) IMDb as Martin Semic
- U susret zeljama (1967 TV series) 4 episodes. IMDb as Relja
- Vrijeme rakova (1967) TV movie) IMDb
- Mali nocni zmajevi (1968 TV movie) IMDb
- Maratonci (1968 TV series) Eps. 2 & 3. IMDb as Luka / Boris
- Politicka vecera (1968 TV movie) IMDb
- Seansa (1968 TV movie) IMDb
- Tramp oder der einzige und unvergleichliche Lenny Jacobsen (1968 TV movie) IMDb as Smith
- Kanarinac (1969 TV movie) IMDb
- Meteor (1969 TV movie) IMDb as Wolfgang Schwiter
- Nedjelja (1969) IMDb as Kucevlasnik
- Sedmina (1969) IMDb as Carlo Gasparone
- Velika mala pricaonica (1969 TV series) Episodes unknown. IMDb
- Put u raj (1970) IMDb as Kristian Pendrekovski
- The Gamblers (1970) IMDb as Yakov
- Verhör - 'Tatort' Chefzimmer (1970 TV movie) IMDb
- Fabien (1971 TV movie) IMDb
- Auto trubi: mi smo rodoljubi (1972 TV series) Ep.1: "Besna kobila". IMDb
- Lov na jelene (1972) IMDb as Lawyer Janjic
- Tanz auf dem Regenbogen (1972 TV series) All episodes. IMDb as Velt Gregor
- Diogenes (1973 TV movie) IMDb
- Ein für allemal (1973) IMDb as Santini
- Frühbesprechung (1973 TV series) Ep.1: "Der Held". IMDb as Branko Kovacevic
- Moji gosti i ja... (1973 TV series) Unknown episodes. IMDb
- Pjegava djevojka (1973) IMDb as Mirando
- Pozoriste u kuci (1974 TV serie) 2 episodes. IMDb as Zvonko Mihaljcic
- Poslednja utrka (1975 short film) IMDb
- Sie kommen aus Agarthi (1975 TV series) Episodes unknown. IMDb
- Zivot je lep (1975 TV series) Ep.5: "Beogradski mali pijac...". IMDb as Zan Pjer
- Der Anwalt (1977 TV series) S.2, ep.12: "Der Fall Brencovic". IMDb as Herr Brencovic
- Gospodja ministarka (1978 TV movie) IMDb as Ninkovic
- Die Einfälle der heiligen Klara (1980 TV movie) IMDb as Professor Brunat
- Gospodjica (1980) IMDb
- Kineska vaza (1980 TV movie) IMDb
- Pod Greckom Goricom (1980 TV movie) IMDb
- Frau über vierzig (1981 TV series) Ep.1: "Auf den Hof gehört ein Mann". IMDb
- Kasno, natporucnice! (1981) TV movie) IMDb
- Niemandsland (1981 TV movie) IMDb
- 4 Hoffmanns und 5 Cupovics (1983 TV mini-series) Episodes unknown. IMDb as Gjuro Cupovic
- U logoru (1983 TV movie) IMDb as Chief physician Dr. Altmann
- Uzbuna (1983 TV movie) IMDb
- Bis später, ich muss mich erschiessen (1984) IMDb as Aristarch
- Der blinde Richter (1984 TV series) Ep.1: "In Sachen Tom". IMDb
- Rani snijeg u Münchenu (1984) IMDb as Davor
- Ljubavna pisma s predumisljajem (1985) IMDb as Primarijus
- Samoubica (1985 TV movie) IMDb
- Der Millionenfund (1986 TV movie) IMDb
- Lenz oder die Freiheit (1986 TV series) Ep.1: "Aufbruch". IMDb as Mieroslawski. I searched this episode without finding Relja, however the ending and closing credits were cut, so there's still a slight possibility he may appear or be credited.
- Nägel mit Köpfen (1986) IMDb
- Der Astronaut (1987 TV movie) IMDb
- Njezne prevare (1988 TV movie) IMDb
- Vila Orhideja (1988) IMDb
- The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway (1989 TV movie) IMDb
- Ljeto za sjecanje (1990) IMDb as Grof
- Neunistivi (1990 TV series) Eps. 1, 3, 5 & 6 (eps. 7 & 8 already confirmed). IMDb as Director Grgec
- Carobna tikva (1991 short film) IMDb
- Between Zaghlul and Zaharias (1994 short film) IMDb
- Ihre Exzellenz, die Botschafterin (1994 TV series) Ep.3: "Romeo und Julia". IMDb as Milan Pavlovic
- Cudnovate zgode segrta Hlapica (1997 animated movie) IMDb as the voice of Crni Stakor
- Nasi i vasi (2001 TV series) Ep,5 (3 other episodes already confirmed). IMDb as Uncle Misko
- Ispod crte (2003) IMDb as Antun Pozgaj
- Verflüchtigung (2004) IMDb as Mafia boss
- Stipe u gostima (2008 TV series) S.1, Ep.13: "Dalmatinska purica". IMDb as Dragec
- Markov trg (2014 TV movie) IMDb as Mysterious man
- Nel segno di Roma (1959) IMDb as Soldier. I searched carefully through all the scenes shot in Yugoslavia with no luck finding him. If he does appear then he must be unidentifiable.
- L'incendio di Roma (1965) IMDb. I've been through this film numerous times without ever finding Relja.
- Little Mother (1973) IMDb. Not credited and not found.
- War and Remembrance (1988 TV mini-series) IMDb as Doctor on vessel 'Redeemer' in episodes 4 and 5. Relja is not credited and, as far as I could find, does not appear.
1. Relja's profile on the UNESCO website, which I believe to be a reliable source. |