Famous Serbian "Walter" actor buried in Belgrade

The Famous icon of Yugoslavian film and Serbian actor Velimir Bata Zivojinovic was buried here Thursday.

The commemoration, organized by the Association of Film Actors of Serbia at Belgrade City Hall, was attended by state and city officials, colleagues and admirers.

Hundreds gathered to share memories on the star of the movies of the 60s and 70s of the last century such as "Walter Defends Sarajevo" (1972), "Battle on Neretva" (1969) and "Kozara" (1962).

More than 1,000 people attended Zivojinovic's funeral. After memorial speeches and church choir singing, a procession carried Walter's coffin to the Alley of the Greats at the New Cemetery where he was laid in his grave next to his colleague Dragan Nikolic, another great actor who also died this year.

Zivojinovic, loved among the older generation in China for his role of "Walter" from the movie "Walter Defends Sarajevo," died in a hospital late Sunday night, after he struggled with his long illnesses.

Zivojinovic earned numerous awards and recognition for his work, while he was one of the founders of the Association of Film Actors of Serbia as well as the film festival in the town of Sopot in Serbia.

Seven of the movies he played in were in the official selection of the International Film Festival in Cannes, from 1959 to 1980.

The famous actor was born in 1933 in Koracica, a village near Belgrade. He started as a stage worker at the age of 15 and during his career as an actor played in more than 300 movies and TV shows.

Zivojinovic suffered a heart attack in 2006 and went through two heart surgeries. He also suffered from gangrene in his right foot, but received special therapies in Cuba where his daughter lives and recovered.

He recovered from a stroke four years ago, but several weeks before his death, the actor was sent to the hospital and had his leg amputated due to relapsing gangrene. Enditem