Ryszard Kotys was a Polish actor, director, and writer. He graduated from the National Academy of Theatre Arts in Krakow in 1953 and made his theatrical debut at the Stefan Zeromski Theater in Kielce. Over his career, he performed in various theaters across Poland, including in Gdansk, Wroclaw, Tarnow, Bialystok, and Lodz. He also directed theatrical productions. In his more than 65-year-long career, Kotys appeared in over 150 productions. He gained popularity for his role as Marian Pazdzioch in the TV series Swiat wedlug Kiepskich (1999), which he played for over 20 years. His contributions to Polish cinema and theater were recognized when he was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta in 1999.