In 1973, Cluj-Napoca was the filming location for “The Freckle”. The locations in the city where the series was filmed. Photo

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Freckled was the first color series that was produced in Romania, and most of the sequences filmed outside were made in Cluj-Napoca.

Pistruiatul, Emmanuel de Martonne street/ Photo: András Vajda – Facebook/Memories from Old Cluj

The series tells the fictional adventures of the freckled boy Mihai Pleșa as he becomes involved in supporting the illegal movement.

Directed by Francisc Munteanu, the cast included Sergiu Nicolaescu in the role of the illegal Andrei, Réka Nagy in the main female role of the history teacher and Costel Băloiu in the debut role of Pistruiatul. The actors Peter Paulhoffer, Margareta Pogonat, Ion Dichiseanu, Vistrian Roman and Zephi Alșec were also part of the cast.

What was happening in the Freckles?

In a small provincial town (Arad), members of the illegal communist movement are fervently preparing for the day of liberation. Freckled, a 13-year-old boy, becomes the hero of these events led from the shadows by his friend and companion Andrei himself. Helped by the history teacher, his father and, most of the time, the dog Calu, the kid faces any challenge with ease and courage. In the end, Pistruiatul finds out what was the result of those “missions” given by Andrei, the support of communist movements.

The Freckled had ten episodes: The Escape, The Encounter, The Violin, The Depot, The Suitcase, The Liaison, The Flyers, The Informant, The Dolma, and The Release.

Freckled, filmed in Cluj-Napoca

Two cities were chosen for the exterior filming, Cluj-Napoca and Oradea. In the center of Cluj, it was filmed in the area of ​​the University Library, Napoca street, Iuliu Maniu, Bolyai, on Cetătăuie, Cipariu area, Cardinal Iuliu Hossu, as well as in the area of ​​the Hajongard Cemetery and the Central Park. It was also filmed on the Flying Bridge in Cluj-Napoca.

Costel Băloiu, the main role in the series Pistruiatul

Costel Băloiu was in the main role in the series Pistruiatul and in the movie Roscovanul. He also appeared in the films Immortals, Pentru patrie, Melodii, melodii, We, those in the first line and Personal Guard. Costel Băloiu was born on May 17, 1959, and at the age of 14 he experienced success with the film “Freckle”. he refuses, so he became a professional driver.

“Sometimes I’m angry with Freckled: that he didn’t do more, that he wasn’t ambitious, that he wasn’t more “naughty”. Sometimes I’m angry with myself, because I believed too much in people,” Costel Băloiu confessed, several years ago, according to Adevărul.ro.

Followed all my life by the “Freckle”

Costel Băloiu stated that over the years, he was never comfortable when asked about his acting career.

“The “freckle” followed me all my life. And in a good sense, and in a bad sense. Where I went to work, I wanted to be Costel Băloiu, a normal man. But some people saw me as a star, as an arrogant person. But there were also situations in which this role helped me. I have often thought about what my life story would have been, what friends I would have had, many times I wonder if the person next to me is talking to the Băloiu man or if he thinks he is next to “The Freckled”. When I turn the corner, no one will say: “Costel Băloiu is dead”. They will say: “Freckled is dead”, claimed Băloiu, who for decades earned his living as a taxi driver or truck driver.

156 days of filming

In the summer of 1973, Oradea and Cluj became filming locations for “The Freckle”, the series directed by Francisc Munteanu, with Costel Băloiu and Sergiu Nicolaescu in the main roles. The two cities were chosen primarily because of the streets that still preserved the fragrance of the interwar era. Interior filming was done in Buftea.

Costel Băloiu was, 50 years ago, a student of School no. 200 from Bucharest. He was chosen from over 500 children, aged between 10 and 15, who appeared at the auditions. “In the film he has the marathon role of the series. 156 days of filming. None of the Romanian actors has ever had such a long role”, said Francisc Munteanu in the May 1973 issue of “Cinema” magazine.

Cluj in old Romanian movies

In the Facebook group entitled “Memories from Old Cluj” a collage of videos that are part of old Romanian films was published.

Those films were filmed in Cluj-Napoca, 100 years ago, according to the video material, when the city on Someș was seen as a “Hollywood of Transylvania”.

The video provoked multiple reactions among the people of Cluj, who redistributed it more than 250 times and who corrected memories in the comments section.

Some of them noticed well-known actors from the respective videos: “We also see actors such as Puiu Călinescu, Grigore Vasiliu Birlic; We also hear the voice of Stefan Mihailescu-Brăila, (in the garden of the Casino)”, or even places in the city that have changed over time:

– “I also spotted the toy store on the former 6 Martie,” says a woman from Cluj
– “At 0:30, the sequence filmed at the Clinics, in the distance, beyond the passage, you can see the massive commemorative plaque that was fixed at the top of the steps leading to the 1st terrace,” says another Cluj resident.

At the end of the video, the author says that scenes from the films Escortata, Mingea, Gaudeamus Igitur, Corigenta Domnului Profesor, Pistruiatul were used.

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