Mihai Mălaimare (born August 27, 1950, in Botoșani, Romania) is a theater and film actor, founder, and former director of the Masca Theater.

He graduated from the Institute of Theater and Film Arts in 1973, in the class of professors Moni Ghelerter, Zoe Anghel Stanca, and Geta Angheluță. He was valedictorian and was assigned to the National Theater in Bucharest. He acted in plays such as Richard III by W. Shakespeare (1975), Twelfth Night by W. Shakespeare (1984), Cyrano de Bergerac by E. Rostand (1976), The Girl from Andros by Terence (1977), Romulus the Great by Dürrenmatt (1977), Alexandru Lăpușneanu by V. Stoenescu (1978), Filumena Marturano by E. De Filippo, The Overcoat by Gogol, Harap Alb by Răducu Itcus, and others. He also directed and wrote the scripts for the plays Actorul (The Actor) and Clovnii (The Clowns).

He studied pantomime at the “Jacques Lecoq” Theater School in Paris.

In 1990, he founded his own theater, Masca, which he has since led. He performed in shows like Medievale (as the puppeteer), Clovnii (as Fratelini), The Overcoat by Gogol (Akaky), A Murit Moartea, Măi! (Death is Dead, Man!) after Ion Creanga (as Ion), Oina, where he wrote the script, directed, and played the role of a clown, and Gardienii Veseli (The Cheerful Guards) (as the colonel).

At the National Radio Theater, he debuted in 1974 with the play Mușcata din Fereastră by V. Ion Popa, followed by Baladă pentru Nouă Cerbi by D.R. Popescu, the musical Cheia Succesului or Titanic Vals by Tudor Mușatescu, Boemii by Ovidiu Dumitru, De Dragul Ei (For Her Sake), The Girl from Andros by Terence, Epicene by Ben Johnson. He directed the play Domnul de Pourceaugnac, and in 2011, he wrote the script and directed the radio play Ex Libris at Masca Theater. He has also participated in numerous radio variety shows and children’s programs.

He made his film debut in 1976 with Doctor fără Voie (The Doctor in Spite of Himself), and later appeared in Rețeaua S(The S Network), Nea Mărin Miliardar, Căruța cu Mere (The Cart with Apples), Sosesc Păsările Călătoare (The Migratory Birds Arrive), Șobolanii Roșii (The Red Rats), and more.
Mihai Mălaimare holds a PhD in Theater History, was a professor at the National University of Theater and Film (UNATC), acting department (1984-1989), taught acting at the Ecological University, and pantomime at the Pygmalion Theater School in Vienna. He authored the books Maidane cu Teatru (Theater in the Slums), Demisia (Resignation), and Șansa (The Chance).

On December 13, 2002, Mihai Mălaimare was awarded the National Order of Faithful Service in the rank of Knight, alongside other actors, “for their dedication and artistic talent in the service of Romanian theater, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the National Theater in Bucharest.”

Filmography

• Explozia(1972)
• Filip cel Bun(1975)
• Tufă de Veneția(1977)
• Nea Mărin Miliardar(1979)
• Falansterul(1979)
• Ora Zero(1979)
• Rețeaua S(1980)
• Grăbește-te Încet(1982)
• Întâlnirea(1982)
• Căruța cu Mere(1983)
• Sosesc Păsările Călătoare(1985)
• Mușchetarii în Vacanță(1985)
• Secretul lui Nemesis(1987)
• Totul se Plătește(1987)
• Uimitoarele Aventuri ale Mușchetarilor(1988) – voice
• Un Studio în Căutarea unei Vedete(1989)
• Șobolanii Roșii(1991)
• Turnul din Pisa(2002)
• Întoarcerea Magilor(2016)

Sources: Wikipedia, Cinemagia