Arben Shaka (1952 – 2022) Comedy actor, director, master of pantomime and screenwriter of several cartoons! He was born in Tirana on August 26, 1952. For the younger generations, he is a name not very present on the Albanian scene, but his name is unforgettable for many other generations. Arben Shaka has a career of about 33 years, creator in the national circus, in the variety theater, television, cinematography, etc. Well-known comedy actor, clown/entertainer of Tirana's Circus and Estrada, director and master of pantomime. 
He started his artistic career in 1966, where he performed the role of the driver in the pantomime "Driver and Passenger", authored by Agim Nallbani and his partner in the role of the passenger was Astrit Ferizaj. That same year, Arben Shaka started working as an electro-auto at the Truck Park and this pantomime was presented at the festival of amateur variety shows. He was 16 years old and was completely surprised by the absolute success of this pantomime and mainly in the success he achieved in the role of the driver. At the age of 17, in the month of April. In 1968, he started his professional career on the stage of the Estrada Theater of Tirana, starting with this pantomime "…. I don't forget at the height of its success on the stage of the variety show, when I performed giving myself to the role, by chance I looked at the spectators and to my surprise they all jumped from their chairs imitating me, in those magical moments six hundred spectators were performing with me…" 
Arben Shaka has had a fate that has followed him during the 30 years of his career. Participating in films was the reason for his success on the stage and he did not even think that he would be taken so soon to shoot in a film. The inclinations of the artist Shaka were mainly for acting pantomime and musical couplets and here there is a commonality with the fine art of the circus. At first, he wanted to play only on the Estrada stage, but the insistence of the People's Artist and at the same time the creator of the Albanian circus, Telat Agolli, at that time he was the artistic leader of the circus, forced him to take part in both the Circus and the Estrada, as they were in a directorate. The circus master had smelled that there was a perspective in this beautiful art and it turned out that way… With hard work, a lot of sweat and passion, Arben Shaka managed to be successful in the Tirana Circus and Estrada. In September 1998, like many Albanians, he left with his family to emigrate to Greece. The reason for leaving in a somewhat unexpected way was the difficult economic situation. Arbeni, the wife and mother lived fifteen years in Greece, while the two daughters and the son will continue to live and work normally. Fifteen years in a seaside tourist town with its beauty and cleanliness and with respectable residents of Lutraki. In the first month of going to Greece, Arben's mind suggested that you would become active as a comic actor, and in fact I started asking and looking for you seriously, but not having the right information about your Greek colleagues, your dream and passion faded away immediately. For the first and last time in Greece, he gave a pantomime program with synchronized music together with Herion (son) and Jorida (second daughter). The performance was given in a neighborhood of Athens in Kifisia, in the house of an architect where family, relatives and friends, about sixty people, were present. The one hour and fifteen minute program was a success and everyone burst out laughing. During his artistic career he had many companions and friends, but closest to him were Skënder Plasarin, Xhemal Muftiu (Kacja), Enver Dauti. While closer to the stage of the Estrada of Tirana, his co-performers were Skënder Sallaku, Xhemal Myftiu, Vasillaq Vangjeli, Maxhide Pici (PUPI), Vegim Xhani, Dario Llukaci, etc. I was lucky enough to play on the Estrada stage with the great Mihal Popi and later with Melpomeni Çobani, an excellent character actress. While, as far as the Circus is concerned, his main partner was Met Selimi, master of acrobatic and acting clowning, where for many years they were next to each other, amid the many applauses of art lovers. 
After acting, Arben's passion was painting and then photography. In the Circus, having the position of clown actor and foundation in acrobatic elements, with a pleasant vocal, had created a permanent success. The film "Circus in the village" (1977), where Arben Shaka played the role of Agron, was a success, but he had many other roles both in television variety shows and in variety shows with complete success. For the first time, he took part in a film in 1969 in "Why does this drum beat". Then it continues again in the second film in v. 1972 in "Odyssey of the fans" and in the same year he appears in the movie "Kapedani" as one of the young people of the village. 
In recent times, he has always expressed that he would most like to accept a role in a TV movie or television, or a TV spot. Once he had an abundant repertoire on Albanian Television, in children's shows, children's variety shows and telefilms, adult variety shows and telecomedies. In his career, he spent a full thirty-three years in the circus, on stage and on the screen, for Albanian art lovers, and for this he was honored with the Naim Frasheri medal for acting in the field of humor. The artist changed his life on January 23, 2022. The sad news was given on the "Albanian Cinema" page on Facebook. _________ Albanian cinematography in activity since 2013 Previously published on Facebook – November 2015 and revised in the following years. Reference: "Our Time"
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