Laza Popović, born March 19, 1839, in Vranjevo, was the son of the priest Luka Popović. His five daughters and two sons became actors in the Serbian Theater during its formation and development. He first appeared on stage at Knežević's theater in 1860 and remained there even when nearly all members, including his sisters Draginja and Ljubica, left. Later, in 1862, he moved to the Serbian National Theater but stayed for a short time. After a conflict between his son-in-law Dimitrije Kolarović and Laza Telečki, he and his sisters and sons-in-law transferred to the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb in 1863. He stayed in Zagreb until 1867 when he returned to the Serbian National Theater and, in 1868, moved to Belgrade to join the newly established National Theater.
In Zagreb, he married Marija Adelshajm, whose maiden name was Pecko (a noble Slovak family). Popović worked as an actor in the National Theater in Belgrade, also serving as its first director. He did not stay long and left in 1869 to establish his own theater troupe.
As the manager of a traveling theater, he achieved notable results, as his troupe was composed of talented actors and well-organized. He was a good pedagogue, encouraging the development of young acting talents. He traveled to many Serbian towns in Austria-Hungary, including Novi Bečej, Velika Kikinda, Veliki Bečkerek, Čakovo, Timișoara, Vršac, Bela Crkva, Kovin, Pančevo, Srbobran, Stari Bečej, Žabalj, Čurug, Kovilj, Vukovar, Osijek, Brod, Sisak, and Karlovac. He then moved with his troupe to Serbia, where he performed in Požarevac, Paraćin, Smederevo, Niš, Čačak, Kragujevac, and Leskovac.
Although his troupe was highly esteemed in Vojvodina and Serbia, he also traveled to other regions, including Croatia, Slavonia, Dalmatia, and Montenegro, visiting places where theaters had not previously performed. His repertoire included all the plays performed by the Serbian National Theater in Novi Sad and the National Theater in Belgrade.
As an actor, given his physical constitution, he played not only romantic roles but also notably dramatic and national-romantic heroes. He was one of the most talented and beloved actors in Belgrade. From the beginning of his acting career, he worked with great idealism and national enthusiasm to promote theatrical art. His pronounced patriotism was also evident in his participation in the barricades during the bombing of Belgrade in 1862 and his role as a volunteer in the Serbian-Turkish War of 1876-1877.
His troupe included, among others, his wife Marija Popović Adelshajm, his niece Emilija-Micika Popović, his sister Sofija Maksimović, and his brother Paja Popović. Notable actors in his troupe included Mihajlo Dimić and Đura Protić, who later had their own traveling theater troupes. Mihajlo Dimić led a traveling theater for 30 years and founded the "Sinđelić" theater, of which he was the first manager. Đura Protić also achieved significant success with his troupe, which operated for 40 years and was considered the best traveling troupe.
After tireless work and many travels, he returned to the National Theater in 1874, where he acted until 1882, when he withdrew from the stage for unexplained reasons. He bid farewell to the Belgrade audience by performing in the play "Battle of Dublje." From then until his death on July 24, 1892, he lived in poverty. Overwhelmed by poverty, he worked "as a mere servant in a salt warehouse just to feed his children." With considerable delay, his friends helped him, providing a modest position and support from the community.
His love for the acting profession was evident when he responded to the "Slavija" society a few days before his death, participating in the performance of "Đurađ Branković" for the benefit of the poor. The obituary in "Pozorište" no. 20, August 31, 1892, states: "He, who was merely poor, represented the poor of Belgrade! What a noble soul! And that very performance seemed to be the cause of his death. In the exuberance of his memories, in the joy of his soul, he fell awkwardly on stage and immediately felt pain in his back. And just a few days later, he was gone. How strange is human destiny. With 'Đurađ Branković,' Laza began his acting career, and with that same play, he ended his life."
The obituary continues: "Laza Popović's funeral was modest, just as his life had been. A black flag flew at the theater, and the 'Kaćanski' choir sang at the funeral."
With his second wife Vidosava, who was not an actress, he had seven children. According to Borivoje Stojković in "The History of Serbian Theater from the Middle Ages to Modern Times," after Laza's death, nine children remained, among whom Luka Popović, who founded a Serbian theater in the United States in 1911, and his daughters Ljubica Popović-Premović and Danica Popović, achieved the most success on stage.
He died on July 24, 1892, in Belgrade.
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