Government spokeswoman Lucie Orgoníková revealed Paroubek's final choice Aug. 15, stressing that Jandák has "a number of friends in cultural circles all over the world."

Jandák assumes the culture minister post vacated when Pavel Dostál died of cancer in July at age 62. Jandák, who has appeared in more than 20 films and TV productions, entered politics shortly after the 1989 revolution and became an assembly member at Prague City Hall for the right-wing Civic Democrats, now the senior opposition. That background, however, has proved no obstacle for Paroubek, a known pragmatist whose leftist Social Democrats serve as the senior government party.

Some determined jockeying had preceded Jandák's nomination, which was expected to be confirmed by President Václav Klaus Aug. 17. Paroubek received a delegation of artists Aug. 10 who disapproved of Jandák, a meeting that spurred a rival group to huddle with the prime minister two days later to voice their support for the actor.

"It has never before happened that artists so openly lobbied for the selection of this or that candidate," wrote one commentator in Lidové noviny.

"Paroubek will probably want to replace the agriculture minister soon. Will a group of peasants pay a visit and give him a handful of advice?" asked columnist Karel Steigerwald in a recent edition of Mladá fronta Dnes.

Jandák beat out two other candidates for culture minister: former National Theater director Jirí Srstka and Vladimír Darjanin, head of the Czech exhibition at Expo 2005 in Japan.

Paroubek, meanwhile, said he expected Jandák to establish a dialogue with churches; the culture ministry represents the government department in charge of religious affairs.