Born in 1915 in Prilep, Ilija started his education in the Music Academy in Belgrade, where he attended singing classes. In 1944 he went vo island Vis, Croatia, where he became an actor. After Vis, Ilija went to Moscow to be part of the radio station edition "Free Yugoslavia". He returned to Macedonia and start acting in MNT in 1945. In 1964 he started his acting carreer in Zagreb in the national theater and was the professor for Macedonian students in Croation Academy of theater, film and tv in 1967. In 1972 he returned to Macedonia and became professor at Macedonian Academy of drama.
