The notable American journalist – and former Budapest denizen – Matt Welch has an interesting piece in the current issue of the libertarian magazine Reason bemoaning the indifference on the part of the American media and the United States in general to the “twentieth anniversary” of the defeat of European communism. As he caustically notes, a search of recent US newspaper articles found fewer mentions of the opening of the Iron Curtain by the Hungarian authorities two decades ago than the 25th anniversary of the creation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Ouch.
While I’d agree that the unexpected and rather sudden transition of Hungary and the region from Brezhnevist “stagnations” to whatever came next was bigger news than a comic book about reptile martial artists, two follow-up “commemorative” pieces about 1989 make a good case for the turtles. From the Associated Press comes this depressing piece about the failure of some former East Bloc countries – and especially Hungary – to open up their communist-era spy files. Then there is this one by hard-left British hack Neil Clark explaining how well some of the leaders of pre-1989 Hungary did out of the whole transition scam.
As we get closer to the key date in the non-celebrations – November 9, the day the Berlin Wall was opened – we can probably expect to see more of the same, including sad “where are they now” pieces about key liberation figures who either came to semi-tragic ends (Lech Wałęsa) or who didn’t, but are despised by the left-liberal media establishment (Václav Klaus, Vitkor Orbán). For me, all I’ll say is, whatever the flaws of the post-89 transition, at least now we have Nutella and banana pizzas, and the right to express an opinion on just how delicious or gross they are.
If it makes anyone feel any better, we have had several comprehensive news stories about the part Hungary played in the opening of the Iron Curtain, with interviews with various people who were there when it happened. We even had a full-length interview with Solyom in a special news presentation. …and in case any one is wondering, Hungary was cast in a very positive light.
HUNGARIANS IN HOLLYWOOD
BĖLA LUGOSI REMEMBERED- A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
What I would like to celebrate with you all is the birthday of world famous Hungarian actor, Béla Lugosi. His birthday falls on Oct.20 1882. To this very day, like it or not, he is the best known and recognized Hungarian of all time before the world. He is Hungary’s “favorite son”, meaning our most famous compatriot.
Born Béla Blasko in the town of Lugos in Temes county, Béla considered himself true blue Hungarian all his life, in spite of his surname of Blasko, which hints at Slavic ancestry. There was a lot of ethnic intermarriage in those days, and many non-Magyars could speak Hungarian. Later when Lugosi was in a position to help others get studio jobs in Hollywood, he accepted as a brother or sister anyone who could speak to him in Hungarian. When you spoke to him in our language, your politics and purity of blood was not his concern. The man was a real patriot, and got many of our people hired into the film industry, at a time when there was a depression on and people born in the US had a very tough time getting studio jobs. Studio jobs were sought after, as they often paid ranging from well, to extremely well, to just plain out of this world.
(1)
Lugosi showed a passion for the stage from boyhood. He would write and direct plays and stage them in a barn, using his playmates as actors. He wound up on the stage in Lugos, and from there made it into the theater in Szabadka and then Szeged, from where he participated in a repertory that toured Hungarian towns and counties. From there he was noticed by a couple of theater companies in Budapest. In 1911 he accepted an offer from the Royal Theater in Budapest, and in 1913 was accepted by the prestigious National Theater, or Nemzeti Színház.
Following his service in the army and becoming wounded on the Carpathian front fighting the Russians, he returned to the stage in 1916 and also became involved with the Hungarian film industry, which then was only 5 years old.
As I look over the list of Lugosi’s credits from the Hungarian stage alone, I am astounded by their sheer number. From between 1902 and 1919, he starred in about 165 productions! That’s an average of almost 10 per year. They included Hungarian productions of Shakespeare, such as Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Macbeth, Julius Ceasar, Schiller’s Maria Stuart, Goethe’s Faust; Hungarian literary classics like Madács’s The Tragedy of Man (Az Ember Tragédiája) and historical play’s like II Rákóczi Fogsága by Szigligeti.
(2)
From 1917 to 1918, he starred in 9 Hungarian films, three of them directed by the legendary film genius Kertész Mihály, who went on to America as Michael Curtiz and immortality as the director of the famed movie “Casablanca”(1941) (often voted as one of the best and favorite movies of all time), and other film classics. I will do another “Hungarians in Hollywood” installment honoring Curtiz.
The national and political troubles intensified and affected everybody. With the rise of the Károlyi “government” (The use of quotation marks is my editorial sarcasm), Lugosi and some other actors got involved in the creation of an actors union (something Ronald Reagan did in the 40’s), the purpose of which was to ensure that actors were paid what they were promised by management and that they were paid some livable wage. Károlyi was quickly followed by Kun Béla and his Soviet style regime. Although the new Communist govt. supported the idea of an actors union, Lugosi was appalled by the ideological violence and totalitarianism. This soviet “experiment” came to an end, to be followed by the rightist Horthy regime.
(3)
Horthy rode into “sinful Budapest” on his trademark white horse in order to clear out the red scum, as he viewed it. He had a lengthy list of names to go after, and anybody that was involved in unionization of any kind was a red to be purged. As a result, Lugosi, along with Curtiz, the fabulous Korda brothers and others involved with the actors union, had to flee the country. Lugosi and his wife escaped to Vienna. For the rest of his days, even after he had become a world famous star and celebrity, Lugosi did not dare to return to Hungary, fearing Horthy’s wrath. Film stardom didn’t mean much to Horthy, who reportedly did not care for movies.
Between 1919 and 1920, Lugosi starred in 11 German films.(None of them are considered today to be among the great German film classics of that creative era.) It was at this time that he started to attract the attention of producers and film critics. To his roles he brought an intensity and presence that was rather unique, and which served him throughout his career.
(4)
In 1920, Lugosi wanted to improve his financial condition by moving to America. He went to Trieste, got a job on a freighter bound for America, and jumped ship at New Orleans. Making it to New York City in 1921, Lugosi was assisted by a Hungarian cultural organization that helped Hungarians to get residency and naturalization. That was no easy thing back then, as the Anglo Protestant rulers of America had had their fill with waves of immigrants from eastern and southern Europe, whom they despised and looked down upon, and so greatly restricted legal immigration from those parts. The average Hungarian immigrant in those days could not afford the legal fees and lawyers that getting around the restrictions would have required. Had he not gotten this help, the American govt would have deported him back to Hungary as an illegal alien and to Horthy’s tender mercies.
(5)
As there was a rich Hungarian cultural life in New York and other cities then, Lugosi got busy with a Hungarian stage company. They were putting on Madács’s “Tragedy of Man” at the Lexington Theater in 1922, when Lugosi’s remarkable stage presence was noted and appreciated by off Broadway producer Henry Baron. Baron signed Lugosi to star in a play called “The Red Poppy”, which opened at the Greenwich Village Theater At this time Lugosi did not speak English, but was eager to learn. He was given a tutor and 12 weeks to learn to parrot the lines, even though he didn’t understand them. You could imagine his nervousness reciting lines he barely understood, to a large audience. He delivered a letter perfect performance.
Upon seeing Lugosi’s performance in The Red Poppy, Fox Studios signed him to star in his first American film “The Silent Command”(1923). Lugosi got to go to Hollywood for the shooting and to Panama for location shots.. In this film, Lugosi is cast in one of his innumerable roles as a sinister character. He played a spy who wanted to steal plans from a US naval engineer and blow up the Panama Canal.
(6)
Between 1923 and 1928, Lugosi starred in 11 American silent films. His stage career took off in 1924, and between 1922 and 1928 he starred in 6 major American and British stage productions. His big break before going to Hollywood to star in horror films was appearing in a stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” (1927) The play was a runaway hit and played for many weeks on and off Broadway. When the cast and show reached the Biltmore Theater in Los Angeles in 1928, Lugosi once again attracted the attention of Hollywood film producers. The man had such obvious star quality.
From that point on, it was Hollywood for the rest of Lugosi’s life; he had found his destiny and place in history. Between 1929 and 1930, he appeared in 8 films prior to his big role in Dracula.
Universal’s “Dracula”(1931) catapulted Lugosi to world fame, stardom and immortality. Playing the elegantly dressed, tuxedo clad Transylvanian vampire count has become a trademark in the horror genre, and is recognized almost universally to this day. His image is often imitated, for which his descendents get no royalties. This film is endlessly replayed on TV and cable and remains a perennial favorite. It is dreamy (or nightmarish as you will), and cleverly uses the artistic possibilities of black and white photography. The sets are imaginative, and the picture embodies well the style and tastes of early 1930’s filmmaking. I can’t imagine such a picture being made today.
(7)
At this peak period in his career, Lugosi got thousands of fan letters a week. He said that 97% came from women, and often included marriage proposals. The other three percent were mostly from scientists and priests. He said: “The scientists and priests ask my views about spiritualism, yogi, theosophy and things like that. Women are interested in terror for the sake of terror. For generations they have been the subjected sex. This seems to have bred a masochistic interest- an enjoyment of, or at least a keen interest in suffering vicariously through the screen.”
I will provide to you youtube links to several of Lugosi’s early films, for your viewing and entertainment pleasure. I hope you can share with me the enjoyment of reliving this man’s life and work. He was a great person on screen and off.
While a star in Los Angeles, Lugosi became involved in the life of the Hungarian American community. The ones that had top jobs in the film business made huge money, often earning 20-50 times what an average person earned. I see an old photo of Lugosi posing with some of these Hollywood Hungarian nouveaux riche men and their wives, all decked out in tuxedos, gowns and jewels. It’s a rich image. Lugosi sponsored a Hungarian football club called the Los Angeles Soccer League.. He was very accessible and helpful to any local Hungarians.
(8)
Having turned down the starring role in “Frankenstein”(1931) to his rival in horror, Boris Karloff, Lugosi vowed never again to say no to a role. As a result his later film career was characterized by his appearances in a lot of schlocky, low budget films, where he was often cast as a mad scientist.
During the war, Lugosi formed a Hungarian anti-fascist committee, and engaged in personal appearances throughout the country to raise funds for resistance fighters and victims of war in Europe.
(9)
In the early 1940’s, Lugosi was hospitalized, and developed a dependency on the morphine pain killers they gave him. This was before non-narcotic pain relief was available, and addiction was a common side-effect to hospital treatment. In 1955, he voluntarily checked in for treatment for his addiction. He was helped through this tough time by frequent letters from a woman who had written him fan letters since 1931. She was Hope Lininger, a 39 year old studio cutting room clerk at RKO. She and Lugosi became married.
Lugosi passed away in 1956, just a few weeks before the uprising in Budapest. How it would have broken his heart.
If there is a heaven or afterlife, I hope that Béla is watching all this with pleasure. May God bless him, and may he be never forgotten among his people. Happy Birthday!
As I can’t post multiple hyperlinks around here nowadays, I will furnish them one by one, post by post. Bear with me. Do opt for “HQ” if it is available, as it improves the image. Full screen is also a good idea. I also hope that you will bookmark this thread, with it’s information and film links which can be enjoyed repeatedly!
(10)
DRACULA (1931)
Part 1 of 8 parts
Opening scenes feature Hungarian dialogue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9qtivRryDM
THE BLACK CAMEL (1931)
One of the Charlie Chan detective mysteries, filmed on location in Honolulu at the vintage Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Unfortunately only portions of the film are available on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-nQ9_JyLHE
MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1932)
Part 1 of 10 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVbUw9lMwoI&feature=PlayList&p=912F4CF87676AB47&index=0&playnext=1
WHITE ZOMBIE (1932)
The full movie at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N5-UzUxBss
THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1933)
Part 1 of 7 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGxBGKK6Q74&feature=PlayList&p=53BB5A2AC176DFC2&index=0
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE (1933)
A very very whimsical and satirical film featuring the comedian W.C. Fields
Part 1 of 7 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1KhF5OWsYo
THE BLACK CAT (1934)
This is a very creepy and atmospheric film, and was the most popular film of 1934. I t feature some Hungarian dialogue. Unfortunately it is not on youtube in it’s entirety, so I provide the sorry alternative of an AOL link. This link may be blocked in some places, and there will be a problem with streaming. Probably best to get it on video.
http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-black-cat-1934/4133125487
THE RAVEN (1935)
Part 1 of 6 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwxYa7RndxA&feature=PlayList&p=A47EBD88AD140D76&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=50
This concludes my special birthday celebration of Lugosi’s life and early film work. I am indebted to the book “The Films of Bela Lugosi” by Richard Bojarski (1980) as a valuable source.
@FarkasLaszlo
Well done, what a passion for life you exude!
BĖLA LUGOSI Happy Birthday!
Thank you Law!
You can tell how much I care about the things I care about! Lugosi cared about show business, he cared about Hungary, and he cared about Hungarians wherever he met them. His passion and perseverance made him one of the immortals. A great and inspirational role model.
My next projected installment in my “Hungarians in Hollywood” series will be the acclaimed genius director Kertész Mihály, or better known to the world as Michael Curtiz. His birthday is on December 24. We will celebrate, like with Lugosi, with a number of youtube links to his great films, which also include “Casablance”. It will be a great Christmas eve!
Also planned are birthday celebrations to the ingenious and incomparable Korda brothers. There were three of them, Alexander, Zoltán, and Vincent. Their birthdays range from the months of June thru September. They created many fantasy films like “The Thief of Bagdad” (1940) and numerous other immortal classics. That will be fun!
Meanwhile, cuddle up in the cold autumn weather, at night, in a dark room, and enjoy these Lugosi films that weave fantasy and horror, so artistically done!
Laci
@Farkas László: Thanks for all the information and the links.
For those in Budapest wishing to pay their respects, there is also the modest bust of Lugosi Béla around the back of the Vajdahunyad castle in the Városliget, on the outside corner overlooking the skating rink on the path running parallel to Paál László út. It’s just past the decorative oriel window.
Thanks very much Vándorló!
Here is a link showing apicture of the bust along wiht directions for getting there:
http://www.szoborlap.hu/1500_lugosi_bela_mellszobor_budapest_n_a__n.a..html
@Farkas Laszlo
My mum was the biggest fan of Karády Katalin , what info have you on her? Seems you are the enligntened one on this area of the Arts:)
Wow hello Law!
My mother also! Karády Katalin was the idol of many young Hungarians in the 1940′s. She possesed a Hollywood like glamour and played a sexy femme fatale type in many of her movies. Her hair and clothes were imitated by many young women then. Seen from the side, her face bore a remarkable resemblence to the American star Katherine Hepburn.
Those that wonder what entertainment history should be doing on a political website, need to remember that Hungary, unlike Hollywood and Los Angeles, never was “La-La Land”. The tragic events of the early 20th century are inseperable from the lives of our great performing artists like Lugosi and Karády. To study their lives is to study our history, with it’s tragic legacy of war, invasion, revolution and dictatorship.
She made 24 films from 1939 to 1948. There were three regime changes within the short space of her film career! Horthy, to Szálasi and then Soviet Communism. She flourished in the Horthy years and was reputed to be involved with Horthy’s secret service chief, Ujszászy István.
When the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross party came into power in 1944, the public performance of her songs and films were banned. It was suspected that she was an allied spy. My mother told me the same thing, claiming that she was suspected of sending secret signals to the allies during her radio broadcasts. (That was common then; the BBC often used certain songs and sign offs to signal to underground resistance in France.)
(1)
The Arrow Cross regime she was imprisoned, severely beaten and tortured. She was rescued from her captivity, and went on to help save and take in a number of children.
Under Communism, she continued to be “poison” and was not allowed to continue her career. In 1949, her film and theater performances were banned for the second time in 5 years. Disgusted, she left Hungary in 1951. (She was lucky; few people could get exit visas then.)
Having studied abroad and studied at a women’s vocational school in Hungary, she set up a fashion shop in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (There were a lot of Hungarians in Brazil then). In 1968 she moved the New York and opened a hat shop. When asked to come back and visit Hungary for her 70th birthday, she declined, but sent- a hat!
(2)
The posting of so many of Lugosi’s films from youtube, puts me in a festive mood. I would like to do the same for Karády Katalin, as I’m sure a fine Hungarian gentleman like Lugosi would not mind sharing the birthday spotlight with this hot Hungarian siren!
Unfortunately, very little of our classic Hungarian film legacy is available on youtube in it’s entirety, although a lot of material exists in clips from those films. Of Karády Katalin 24 films, I could find excerpts from only four of her films, which I will post seperately.
For her songs, check:
Zeneszöveg at:
http://www.zeneszoveg.hu/egyuttes/1235/karady-katalin-dalszovegei.html (about 20 of her songs, with youtube film clips)
One of her movies I have found to be out on DVD: (let me know if any of you know of other DVD releases!)
Valamit visz a víz (1943) – Magyar klasszikusok sorozat 29. available at:
http://www.divido.hu/index.phtml?op=product&product_id=13974&p=pd
Her first film:
Halálos tavasz (1939)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9FlbF1pOpA and:
Karády Katalin vetkőzik – Erotika 1939. (Halálos tavasz)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVkF6LFWM0o
Halálos csók (1942)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pCZOPrnw1Y&feature=PlayList&p=09CAAEB6DEED5DE9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11
Makrancos hölgy (1943)
Makrancos hölgy – Karády Katalin énekel, táncol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCXD2WxCDwg
Hungarian rumba! Cuban music was popular throughout the world at the time. I love this clip.
Szováthy Éva (1943)
Karády Katalin Tudok egy dalt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyCkC2boML4
Between shows there used to be a cartoon in the old days. One of my favorites and so hilariously funny and satirical was “Blitz Wolf” (1942). A parody of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf story. Three little pigs, one prepares for war by digging trenches and fortifying his home with cannon, while the other foolish piggies laugh at him, suggesting that he is wasting his time. They produce a piece of paper that is a “non-agression pact” signed by “Adolf the Wolf”! They have nothing to fear!
Do watch this; it is a hoot! I came across this clip by association with the search for Karády Katalin videos.
Blitz Wolf 1942 Banned Cartoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLYzzH0IF_Y
FL: thanks for posting the links…especially the cartoon. I remember watching cartoons like this when I was a kid and just thinking they were funny in a kind of three stooges way…obviously when I got older I realised what they were all about…it’s actually kind of sobering.
@FarkaLaszlo
))
What a hoot, thanks for all the info, and i will check out the video’s tonight, how cool is that ! I also remember the music LP playing in the background and there is a young artist here currently that revived some of her music, however I have been meaning to track down the music. Ohh the stories I heard from the dance halls, cafes, theatre, Royal Hotel where mum worked, it was so interesting listening to her experiences, I never got tired of her stories of youth, this is what she never could re capture living in the west because of the lack of razza matazz where we lived, so it brings back fond memories. Also I remember you mentioned that many veterans from WW1 never attended church, and now I remember my grand dad never going only my grand mother. Thanks for the nostalgic experience.
Your very welcome Law!
I am truly enjoying this day on politics.hu, and the chance it gives me to commemorate Lugosi’s birthday and to remember Karády!Do remember to bookmark this thread!
Here’s some more cartoon entertainment from WW2:
This is a funny satire of the three Axis powers, as well as the peace appeasers:
The Ducktators – Banned WW2 Anti Nazi Cartoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UakpVtRHlNc&feature=related
A cartoon produced by the Germans in 1940 called “Der Störenfried” (The Mischiefmaker)
It depicts a family of hares threatened by a fox. The hares are saved by the intervention of an air force of wasps, who are obviously patterned on the German Luftwaffe. The message is clear: that German style airpower and organization can and will save the day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIlr_rZKR4c&feature=related
Donald Duck – Der Fuehrer’s Face
Made by the Walt Disney studios during wartime, showing their precious Doanald Duck wearing a swastika
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZcs1SHVbz0&feature=related
I don’t think you will be seeing this cartoon on the Disney Channel!
@ Farkas Laszlo
IMHO this thread has been the only one that goes under the heading of “fun” since I started reading this website.
There has not been one posting here that was not news to me -
I am also astounded by your general knowledge about a gamut of issues; you are one classy guy as well.
So tell the truth:
(a) you are 150 years old so you had lots of time to acquire this gamut of information on a wide range of topics
(b) you masquerade as a Hungarian but you are just a computer, programmed to always be polite while disseminating either facts or opinions that make me stop and think and sometimes read your postings twice to make sure “the penny drops”
Hello Olga!
I sincerely hope you will continue to enjoy here! I will follow my response to you by adding a few more Lugosi films. Save this thread and enjoy!
I’m not young, but I’m not old. I think what I know is a function of how I have used my time in this life.
Magyars are a passionate people, who love the things they love. I am in that mold. With some it’s sports, with me it’s other things. I’ve read and collected thousands of books in my life, and have watched thousands of films. As a result, I’m well equipped to make the sort of contributions that I do around here. I have also traveled a lot and have seen enough of the world to make the comparisons and distinctions that I reveal in my posts. Glad you enjoy my work!
Speaking of enjoying, here goes:
In furtherance of the Lugosi birthday celebration:
Mysterious Mr. Wong (1935)
Part 1 of 8 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_e5210Wbvk&feature=PlayList&p=B785CA1AB53D2C18&index=49
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Part 1 of 10 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE9L6jewYmw
Ninotchka (1939)
Part 1 of 12 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkdZYnpWLM
With the famous Garbo. An interesting take on Soviet life. Lugosi plays the villain by appearing as a commissar.
SPOOKS RUN WILD (1941)
Part 1 of 8 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CombecuZj20&feature=PlayList&p=69029D8D7F8DBEE1&index=28
By 1941, the whole horror thing had become humorous and subject to clowning. This film is a comedy featuring the then popular “Bowery Boys”.
THE WOLF MAN (1941)
Part 1 of 7 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRmNOJ8gqnI
GLEN OR GLENDA? (1953) by Ed Wood
Part 1 of 7 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuYp0m7BFfc
Ed Wood was a very low budget filmmaker who teamed up with Lugosi in the 1950’s. Today his films are celebrated as being so terrible that they are considered amusing. Wood was a cross-dresser, who used this film to try and generate sympathy for people like him. How successful he was, I’ll leave to the viewer’s judgment!
===============================================
While watching these youtube clips: ONE VERY SERIOUS WORD OF WARNING!
Posted films are often yanked by youtube administrators for being in violation of copyright. A number of posters will put up a screen message saying that the film can be viewed from another server, if you click on a link near their username. DO NOT EVER DO THIS! Especially if that link is Zango.com! Zango is a cesspool of malicious, computer destroying viruses and malware. I found this out the hard way. DO NOT DOWNLOAD ZANGO!
Jávor Pál Yep that’s the one, he was my dads favorite and he called him the Hungarian Errol Flyn, only in looks though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAGUnv1qx9I
great old song
Hi Law,
It will be a pleasure to elaborate on the great Pál Jávor! My parents loved this kind of stuff too! As Pál’s filmography is quite extensive, let me get back to you. I would like to take care of Zsuzsa’s request first.
Hello Zsuzsa,
The gentleman you are asking about is “S.Z. Szakall”, affectionately nicknamed “Cuddles”. He was a very popular character actor in the 1940′s and 50′s. His forte was playing the kindly old man who everyone could trust and confide in. He often played a behind the scenes matchmaker, helping the young leading man get the leading lady. He often played a cook. His happiness was helping others to be happy. Sentimentality played a big role in filmaking then (Christmas in Connecticut is a prime example of a sentimental film), and the audience response to Szakall gauranteed for him steady work in film.
Szakall was the token Eastern European immigrant, who still had enough of the old country left in him to be true to his origins, but had assimilated well enough to be liked and trusted by native born Americans. He would cook goulash, but knew the latest baseball game score. Character tokenism was important then, and many actors made a career out of being a symbolic presence on the screen.
Born Gerő Jenő in Budapest (The name Gerő freaks me a little!), he adopted the name of Szőke Szakáll(Blond Beard)as a writer of vaudeville skits. He started film work in Germany, but left when Hitler came to power and returned to Hungary. He is said to have been in 40 Hungarian films in the 30′s. He left when Hungary joined the Axis in 1940. (Some of his relatives died in concentration camps)
(1)
@FarkasLaszlo and Zsuzsa, sweeet dreams, and thanks again for all the info and history lesson on our Movie stars. I’ll check it out in the morning..
Hollywood took an instant liking to Szakall, and he became a busy man.
He was featured in the famed movie “Casablanca”(1941). I will show that when I do the Michael Curtiz celebration.
One of my big favorite films that has him is “Ball of Fire”(1941) with Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper, but it’s not on youtube in it’s entirety.
Let me offer the very fun feature:
THAT NIGHT IN RIO (1941)
Part 1 of 10 parts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r51SzAl3hE&feature=PlayList&p=CA42B00D97D5F6CE&index=0
With Carmen Miranda, Dona Ameche and Szakall. Latin music was very popular in the 40′s and 50′s
Another Szakall film:
CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945)
Part 1 of 11 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqL1T-ovkfw&feature=PlayList&p=11A4F61CA8EB7118&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=25
Hey everybody, feel free to watch the flicks and comment upon them here! Be hearing from you!
Hello Law,
Your asking about Pál, caused me to go through his extensive film legacy to see how much of it can be found on youtube. I will share the results with you all following this post. Let me tell you, just what a pleasure it was doing this research! The combination of Karády and Pál footage on this thread makes it a Hungarian video jukebox!
Pál was born in Arad. After WW1, the Romanians gave whoever wanted it, a free train ticket to leave. He wanted to use his to go to Denmark, but his free ticket was invalidated in Budapest.
From what I gather, erratic temperment and alcohol abuse dogged him all his life, wherever he went. He became his own worse enemy.
I’m counting an amazing number of 68 Hungarian films in his resume, from 1929 to 1945. The first, “Csak egy kislány van a világon” (1929), was the first Hungarian film to combine silent with a sound song sequence, I was fortunate to find a youtube clip of.
Like Karády, he got in trouble with both the Nyílas (Arrow Cross) and Communist regimes, which ended his film career in Hungary. He seems to have spent the rest of his life bouncing around, never recovering from it all.
I’m really enjoying the youtube posts of his films; I hope you will all too!
Pál Jávor
Csak egy kislány van a világon (1929)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74i2HeEVXwo&feature=PlayList&p=43F883A7C1CCA9E1&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=58
Part silent, part sound film
Hyppolit a lakáj (1931)
Part 1 of 8 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvrDzDU4oVk&feature=PlayList&p=DA8D19750FADF48D&index=0&playnext=1
The first all talking Hungarian film. One of a favorite Hungarian classics! Complete film. We got lucky here, as most Hungarian films from this era exist on youtube only in clips.
Ida regénye (1934)
Jávor Pál – Oda vagyok magáért… (Az Ida regénye c. filmből)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2qMbKzF5yk&feature=PlayList&p=2B46D0D7D2FBB9FD&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=15
Köszönöm, hogy elgázolt (1935)
Part 1 of 9 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cONGnDIyRnk&feature=PlayList&p=E54C8D392FE03F63&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=9
Another one of my fave Hungarian classics. Available on DVD
Maga lesz a férjem (1937)
Maga lesz a férjem – Jávor Pál – Sulyok Mária – Falevél, falevél
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_1ZsA7HSw
Egy csók és más semmi (1940)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Iov1lpov0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6RtQUmumOU
Erzsébet királyné (1940)
Erzsébet királyné – Kossuth Lajos azt üzente
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGwTpXoyjIw
Erzsébet királyné – Arad felől fúj a szél – Gózon Gyula énekel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMjkENHFrfo
Dankó Pista (1940)
Dankó Pista : Jávor Pál
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bPqugvjT_s&feature=PlayList&p=6315F3B877497657&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=19
Dankó Pista táncol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AubAQ5dtFmQ&feature=PlayList&p=6315F3B877497657&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=21
Tóparti látomás (1940)
Jávor Pál: barkarola Tolnay Klárinak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEcR7pCurw&feature=PlayList&p=6315F3B877497657&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=22
In the old days, before television, people got their news in the theaters between shows through newsreels. Here is an oldie:
Magyar Híradó (1924)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfICdEA1roE
A silent newsreel featuring coverage of fencing in Budapest. Also of interest is the visit of American child film superstar Jackie Coogan to Budapest. He is shown chilling out in traditional Hungarian folk costume. The caption says that this kid got a $500,000 signing bonus with Metro Goldwyn Mayer, as well as $275,000 for each picture he was in!! (Even today, these would be significant sums) One can only imagine the impression this made on the Hungarian audience in those days. Wracked by poverty and not seeing such opportunities at home, it must have fed into fantasies of America being a place of streets paved with gold.
Coogan’s parents mishandled and spent their kid’s fortune and earnings. As a result, a “Jackie Coogan law” was passed protecting child stars. Parents or legal guardians are required to put the kids earnings in trust, to be turned over to when they turn 18.
Another Hungarian newsreel from 1936:
concours d’elegance – autószépségverseny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSsUiZxKwA
I’ve always thought that luxury cars from the 1930’s were extremely beautiful. This newsreel makes my mouth water. Shown is a “beauty contest” for cars, staged at a horse track in Budapest. Most exciting of all are the close ups of a Mercedes Benz 540K, a beautiful and today, a very collectible car. They fetch prices up to $10,000,000 nowadays!
A Hungarian newsreel from 1938, showing an auto exhibition in Budapest:
Autókiállítás a Városligeti Iparcsarnokban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-POoAtHdZY
The working display auto engine made from glass is way cool.
A WW2 era Hungarian newsreel from 1942:
The Thousandth Hungarian Newsreel, part 1. (1942)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrPB_lbK8EI&feature=related
Made during the Horthy regime, this is pro-Horthy and pro-German. Shows interesting footage of Horthy riding into Budapest on his white horse in 1919.(Mentioned above in my Lugosi biography) Also shows Hungarian troops digging in on the Don river front in Russia.
This submission is for historical purposes only. I’m not rah rah for those days; I’d rather we moved on.
@FarkasLaszlo
What a wonderful Film critic you would make, or are you run rings around anyone else I’ve seen:-)
Hi Law,
Thanks! I appreciate the encouragment I got to look into the work of Karády and Pál. Doesn’t take much to get me going when it comes to one of my passions! I’ve especially been enjoying the music clips.
It’s wonderful to see how much our filmakers could do with such a small market and limited resources. Hollywood had the benefit of market size and scale, given a population of 130+ million and global distribution. They also had a lot more in financing.
I sincerely hope that this thread will be enjoyed by many as a resource. Feel free to comment on the film content!
@Farkas Laszlo:
Thanks for this mass of information on some of the greatest fil makers of all times.
Of course I have seen “Casablanca” and some other films by Curtiz and Lugosi (and I knew before that they were Hungarians), but you have given us all much more to look at.
Now this is a really marvelous feat on a forum where often people hurt insults…
Liebe Wolfi!
Vielen Dank mein Freund!
What I do around here is always for a reason. Of course this information serves a cultural, historical and entertainment purpose. I also care about every person here, especially the regulars, whatever their views. To me, they are real people, who often need some distraction from the bickering and contention. Even if two people have opposite views on everything, they can get on famously if they find a common ground. Old films are a great way to do that. People often demonise one another over differences of opinion; I strive to be a conciliator and to try and defuse some of that.
I know Hungarian is not your language, but if you watch any film or newsreel here that you would like to understand the meaning of, just mention the clip, the running time count location, and I would be glad to furnish you a translation, no problem!
Laci
@Laci:
Thanks again for your offer, but this is not necessary, since my partner is a wonderful Hungarian woman who enjoys helping me with translation.
We’ve already watched some later Hungarian comedies like “Üveg tigris” and “A tanu” and had a good laugh and a very enjoyable evening each time…
Time for another cartoon. One of my favorites is from the “Tom and Jerry” series, featuring the ongoing conflict between a cat and mouse.
Tom & Jerry – Cat Concerto (1946)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbxArVlS5tU&feature=related
I post this because Tom the cat plays a concert pianist who has to perform Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody #2, with distraction and interference from his mouse nemesis.
Voted the best cartoon of 1946.
If anyone here is interested in a civil conversation wihtout these freaks! there is another site named Hungarian Ambience, not much comments there but I’m sure the site ownwer is more humane , just a sugggestion. As the election get closer I’m really concerned for the safety of people expressing free speech.
http://www.hungarianambiance.com/
Hungarianambience – sounds nice but is 200% Jobbik and worse right wing radical – so stupid, it is almost funny:
One of their headlines:
Socialists legalize incest!
Reality: look for yourself
@Wolfi
no such thing as 200% go back to school
@law: As a mathematician I might try to lecture you, but I don’t think it is worth it..
Still i’ll try:
If I buy something for 100 (Forint, $, €, does’t matter) and sell it for 300, I have made a profit of 200 %…
PS: After looking again at hungo..ambiance I have to modify my statement:
It is 1000 % cr*p!
@wolfi
That formula is irrelevant to apply to this scenario, but if it gives you a chubby then go right ahead.
Hi Law and wolfi,
Did you guys have any favorites out of the video links?
@Farkaslaszlo
)
Yes the Varos Liget Auto show was interesting, quite well presented, didn’t realize how well the marketing was back those days. The old newsreels of the automobiles are amazing, well ahead of the times.
And the songs and dancing, all classics from Jávor Pál and Karady . There up there with Hollywood movies in my opinion.
@FarkasLaszlo
So what about the film directors did any of them make it big on the international scene back those days?
Hello Law,
We sure did become directors, and did just about everything else the movie business required. Hungarians landed into the film industry the way the Marines landed at Okinawa!
There is an organization called BAM that sponsors a Hungarians in Hollywood film festival in New York. “The Magyars invade Tinseltown”. Hungarians took to film like ducks to water.
On the directorial front, there is Kertész Mihály, or Michael Curtiz the famed director of Casablance whose birthday I will celebrate here on Dec. 24.
Then there is “Sasvári Farkasfalvi Tóthfalusi Tóth Endre Antal Mihály”, known as Andre de Toth, who has 17 Hollywood film credits from 1944 to 1968.
There is also Alexander Korda, who worked in Britain and showed the British a thing or two about how to make films. He and his two brothers deserve their own birthday commemoration, which will fall between June and September. Plan to be on this website then!
Also Vidor Károly, known in America as Charles Vidor, with 15 films to his credit from 1929 to 1957, including two featuring Rita Hayworth, “Cover Girl”(1944) and “Gilda”(1945) (She was hot!)
The list gets quite large when you count the people from studio heads, like Adolph Zukor down to cameramen, players, scrpitwriters and composers.
I am encouraged by the fine response to the. Lugosi tribute, and so expect more in the future!
PS. That white 540K Benz was to die for! Too beautiful!
I love your site and I will keep on reading
saved, I’m about to add your homepage to my toolbar right now
Dear “DarthTwilight”, “Norex” and “Megane”,
While I appreciate the revival of this particular thread, as I am proud of my contribution to it, I am a bit puzzled. I don’t understand the daily occurence of posts from constantly varying usernames, posting for no other reason than to tell us that they appreciate what is going on, that they will bookmark it, or that they want to add it to their toolbar, or whatever. I also notice that often these are posted to threads that have long lay dormant, like this one.
When this goes on day after day for months, then it is not being mature and it is not contributing anything that is meaningful or of interest to anyone. You are spending too much time, saying nothing and hiding behind endlessly changing usernames.
You can’t help Hungary doing what you are doing