Katalin Karády
Encyclopedia
Katalin Karády was a Hungarian
actress and singer. A leading actress in Hungarian movies made between 1939–1945, she is best known outside Hungary as an awardee of the Righteous among the Nations
honorific for rescuing a number of Hungarian Jews.
district with seven siblings in great poverty. Her parents were Rozália Lőrinc and Ferenc Kanczler, a shoemaker, who Katalin remembered as an aggressive person. Helped by a charity organization, she spent five years in Switzerland
and the Netherlands
. After returning home, she studied in a Women's Marketing school, already famed for her beauty. With the language knowledge from previous years, her simple clothing and vigorous demand for cleanness she already stood out from her classmates. After her father's death in 1931 she married Rezső Varga, a customs official, 30 years older than herself, but they divorced after a few months.
She started acting in 1936, taking classes from Ernő Tarnay, and Artúr Bárdos. After gaining the attention of journalist Zoltán Egyed in a bar in Buda
(who also proposed the name Karády) she was introduced to Ilona Aczél, a former actress, in whose acting school she learned the basics of the profession in the following three years, including singing. Karády's first performance was at the end of the 30s, in the Joób Dániel theatre. Between 1931-41 she appeared in the Pesti and Vígszínház theatre in various roles.
" character. In the next nine years, she appeared in 20 movies. Zoltán Egyed became her manager, and successfully created a Hollywood-like image around her, as a result, thousands of fans tried to mimic her clothing, hairstyle and behavior throughout the country. Karády's personal life was a constant topic of gossip, conflicting rumors came and gone about she being a man-eater, or lesbian. The theories were stirred up even more as she had intimate relationship with Regent Miklós Horthy
's chief of secret service, István Ujszászy, who also proposed her, and bought her a villa.
guards, with personal belongings and gold, saved from her robbed apartment. She took a number of children home to care for them until the fighting stopped. In the summer of 1945 came the news from Moscow
that general Ujszaszy was dead (later evidence showed that at that time he was still alive). Suffering from nervous breakdown, she lay in bed for the following nine months.
, Austria
, then moved to Switzerland
, and after a year to Brussels
. From 1953 she lived in Sao Paolo, Brazil
, opening a fashion shop. In 1968, finally receiving a visa after Ted and Robert Kennedy intervened, she moved to New York
, opening a hat salon. Performed rarely for friends, she lived in retirement, refusing to appear in the media. Receiving an invitation at her 70th birthday to return to Hungary, she only sent a hat, baffling officials. She died on 8 February 1990. At 19 February her body was transferred to Hungary, a memorial service was held in Budapest at the St. Stephen's Basilica, after she was buried in the Farkasréti Cemetery
.
is dedicated to her memory. In 2004, for her courageous acts during WWII, she received the posthumous Righteous medal
from the Yad Vashem
Institute.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
actress and singer. A leading actress in Hungarian movies made between 1939–1945, she is best known outside Hungary as an awardee of the Righteous among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
honorific for rescuing a number of Hungarian Jews.
Early Years
Katalin Karády was born as Katalin Kanczler, on 8 December 1910 in Budapest. She spent her childhood in KőbányaKobánya
Kőbánya is the 10th district of Budapest and one of the largest by territory. It is located in southeast Pest, easily accessible from the downtown by Metro 3, whose terminus is named Kőbánya-Kispest....
district with seven siblings in great poverty. Her parents were Rozália Lőrinc and Ferenc Kanczler, a shoemaker, who Katalin remembered as an aggressive person. Helped by a charity organization, she spent five years in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. After returning home, she studied in a Women's Marketing school, already famed for her beauty. With the language knowledge from previous years, her simple clothing and vigorous demand for cleanness she already stood out from her classmates. After her father's death in 1931 she married Rezső Varga, a customs official, 30 years older than herself, but they divorced after a few months.
She started acting in 1936, taking classes from Ernő Tarnay, and Artúr Bárdos. After gaining the attention of journalist Zoltán Egyed in a bar in Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
(who also proposed the name Karády) she was introduced to Ilona Aczél, a former actress, in whose acting school she learned the basics of the profession in the following three years, including singing. Karády's first performance was at the end of the 30s, in the Joób Dániel theatre. Between 1931-41 she appeared in the Pesti and Vígszínház theatre in various roles.
Becoming a star
Her first movie role, Halálos Tavasz (Deadly Spring) gave her instant fame as a diva and sex-symbol, supported by her unusual, humming voice, and "femme fataleFemme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
" character. In the next nine years, she appeared in 20 movies. Zoltán Egyed became her manager, and successfully created a Hollywood-like image around her, as a result, thousands of fans tried to mimic her clothing, hairstyle and behavior throughout the country. Karády's personal life was a constant topic of gossip, conflicting rumors came and gone about she being a man-eater, or lesbian. The theories were stirred up even more as she had intimate relationship with Regent Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
's chief of secret service, István Ujszászy, who also proposed her, and bought her a villa.
Downfall
After the German invasion of Hungary, authorities put a pressure on Karády with banning her songs from the National Radio, her new film Machita from theatres, and stopping the ongoing production of Gazdátlan Asszony (later the crew finished the movie with Erzsi Simor). In 1944 she was arrested with allegations that she spied for the Allied Forces. Karády was in prison for 3 months, during which she was tortured, and nearly beaten to death. She was rescued by friends of major general Ujszászy, in dire condition both physically and emotionally. But despite this, she remained strong, rescuing numerous families at the bank of the Danube waiting to be shot by Arrow CrossArrow Cross Party
The Arrow Cross Party was a national socialist party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which led in Hungary a government known as the Government of National Unity from October 15, 1944 to 28 March 1945...
guards, with personal belongings and gold, saved from her robbed apartment. She took a number of children home to care for them until the fighting stopped. In the summer of 1945 came the news from Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
that general Ujszaszy was dead (later evidence showed that at that time he was still alive). Suffering from nervous breakdown, she lay in bed for the following nine months.
Later years
After the war, Karády became increasingly disregarded. Between 1945-48 she appeared in the Operettszínház in a few leading roles, the restarting Hungarian film production did not count on her (besides two movies, Forró mezők being her last). Being a popular star of the Horthy era, there was no place for her under the new communist rule. In 1949 all of her films were banned along with her theater appearances. Only being able to work at small venues in the countryside, often with a drunk audience, she left the country in 1951 permanently. First she lived in SalzburgSalzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, then moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and after a year to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. From 1953 she lived in Sao Paolo, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, opening a fashion shop. In 1968, finally receiving a visa after Ted and Robert Kennedy intervened, she moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, opening a hat salon. Performed rarely for friends, she lived in retirement, refusing to appear in the media. Receiving an invitation at her 70th birthday to return to Hungary, she only sent a hat, baffling officials. She died on 8 February 1990. At 19 February her body was transferred to Hungary, a memorial service was held in Budapest at the St. Stephen's Basilica, after she was buried in the Farkasréti Cemetery
Farkasréti Cemetery
Farkasréti Cemetery or Farkasrét Cemetery is one of the most famous cemeteries in Budapest. It was opened in 1894 and is noted for its spectacular sight towards the city ....
.
Legacy
The 2001 film Hamvadó Cigarettavég by Péter BacsóPéter Bacsó
Péter Bacsó was a Hungarian film director and screenwriter.After high school graduation Bacsó wanted to become an actor and later a theatre director, but ultimately decided to try filmmaking. His first job in a film was as an assistant in Géza Radványi's Valahol Európában at the age of 19...
is dedicated to her memory. In 2004, for her courageous acts during WWII, she received the posthumous Righteous medal
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
from the Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
Institute.
Filmography
- Halálos tavasz (1939)
- Erzsébet királyné (1940)
- Hazajáró lélek (1940)
- Egy tál lencse (1941)
- Ne kérdezd, ki voltam (1941)
- Kísértés (1941)
- A szűz és a gödölye (1941)
- Szíriusz (1942)
- Tábori levelezőlap (short) (1942)
- Halálos csók (1942)
- Csalódás (1942)
- Alkalom (1942)
- Valahol Oroszországban (short) (1942)
- Külvárosi őrszoba (1942)
- Egy szív megáll (1942)
- Ópiumkeringő (1942)
- Makrancos hölgy (1943)
- Valamit visz a víz (1943)
- Szováthy Éva (1943)
- Boldog idők (1943)
- Machita (1943–44)
- Hangod elkísér (short) (1944)
- Betlehemi királyok (short) (1947)
- Forró mezők (1948)
Sources
- László, Kelecsényi. Karády Katalin Budapest:Magyar Filmtud. Int. és Filmarchívum, 1983. ISBN 963563157x
- Biography on szineszkonyvtar.hu