Susan Douglas Rubes
Encyclopedia
Susan Douglas Rubes is an Austrian-born actress and producer.
She was born Zuzka Zenta in Vienna
, Austria
, the daughter of Alfred and Charlotte Burstein. When she was young, her parents moved to a ranch in central Bohemia
, Czechoslovakia
. Her family took her to the theater or opera in Brno
, and on occasion, they would visit Zuzka's maternal grandmother in Vienna, who was the manager of the Burgtheater
. She began studying ballet at the age of eight.
In 1939 her Jewish parents moved to Paris, and a year later Zuzka moved to the United States
with her mother to escape the war in Europe. Emigration to the U.S. was allowed on the basis of annual quotas. Charlotte was allowed in the country on the basis of her birth in Italy, because the quota of Italy had not been filled for that year. Alfred moved to London to work for the Czechoslovak government-in-exile
.
Zuzka learned English (her fourth language) by seeing three movies a day. Under the name Suzi Burstein, she attended George Washington High School
in New York
. After graduating in 1943, she changed her name to Susan Douglas. Her first name, Zuzka, is Czech for Susan, while she selected Douglas from a phone book.
Beginning in 1945, she began a career spanning radio, television, theater and film; she was both an actress and producer. Her 1947 movie debut was in The Private Affairs of Bel Ami
. Following the film, she was offered a standard seven year contract by Albert Lewin
of MGM, but turned it down to live in New York. Between 1946 and 1959, she appeared on hundreds of television shows, including both the radio and TV versions of the soap opera
The Guiding Light. As her character was unmarried and she was pregnant three times during her appearance on The Guiding Light, the producer had her character sick and in an oxygen tent for the first child, and using a wheelchair for the second child, then finally had her character killed off for the third.
In 1959, she moved to Toronto
, Canada
and in 1963, she began introducing plays to schools. She founded the Young People's Theater in Toronto in 1965, with the goal of introducing children to the live theater experience. This was renamed the Susan Douglas Rubes Theater Center in 1977. (It later became the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People in honor of Kevin Kimsa's mother, after receiving a generous donation from Kevin.) In 1972 she served as associate editor of A Collection of Canadian plays, volume 4. She remained artistic director of the center until 1979, then moved to CBC Television
. From 1982–86, she was the head of CBC Radio Drama. From 1987–89, she was president of the Family Channel
.
She married the Czech
-Canadian opera singer Jan Rubes
on September 22, 1950, in New York City. That same year the couple appeared together in Forbidden Journey. The couple had three children: Christopher (died 1996), Jonathan, and Anthony. They remained married until his death in 2009.
She was born Zuzka Zenta in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, 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...
, the daughter of Alfred and Charlotte Burstein. When she was young, her parents moved to a ranch in central Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. Her family took her to the theater or opera in Brno
Brno
Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District...
, and on occasion, they would visit Zuzka's maternal grandmother in Vienna, who was the manager of the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
. She began studying ballet at the age of eight.
In 1939 her Jewish parents moved to Paris, and a year later Zuzka moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her mother to escape the war in Europe. Emigration to the U.S. was allowed on the basis of annual quotas. Charlotte was allowed in the country on the basis of her birth in Italy, because the quota of Italy had not been filled for that year. Alfred moved to London to work for the Czechoslovak government-in-exile
Czechoslovak government-in-exile
The Czechoslovak government-in-exile was an informal title conferred upon the Czechoslovak National Liberation Committee, initially by British diplomatic recognition. The name came to be used by other World War II Allies as they subsequently recognized it...
.
Zuzka learned English (her fourth language) by seeing three movies a day. Under the name Suzi Burstein, she attended George Washington High School
George Washington High School (New York City)
George Washington High School is a public high school located in the Fort George neighborhood of the Washington Heights section of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
in 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...
. After graduating in 1943, she changed her name to Susan Douglas. Her first name, Zuzka, is Czech for Susan, while she selected Douglas from a phone book.
Beginning in 1945, she began a career spanning radio, television, theater and film; she was both an actress and producer. Her 1947 movie debut was in The Private Affairs of Bel Ami
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami
The Private Affairs of Bel Ami is a 1947 drama film which stars George Sanders as a ruthless cad who uses women to rise in Parisian society...
. Following the film, she was offered a standard seven year contract by Albert Lewin
Albert Lewin
Albert Lewin was an American film director, producer, and screenwriter.He was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 23, 1894 and raised in Newark, New Jersey. He earned a Master's degree at Harvard and taught English at the University of Missouri...
of MGM, but turned it down to live in New York. Between 1946 and 1959, she appeared on hundreds of television shows, including both the radio and TV versions of the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Guiding Light. As her character was unmarried and she was pregnant three times during her appearance on The Guiding Light, the producer had her character sick and in an oxygen tent for the first child, and using a wheelchair for the second child, then finally had her character killed off for the third.
In 1959, she moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and in 1963, she began introducing plays to schools. She founded the Young People's Theater in Toronto in 1965, with the goal of introducing children to the live theater experience. This was renamed the Susan Douglas Rubes Theater Center in 1977. (It later became the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People in honor of Kevin Kimsa's mother, after receiving a generous donation from Kevin.) In 1972 she served as associate editor of A Collection of Canadian plays, volume 4. She remained artistic director of the center until 1979, then moved to CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
. From 1982–86, she was the head of CBC Radio Drama. From 1987–89, she was president of the Family Channel
Family Channel
Family is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service marketed to children and teenagers aged 2-15. It is owned by Astral Media...
.
She married the Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
-Canadian opera singer Jan Rubes
Jan Rubes
Jan Ladislav Rubeš CM was a Czech-Canadian bass opera singer and actor.-Life and career:Rubeš was born in Volyně, Czechoslovakia, the son of Ružena and Jan Rubeš. Not too long after World War II, he graduated from the Prague Conservatoire and joined the Prague Opera House as a bass singer...
on September 22, 1950, in New York City. That same year the couple appeared together in Forbidden Journey. The couple had three children: Christopher (died 1996), Jonathan, and Anthony. They remained married until his death in 2009.
Awards and honors
- Tony awardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for best debut on Broadway - Drama Bench Award, 1974
- Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, 1975 - Woman of the Year Award, B'nai Brith Women's Council of Toronto, 1979
Filmography
- The Private Affairs of Bel AmiThe Private Affairs of Bel AmiThe Private Affairs of Bel Ami is a 1947 drama film which stars George Sanders as a ruthless cad who uses women to rise in Parisian society...
(1947) - Lost BoundariesLost BoundariesLost Boundaries is a film released in 1949. The film was directed by Alfred L. Werker and starred , Mel Ferrer, and Susan Douglas Rubes. The film is based on the book by William Lindsay White, relating the true story of , a graduate of Rush Medical College whose family passed for white while living...
(1949) - Forbidden JourneyForbidden JourneyForbidden Journey was a political thriller film situated in post-World War II Canada. A communist spy attempts to pass information to his uncle in Canada while spies try to hunt him down. It starred Jan Rubes and his future wife Susan Douglas. The film premiered at the Princess Theater in...
(1950) - FiveFive (1951 film)Five is a post-apocalyptic science fiction film produced, directed and written by Arch Oboler. The title refers to the number of survivors of an atomic bomb disaster that wipes out the rest of the human race...
(1951) - Haunted by Her Past (1987)
- The Outside Chance of Maximilian GlickThe Outside Chance of Maximilian GlickThe Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick is a 1990 Canadian film based on the novel by Morley Torgov.-Plot:The story is about a young Jewish boy from a small Manitoba community who has an overbearing family. To make matters more difficult, he likes a Christian girl, whom he later competes with in a...
(1988) - Boozecan (1994)