Zoltán Latinovits
Encyclopedia
Zoltán Latinovits was a Hungarian actor, arguably the most significant one of the twentieth century.
, and musician Károly). He began his school career in 1937, when he was enrolled to the Damjanich Street Primary School in Budapest
, and graduated with excellent results in 1949 at the Szent Imre Gimnázium (St. Emery Secondary School). He became a carpenter and worked for a bridge building firm. He was substitute basketball player for Haladás SE from 1951, and was also a good sailor. From 1952 he studied at the Technical University of Budapest and became involved in a drama group. He became a civil engineer in 1956.
1956-1959. Debrecen, Csokonai Theatre.
1959-1961. Miskolc, National Theatre.
1961-1962. Debrecen, Csokonai Theatre.
1962-1966. Vígszínház (Comedy Theatre). One of his most successful roles performed there was Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in 1963, playing with Éva Ruttkai, his later wife.
1966-1968. Thália Theatre.
1969-1971. Vígszinház.
19671-1976. Veszprém, Petőfi Theatre, where he was able to realise his long time dream of being able to direct.
One of the best performer of the poetry of Attila József, Gyula Illyés and Endre Ady.
and directed by Zoltán Huszárik
.
in 1976. Though the official statements talked of suicide
, it never became fully clear whether he had jumped deliberately in front of the train or whether his death was an accident. His death immediately became a romanticized legend, also due to the similarities with the suicide of poet Attila József
, of whose poems Latinovits had been one of the foremost interpreters.
1985. Emlékszem a röpülés boldogságára (collected works)
(1970) – Balázs Béla prize
(1975) – Significant artist
(1989) – Kossuth prize (posth.)
Early life
His mother divorced his father Oskar Latinovits in 1941 and married István Frenreisz, a doctor, with whom she had two more children (István, who became an actor under the name István BujtorIstván Bujtor
István Bujtor , born István Frenreisz, was a Hungarian actor, director, producer and screenplay writer- Biography :...
, and musician Károly). He began his school career in 1937, when he was enrolled to the Damjanich Street Primary School in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, and graduated with excellent results in 1949 at the Szent Imre Gimnázium (St. Emery Secondary School). He became a carpenter and worked for a bridge building firm. He was substitute basketball player for Haladás SE from 1951, and was also a good sailor. From 1952 he studied at the Technical University of Budapest and became involved in a drama group. He became a civil engineer in 1956.
Acting career
He started his professional acting career after various stints in student and amateur productions.1956-1959. Debrecen, Csokonai Theatre.
1959-1961. Miskolc, National Theatre.
1961-1962. Debrecen, Csokonai Theatre.
1962-1966. Vígszínház (Comedy Theatre). One of his most successful roles performed there was Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in 1963, playing with Éva Ruttkai, his later wife.
1966-1968. Thália Theatre.
1969-1971. Vígszinház.
19671-1976. Veszprém, Petőfi Theatre, where he was able to realise his long time dream of being able to direct.
One of the best performer of the poetry of Attila József, Gyula Illyés and Endre Ady.
Film career
Performed in numerous films from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. One of the most famous is Szindbád (1971), based on the short stories by Gyula KrúdyGyula Krúdy
Gyula Krúdy was a Hungarian writer and journalist.-Biography:Gyula Krúdy was born in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a maid working for the Krúdy family. His parents did not marry until Gyula was 17 years old.In his teens, Krúdy published newspaper pieces and began...
and directed by Zoltán Huszárik
Zoltán Huszárik
Zoltán Huszárik was an influential Hungarian film director, screenwriter, visual artist and occasional actor, an acclaimed auteur of the European modern art film....
.
His death
Latinovits was run over by a train at the station of Balatonszemes near Lake BalatonLake Balaton
Lake Balaton is a freshwater lake in the Transdanubian region of Hungary. It is the largest lake in Central Europe, and one of its foremost tourist destinations. As Hungary is landlocked , Lake Balaton is often affectionately called the "Hungarian Sea"...
in 1976. Though the official statements talked of suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, it never became fully clear whether he had jumped deliberately in front of the train or whether his death was an accident. His death immediately became a romanticized legend, also due to the similarities with the suicide of poet Attila József
Attila József
Attila József was one of the most important and well-known Hungarian poets of the 20th century.-Biography:The son of Áron József, a soap factory worker of Romanian origin from Bánát, and Hungarian peasant girl Borbála Pőcze, he was born in Ferencváros, a poor district of Budapest. He had two elder...
, of whose poems Latinovits had been one of the foremost interpreters.
Published books
1973. Ködszurkáló (Skywriter)1985. Emlékszem a röpülés boldogságára (collected works)
Prizes
(1966) – Jászai Mari prize(1970) – Balázs Béla prize
(1975) – Significant artist
(1989) – Kossuth prize (posth.)