When you think of a Hollywood celebrity, Hungary is probably not the first place that comes to mind. However, Hungary is the birthplace of many truly great stars. This is proven by the fact that we are well represented on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here are the Hungarians who have received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Harry Houdini
Photo: Wikimedia CommonsHarry Houdini in 1899. Source: Wikipedia.Photo: www.facebook.com/houseofhoudini
Houdini is perhaps one of the most famous Hungarians but many are not aware of his Hungarian origin. Harry Houdini was born Erik Weisz in Budapest. The greatest free artist of all time is one of the world’s best performers.
There are many myths and legends surrounding Houdini’s life and death.
He was elected President of the American Society of Magicians 9 times. The Nobel Prize-winning playwright George Bernard Shaw’s words well demonstrate how famous Houdini was. According to Shaw, the most talked about names in the world are Jesus, Sherlock Holmes and Houdini.
Gábor Zsazsa
Zsa Zsa Gabor’s star Walk of Fame, Hollywoof
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: www.facebook.com/thekitCA
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
With her 2nd husband, Conrad Hilton/facebook/Zsa Zsa Gabor/
Photo: facebook/Zsa Zsa Gabor
Photo: Facebook.com/zsazsagaborofficial
Gábor Sári was a Golden Globe-winning Hungarian actress, beauty queen, model and businesswoman.
She was one of the most famous Hollywood sex symbols of the 20th century.
Zsa Zsa was considered by many the world’s first celebrity. She became Miss Hungary in 1936 and moved to Hollywood in 1941. Her movies, beauty and scandals made her widely known. She died in Los Angeles in 2016 at the age of nearly 100.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Screenshot from “Internet Archive” of the movie Dracula (1931)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons by Derzsi Elekes Andor
Photo: Wikimedia Commonsby Pedro Figueiredo
Béla Lugosi in 1912. Source: Wikipedia.
Béla Lugosi gained worldwide fame for his portrayal of the vampire, Count Dracula. A legendary figure in classic horror films, Lugosi was born in 1882. He began his acting career in Timisoara, Debrecen and Szeged. He arrived in New Orleans in 1920.
1931 marks the year when he starred in the film Dracula.
It was both a blessing and a curse. He was quickly pigeonholed in the horror genre. Also in ’31, he was offered the role of the monster in Frankenstein.
Pál Lukács
Paul Lukas is an Oscar and Golden Globe-winning Hungarian actor.
In 1927, Adolph Zukor, the Hungarian president of the Paramount film company invited him to Hollywood.
He starred in more than 60 films. In 1943, he won an Academy Award for his performance in Watch on the Rhine.
William Fox
Portrait of William Fox from 1921
Fried Vilmos was born in Hungary in 1879.
He was a producer and the founder of the Fox Film Corporation.
He was of Jewish origin, and his family emigrated to the USA when he was 9 months old. He founded the Fox Film Corporation in 1915. Although he went bankrupt in 1936, his name lives on in 20th Century Fox, among others.
Eva Gabor was just as famous- she had a top rated TV show for years – just as beautiful and a great sense of humor as her sister. She was probably better known to most Americans. It was hard to tell them apart.
Except for Bela Lugosi, all these people were Hungarian Jews which the article fails to mention. Most notably the Gabor sisters and Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz).
Eva Gabor was just as famous- she had a top rated TV show for years – just as beautiful and a great sense of humor as her sister. She was probably better known to most Americans. It was hard to tell them apart.
Except for Bela Lugosi, all these people were Hungarian Jews which the article fails to mention. Most notably the Gabor sisters and Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz).