Steven Geray

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Steven Geray performing at the theater with Margit Dajka in Budapest (1931)

Steven Geray (born November 10, 1904 in Ungvár , Austria-Hungary , today Uzhhorod, Ukraine , † December 26, 1973 in Los Angeles ; actually Istvàn Gyergyay ) was an American film actor of Hungarian origin.

Life

Geray was born as Istvàn Gyergyay in Ungvár in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. He began his acting career at the Hungarian National Theater in Budapest and appeared in a film for the first time in 1929 under his real name. From 1935 he was seen under his stage name Steven Geray in a number of British films before he went to Hollywood in 1940 and in 1941 received a contract with 20th Century Fox . He then played mostly minor supporting roles, such as in Jean Negulesco's film noir Die Maske des Dimitrios (1944) or in Alfred Hitchcock's I fight for you (1945). Perhaps his best-known role is that of the philosophizing casino clerk Uncle Pio in Charles Vidor's classic film noir Gilda, alongside Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford . In 1952 Columbia Pictures tried to repeat the immense success of Gilda , which is why Hayworth, Ford and Geray stood together again for the affair in Trinidad in front of the camera.

In the course of his career Geray appeared in over 100 feature films. From the 1950s he also appeared in numerous television series, including Lassie (1955), Dr. Kildare (1962), Bonanza (1962), Perry Mason (1958/1962) and The Charming Jeannie (1965). In 1966 he retired from the film business.

From 1934 Geray was married to the Hungarian actress Magda Kun, with whom he also stood in front of the camera. In his second marriage he was married to Roanne Ollafay Threet until his death in 1973.

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Brian McFarlane: The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition . Manchester University Press, 2013, p. 1895.
  2. cf. omovie.com