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Tony Curtis in 1952
The life and legacy of Hollywood icon Tony Curtis (1925-2010) were celebrated this week with the opening of a memorial room at ORIGO Film Studio, honoring the actor’s Hungarian roots and the enduring contribution of Hungarians to the global film industry.
Opening the event, Dr. Márta Horváthné Fekszi, CEO of ORIGO Studios, welcomed leading figures from the film industry, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of the media.
Caroline Savage, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, was also present at the inauguration of the memorial room for Tony Curtis. In her speech, she described the late actor as a symbol of the American dream and a proud representative of Hungary’s lasting influence on Hollywood. She noted that his journey from the son of Hungarian immigrants to a celebrated film star reflected the power of talent, freedom, and opportunity.
His life is a story of what happens when Hungarian talent meets American opportunity, and Tony Curtis was far from alone.”
She emphasized the profound contributions Hungarians have made to Hollywood, citing pioneers such as Adolph Zukor and William Fox, as well as artists including Béla Lugosi and Michael Curtiz.
The very foundations of Hollywood were laid in no small part by Hungarians (…) These men did more than make movies. They built an art form, an industry, and a cultural force that has shaped the world for over a century.”
What a joy to join the Hungarian Hollywood Council to celebrate the opening of the Tony Curtis Museum at Origo Film Studios. Hollywood’s foundations were laid in no small part by Hungarians, a legacy that continues today with Hungarian directors, cinematographers, actors, and… pic.twitter.com/aoIfPdmbYN
— Chargé d’Affaires Caroline Savage (@USAmbHungary) June 9, 2026
She also praised modern Budapest and ORIGO Studios for their important role in global filmmaking. “Hungarian talent left a permanent mark on the silver screen, and that legacy continues very well and very strong today with Hungarian directors, cinematographers, writers, and actors contributing to some of the most celebrated films of our era. Hungary itself has become a world-class destination for filmmaking (…) Hungary is far from just a backdrop. It is a creative partner in shaping the stories that move people’s hearts around the world,” she highlighted. She concluded her speech by saying that the event and the memorial room honor both Curtis’s remarkable legacy and the enduring cultural bond between Hungary and the United States.
The speeches were followed by the screening of a never-before-seen Tony Curtis tribute film.
Balázs Bokor, President of the Hungarian Hollywood Council, emphasized to Hungary Today that Hungarians have played a pivotal role in the creation and development of Hollywood, from studio founders to Oscar-winning filmmakers. He noted that the opening of the Tony Curtis memorial was timed to coincide with the world-famous actor’s 101st birthday, continuing the programs from last year’s centennial commemorative year. He highlighted that the collaboration between ORIGO Film Studio and the Hungarian Hollywood Council plays an important role in preserving the legacy of Hungarians in Hollywood.
Fact
Tony Curtis was born in New York under the name Bernard Schwartz. His father, Mátészalka-born Máté Schwartz, and his mother, Ilona Klein, were from Nagymihály, which is now part of Slovakia. His parents emigrated to the United States from the region that is now part of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County. In 1948, he tried his luck at Universal Studios in California.
Tony Curtis. Photo: Wikipedia/Public Domain
By the 1950s, Curtis had begun securing prominent film roles and establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s rising stars. Meanwhile, Bernard Schwartz became James, then Anthony Curtis, and finally Tony Curtis. Curtis established his reputation in period films (Son of Ali Baba, The Prince Who Was a Thief), and thanks to his performance in the 1956 romantic film Trapeze, critics also took notice of his acting skills.
Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon & Marilyn Monroe in a publicity still for Some Like It Hot (1959) pic.twitter.com/kBoB6Ru6j8
— John Pitchford
(@Johnnypapa64) May 16, 2025
Tony Curtis was proud of his Hungarian heritage and visited Hungary on several occasions. He first visited his “home” in Mátészalka (northeastern Hungary) in 1985, and returned there again in 1988. At the invitation of the Hungarian government, he came to Hungary again in 1996 and participated in the First World Congress of Hungarian Filmmakers. Curtis also established a foundation to support the renovation of the Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest. Tony Curtis, who appeared in 130 films during his career, passed away in September 2010.
Tony Curtis Memorial Room. Photo: Hungary Today
The Tony Curtis Memorial Room displays personal belongings,
costumes, paintings, and memorabilia from Curtis’s life, offering visitors a glimpse into both his artistic achievements and his lifelong attachment to his Hungarian heritage.
Tony Curtis Memorial Room. Photo: Hungary Today
Balázs Bokor also revealed to Hungary Today that his personal favorites from the items on display are the artist’s paintings. These are the items he finds most meaningful on display, since Tony Curtis took up painting as a hobby during the last ten years of his life, and it served as a kind of “music of joy” for him.
Tony Curtis Memorial Room. Photo: Hungary Today
According to him, the influence of Vincent Van Gogh and Henri Matisse can be detected in Curtis’s paintings, as the expressive power of colors—rather than forms—was at the center of his works. In his view, these works well reflect the actor’s carefree attitude toward life and his artistic world.
More than a tribute to a single actor, the memorial room serves as a reminder of the lasting contribution Hungarians have made to world cinema and of the cultural bridge that continues to connect Hungary and Hollywood.
Via mult-kor.hu; Featured photo: Hungary Today
The post From Mátészalka to Hollywood: Tony Curtis Memorial Opens at ORIGO Studios appeared first on Hungary Today.
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