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1-41 of 41
- Director
- Producer
- Cinematographer
George Pal was born on February 1, 1908, in Cegled, Austria-Hungary. Later, when he was still a child, his stage-entertainer parents divorced, and he was raised by his grandparents.
In 1928, Pal graduated from the Budapest Academy of Arts with a degree in Architecture and highly developed drawing skills. There were no opportunities for an Architect when he left the University, so, putting his other talents to work, he found employment at Hunnia Films in Budapest. Later on, through his films, Pal became an architect of worlds, but first...
At Hunnia, Pal drew lobby posters and created embellished titles for silent movies. He also quickly learned the craft of motion picture cartooning.
In 1930, George married Elisabeth Josepha (Zsoka) Grandjean, with whom he later had two sons, David (born, 1937) and Peter (born, 1941). Seeking work with better pay, the young couple moved to Berlin, a center for film innovation. Pal's talents were soon noticed.
From 1931-1932, Pal worked at UFA Studios in Berlin where he became head of the cartoon department. Then, he set up his own film studio elsewhere in Berlin. His credentials attracted orders from companies for animated advertising. Instead of the cartoon approach, he developed his own take on making inanimate objects move, even dance, using the still evolving art of stop-motion photography. Advertisements featuring, for instance, Overstolz cigarettes, outfitted with faces, arms, and legs, were shown on theater screens strutting and singing as if drawn by a cartoonist. These "puppets" without strings would later evolve into animated characters made of wood who would have names and star in their own films.
When the Nazi regime installed itself in Germany, George and Zsoka left for Prague for a short time. Then it was on to Paris where they received an invitation from Sies Neuman, head of Philips Radio's advertising, to move to Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands, and work there. Before long, he had his own studio and made commercials for Dutch, English, and American firms.
It was in Eindhoven that George and American film maker, Dave Bader, invented a name for the three-dimensional cartoons that George was also now producing: "Puppetoons." George made many films in Holland, including "The Ship of the Ether." He changed his last name from Marczincsak to Pal, and, in 1937, George and Zsoka's first son, David, was born.
During the 1930s, George and Zsoka applied for an American emigration visa, only to be told each time that the small Hungarian quota was filled. Then, in 1939, the American consulate granted a visa for them and their young son to leave for New York.
First, Pal made a solo trip to New York. Not long after arriving, Columbia University offered him a lectureship on the process of making stop-motion films. Coincidentally, Barney Baliban, the president of Paramount Pictures' New York office, saw one of Pal's Puppetoon films at a party. He was so impressed by it that he contacted Pal and offered him a contract to make them for Paramount, either in New York or at their animation studio in Florida.
Pal returned to Holland and made arrangements for his family to leave Europe and move to America. Then, Frank Freeman, the President of Paramount Studios in Hollywood offered him a studio of his own and a staff of 25 film makers. The Pals arrived in New York early in 1940 and were soon settled in Beverly Hills, California.
In 1941, George and Zsoka's second son, Peter, was born.
From 1941 to 1947, Pal created more than 40 Puppetoon films, and received a special Academy Award in 1943. His studio staffers included Willis H. O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen, Wah Chang, and Gene Warren. He was also close friends with animation producer, Walter Lantz, as well as film pioneer, Walt Disney.
From 1948 to 1949, he began work on his first full-length motion pictures that combined live action with special photographic and sound effects. In the 1950s and 1960s, six of his films received Academy Awards. He worked with many gifted talents, including: director Byron Haskin; writers Robert A. Heinlein, Barré Lyndon, and David Duncan; cinematographers George Barnes, and Paul Vogel; visual-effects masters Gordon Jennings and his crew at Paramount, plus A. Arnold Gillespie, Wah Chang, and Gene Warren at MGM.
Pal also worked with sound-effects wizards Gene Garvin, Harry Lindgren, Franklin Milton, and Van Allen James; art directors Albert Nozaki, Hal Pereira, Ernst Fegté, and William Ferrari; film editors Everett Douglas and George Tomasini; composers Leith Stevens and Russell Garcia; space artist Chesley Bonestell; many animation craftsmen, including his son, David Pal, (who brought the elves to life in "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm") and Don Sahlin who would later go on to design the original Muppet characters; plus countless actors and actresses, many of whom are remembered to this day.
Throughout the 1970s, Pal worked on several film proposals, but only one was distributed. He passed away on May 2, 1980 while working on "The Voyage of the Berg" for AIP Filmways. It was never finished, but his other films endure.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Tibor Szervét was born on 1 March 1958 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Valami Amerika (2002), Hagyaték (2020) and Valami Amerika 2 (2008).- Zoltán Rátóti was born on 19 August 1960 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Európa expressz (1999), Életképek (2004) and The Gravy Train Goes East (1991).
- Réka Farkasházi was born on 16 August 1977 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for Gyilkos kedv (1997), Awakening (1995) and Hasutasok (2007). She has been married to Sárközy, Bence since 23 June 2001. They have three children.
- Cinematographer
- Actor
- Writer
Barna Mihók was born on 27 November 1948 in Cegléd, Hungary. He was a cinematographer and actor, known for Satantango (1994), Egy tekercs valóság (1999) and Úton (1980). He died on 25 July 2016 in Pilisszántó.- Mária Goór Nagy was born on 3 May 1947 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for Hazai pálya (1969), Szerencsés Dániel (1983) and Silence and Cry (1968). She has been married to Buda Gulyás since 1999. She was previously married to Miklós Szurdi.
- Judit Kocsis was born on 2 July 1961 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for Made in Hungaria (2009), Drága örökösök (2019) and Musical TV Theater (1970).
- Actor
- Visual Effects
Alfonz Krízsik was born on 29 January 1959 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Love, Death & Robots (2019), Csonka délibáb (2015) and Budakeszi srácok (2006).- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Árpád Schilling was born on 1 May 1974 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is a director and writer, known for Határontúl (2004), Jött egy busz... (2003) and Nexxt (2001).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Annamária Papp was born on 6 March 1986 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for 56 Drops of Blood (2007), Budapest Heist (2020) and Csepp barát (2020).- Erzsébet Ecsedi was born on 24 April 1954 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for A meg nem érintett (2012), Mascot (1982) and Térmetszés (1979).
- Zoltán Horváth was born on 22 August 1986 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Hacktion (2011), The Round Up (2010) and In the Line of Fire (2007).
- Károly Garamszegi was born on 6 March 1906 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Vissza az úton (1941), The Witness (1969) and Kántor (1976).
- István Dombóvári was born on 30 April 1978 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Így vagy tökéletes (2021), Tömény történelem (2016) and Barátok közt (1998).
- Kata Sarka was born on 24 September 1986 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- János Reznák was born on 12 December 1930 in Cegléd, Hungary. He died on 11 June 1988 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- László Zámori was born on 20 April 1922 in Cegléd, Hungary. He was an actor, known for Féltékenység (1943), Dübörgö csend (1978) and Platonov szerelmei (1967). He died on 5 January 2014 in Szolnok, Hungary.
- Maria Bretus was born on 24 January 1943 in Cegléd, Hungary. She was an actress, known for Csodálatos mandarin (1970). She died on 21 October 2014.
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Ferenc Markovics was born in Cegléd, Hungary. His parents were Ferenc Markovics, Sr. and Gabriella Wessely.
He started photography in his secondary school years. He first appeared on an exhibition in 1955. He's a member of Photography Society of America since 1966. He has been in many other (Hungarian) organizations and foundations. Was working for magazines ("Film, Színház, Muzsika" and "Reform").
His last exhibition ("Seventy-five + 5") was held in 2011.- Károly Ecser was born on 22 October 1931 in Cegléd, Hungary. He died on 6 April 2005 in Ceglédbercel, Hungary.
- Ádám Földi was born on 30 December 1979 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for The Raven (2012), Noé (2011) and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan (2018).
- Roland Juhász was born on 1 July 1983 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- Éva Fésüs was born on 14 May 1926 in Cegléd, Hungary. She was a writer, known for Csaló az üveghegyen (1977), Nyúl a cilinderben (1983) and A palacsintás király (1973). She died on 21 February 2019 in Kaposvár, Hungary.
- Assistant
Menyhért Bence was born on 7 March 1991 in Cegléd, Hungary.- Miklós Ungvári was born on 15 October 1980 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- Actor
- Music Department
Csaba Pusztai was born in 1975 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Az ember, aki nappal aludt (2003), The Conquest (1996) and Csináljuk a fesztivált I. (2007).- László Sirkó was born on 18 September 1950 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Moziklip (1987), Mint oldott kéve (1983) and Egészséges erotika (1986).
- Judit Végh was born on 13 May 1983 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for Jóban rosszban (2005).
- Irén Sivók was born on 9 March 1962 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for Kis Romulusz (1995).
- Teréz Cseri was born on 22 September 1878 in Cegléd, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]. She is known for Jönnek az oroszok (1914).
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Szilárd Podmaniczky was born on 24 July 1963 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is a writer, known for Szép magyar szó-kép-tár (2010), Miraq (2006) and Szezon (2004).- Sándor Czeglédi was born on 2 June 1924 in Cegléd, Hungary. He was an actor, known for A szívroham (1964), Mire a levelek lehullanak... (1978) and Ingyenélök (1979). He died on 1 June 1984 in Budapest, Hungary.
- Irma Patkós was born on 8 March 1900 in Cegléd, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]. She was an actress, known for Dear Emma, Sweet Böbe (1992), Gyerekbetegségek (1965) and Holt vidék (1972). She was married to Jenotilde Sziklai. She died on 24 October 1996.
- Rita Terecskei was born on 27 July 1979 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- Dóra Czigány was born on 23 October 1992 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- Csaba Koncz was born on 28 March 1947 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- Sándor Csintalan was born on 5 October 1954 in Cegléd, Hungary.
- István Tömörkény was born on 21 December 1866 in Cegléd, Hungary. István was a writer, known for Barlanglakók (1916) and Csata a katonával (1967). István died on 24 April 1917 in Szeged, Hungary.
- Mihály Ozsgyáni was born on 11 March 1980 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is an actor, known for Mom and Other Loonies in the Family (2015), The Maiden Danced to Death (2011) and Jóban rosszban (2005).
- Anita Támadi was born on 5 December 1993 in Cegléd, Hungary. She is an actress, known for Wild Roots (2021), Oltári történetek (2021) and Brigi és Brúnó (2022).
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Péter Sárik was born on 6 May 1972 in Cegléd, Hungary. He is a composer, known for Poligamy (2009), Mi ez a cirkusz? (2017) and Like a Child - Fábián Juli (2019).