Zoltan Korda
Zoltan Korda | |
---|---|
Hollywood, California , U.S. | |
Occupation | Film director |
Years active | 1918–1955 |
Spouses | |
Children | 2 |
Family | Alexander Korda (brother) Vincent Korda (brother) Michael Korda (nephew) Chris Korda (great-niece) |
Zoltan Korda (May 3, 1895
Early life and education
Born Zoltán Kellner (Kellner Zoltán, in Hungarian name order), of
Career
As a young man, Korda went to work with his brother Alexander in their native Hungary and in the United Kingdom for his London Films production company. He functioned as a camera operator; for a time he worked in film editing and as a screenwriter. In 1918 and 1920 in Hungary, he directed two silent film shorts and a feature-length silent film in Germany in 1927.
In London, he made his English-language directorial debut with the
A former cavalry officer in the Common Army, afterwards in the Austro-Hungarian Army in World War I, Korda made a number of military action/adventure films, many of which were filmed in Africa or India. Of his directorial efforts, 1939's The Four Feathers, starring Sir Ralph Richardson, is considered his greatest cinematic accomplishment. Of lasting significance, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1939 Cannes Film Festival. In 2002 it was presented again by the Festival committee in retrospective.
In 1940, Zoltan Korda joined his brother Alexander in
Marriage and family
Korda married Olly Szokolay in 1921, divorcing in 1924. Korda married the British actress and dancer Joan Gardner in 1930. They were together until his death. They had 2 sons, David and Nicholas. The extended family's colorful history is the subject of a book by Zoltan's nephew Michael Korda,[3] Charmed Lives.
Poor health, brought on years earlier from a battle with tuberculosis, forced Zoltan Korda's retirement in 1955. He died in 1961 in Hollywood after a lengthy illness. He was buried in the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery.[4]
Filmography
Screenwriter
- Women Everywhere (1930)
- Sahara (1943)
Director
- The Eleven Devils (1927) co-director
- Men of Tomorrow (1932) lost film
- Cash (1933)
- Sanders of the River (1935)
- Conquest of the Air (1936) co-director
- Forget Me Not (1936)
- Elephant Boy (1937)
- The Drum (1938)
- The Four Feathers (1939)
- The Thief of Bagdad (1940) uncredited
- Jungle Book(1942)
- Sahara (1943)
- Counter-Attack (1945)
- The Macomber Affair (1947)
- A Woman's Vengeance (1948)
- Cry, the Beloved Country (1951)
- Storm Over the Nile (1955) co-director
Footnotes
- ^ Jewish birth register of Túrkeve, entry No. 18/1895.
- ^ "Variety Club - Jewish Chronicle colour supplement "350 years"". The Jewish Chronicle. 2006-12-15. pp. 28–29.
- ISBN 0679456597.
- ^ Resting Places