Steven Geray (born István Gyergyai, 10 November 190426 December 1973) was a Hungarian-born American film actor who appeared in over 100 films and dozens of television programs. Geray appeared in numerous famed A-pictures, including

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

's '' Spellbound'' (1945) and ''

To Catch a Thief '' To Catch a Thief'' is a 1955 American romantic thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, from a screenplay by John Michael Hayes based on the 1952 novel of the same name by David Dodge. The film stars Cary Grant as a retired cat burglar w ...

'' (1955), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's '' All About Eve'' (1950), and

Howard Hawks Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American director who is ...

' '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1953). However, it was in

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

that be became a fixture, being cast in over a dozen pictures in the genre. Among them were '' The Mask of Dimitrios'' (1944), ''

Gilda ''Gilda'' is a 1946 American film noir directed by Charles Vidor and starring Rita Hayworth in her signature role and Glenn Ford. The film is known for cinematographer Rudolph Maté's lush photography, costume designer Jean Louis's wardrobe fo ...

'' (1946), '' The Unfaithful'' (1947), '' In a Lonely Place'' (1950), and '' The House on Telegraph Hill'' (1951).

Early life

Geray was born István Gyergyai in Ungvár,

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

(now

Uzhhorod Uzhhorod ( uk, У́жгород, , ; ) is a city and municipality on the river Uzh in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. The city is approximately equidistant from the Baltic, the Adriatic and the ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian invas ...

) and educated at the

University of Budapest A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

Career

Geray made his first stage appearance at the Hungarian National Theater under his real name and after nearly four years he made his London stage debut (as Steven Geray) in 1934, appearing in ''Happy Week-End!'' He began appearing in English-speaking films in 1935 and moved to Hollywood in 1941. He appeared alongside his wife, Magda Kun, whom he married in 1934, in the 1935 film '' Dance Band''. Political pressure led to Geray's exit from Europe. His act in the

Folies Bergère The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall, located in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the architect Plumeret. It opened on 2 May 1869 as the Folies Trév ...

included impersonations of

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

and

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in ...

, which incurred the wrath of the governments of Germany and Italy. Geray failed to heed their warnings to stop the impersonations. After being beaten up, however, he moved to Hollywood. Geray was cast as the lead in a low-budget film noir '' So Dark the Night'' (1946). Even with its limited budget, it received positive critical reviews and enabled its director Joseph H. Lewis to later direct A-pictures. During his prime in cinema Geray appeared in many top-rated movies, including

's '' Spellbound'' (1945) and ''

'' (1955), Joseph L. Mankiewicz's '' All About Eve'' (1950), and

' '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1953). He found a niche in crime and adventure films such as '' Background to Danger'' (1943), ''

Appointment in Berlin ''Appointment in Berlin'' (also known as ''Assignment in Berlin'') is a 1943 American war drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring George Sanders, Marguerite Chapman and Onslow Stevens. The film's plot follows an R.A.F. officer wh ...

'' (1943), and '' A Bullet for Joey'' (1955), but it was in

where be became a fixture. Among his castings in the genre were '' The Mask of Dimitrios'' (1944), ''

Cornered Cornered may refer to: * ''Cornered'' (1924 film), a 1924 silent film * ''Cornered'' (1932 film), a 1932 Pre Code western film * ''Cornered'' (1945 film), a 1945 ''film noir'' starring Dick Powell * ''Cornered!'' (film), a 2010 horror film star ...

'' (1945), '' Deadline at Dawn'' (1946), ''

'' (1946), '' The Unfaithful'' (1947), '' The Dark Past'' (1948), '' In a Lonely Place'' (1950), '' The Second Woman'' (1950), '' A Lady Without Passport'' (1950), '' Woman on the Run'' (1950), '' The House on Telegraph Hill'' (1951), ''

Affair in Trinidad ''Affair in Trinidad'' is a 1952 American film noir directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. It was produced by Hayworth's Beckworth Corporation and released by Columbia Pictures. It is notable as Hayworth's "comebac ...

'' (1952), and '' New York Confidential'' (1955). Geray continued to work on television and in films into the 1960s. Among them a guest appearance on '' Perry Mason'' in 1962 as extortionist and murder victim Franz Moray in "The Case of the Stand-in Sister", three episodes of ''

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', sometimes called ''The Burns and Allen Show'', was a half-hour television situation comedy broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It starred George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts ...

'' as French dress designer Gaston Broussard in 1956, including the over the top "A Paris Creation" and various doctor roles on ''

The Danny Thomas Show ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show ...

''.

Personal life

Geray spent some time in the late-1960s in

Estes Park, Colorado Estes Park is a statutory town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 5,904 at the 2020 United States Census. Estes Park is a part of the Fort Collins, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban C ...

, where he directed local theater (''

The Fantasticks ''The Fantasticks'' is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the 1894 play ''The Romancers'' (''Les Romanesques'') by Edmond Rostand, concerning two neigh ...

''). He owned and ran a bar in Estes Park from 1969 to 1970. Geray died 26 December 1973 in Los Angeles, California. He was cremated, and his ashes were given to his wife.

Selected filmography

*''Mária növér'' (1929) *''Csókolj meg, édes!'' (1932) - Pali, medikus *'' Spring Shower'' (1932) - Urasági intézõ *''

Flying Gold ''Flying Gold'' (Hungarian: ''Repülő arany'') is a 1932 Hungarian crime film directed by Steve Sekely and starring Steven Geray, Gyula Kabos and Lajos Gárday. A shipment of gold being flown from Paris to Budapest is robbed in mid-air. A Frenc ...

'' (1932) - Bálint György, az Esti Hírek újságírója *''Pardon, tévedtem'' (1933) *''Az ellopott szerda'' (1933) - Tamás István, rádióriporter *'' Dance Band'' (1935) - Steve Sarel *'' The Student's Romance'' (1935) - Mickey *'' A Star Fell from Heaven'' (1936) - Willi Wass *'' Let's Make a Night of It'' (1937) - Luigi *'' Modern Girls'' (1937) - Székely Feri *''Családi pótlék'' (1937) - Kovács Péter *''

Premiere A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition. A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its f ...

'' (1938) - Frolich *'' Lightning Conductor'' (1938) - Morley *'' Inspector Hornleigh'' (1939) - Michael Kavanos *'' Dark Streets of Cairo'' (1940) - Bellboy *'' Man at Large'' (1941) - Karl Botany, alias C.B. Haldane *''

The Shanghai Gesture ''The Shanghai Gesture'' is a 1941 American film noir directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Gene Tierney, Walter Huston, Victor Mature, and Ona Munson. It is based on a Broadway play of the same name by John Colton, which was adapted for ...

'' (1941) - Man in Casino Helping Boris (uncredited) *'' Blue, White and Perfect'' (1942) - Vanderhoefen *'' A Gentleman at Heart'' (1942) - Don Fernando *'' Castle in the Desert'' (1942) - Dr. Retling *'' Secret Agent of Japan'' (1942) - Alecsandri *'' The Wife Takes a Flyer'' (1942) - Gestapo Agent (uncredited) *'' The Mad Martindales'' (1942) - Jan Van Der Venne *'' Eyes in the Night'' (1942) - Mr. Anderson *'' The Moon and Sixpence'' (1942) - Dirk Stroeve *'' Once Upon a Honeymoon'' (1942) - Café Waiter (uncredited) *'' Assignment in Brittany'' (1943) - Priest (uncredited) *'' Above Suspicion'' (1943) - Anton - Woodcarver (uncredited) *'' Night Plane from Chungking'' (1943) - Rev. Dr. Ven Der Lieden *''

Henry Aldrich Swings It ''Henry Aldrich Swings It'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Hugh Bennett and written by Muriel Roy Bolton and Val Burton. The film stars Jimmy Lydon, Charles Smith, John Litel, Olive Blakeney, Vaughan Glaser and Marian Hall. The f ...

'' (1943) - Frank 'Silky' Ganz (uncredited) *'' Pilot #5'' (1943) - Major Eichel *'' Background to Danger'' (1943) - Ludwig Rader (uncredited) *''

'' (1943) - Henri Rader (uncredited) *'' Hostages'' (1943) - Mueller *'' Phantom of the Opera'' (1943) - Vercheres *'' Whistling in Brooklyn'' (1943) - Whitey *'' Meet the People'' (1944) - Uncle Felix *'' The Mask of Dimitrios'' (1944) - Karel Bulic *''

The Seventh Cross ''The Seventh Cross'' (german: Das siebte Kreuz) is a novel by Anna Seghers, one of the better-known examples of German literature circa World War II. It was first published in Mexico by ''El Libro Libre'' In 1942. The English translation came o ...

'' (1944) - Dr. Loewenstein *'' Resisting Enemy Interrogation'' (1944) - Dr. Victor Münz - Camp Doctor (uncredited) *'' In Society'' (1944) - Baron Sergei *''

The Conspirators In the English language, a conspirator is a party to a conspiracy. In a criminal conspiracy, each alleged party is a "co-conspirator". Conspirator(s) may refer to: Books * ''The Conspirators'' (novel), 1843 French historical novel by Alexandre D ...

'' (1944) - Dr. Schmitt *'' Hotel Berlin'' (1945) - Kleibert *'' Tarzan and the Amazons'' (1945) - Brenner *'' Spellbound'' (1945) - Dr. Graff *'' The Crimson Canary'' (1945) - Vic Miller *'' Mexicana'' (1945) - Laredo *''

'' (1945) - Señor Tomas Camargo *'' Deadline at Dawn'' (1946) - Edward Honig *''

'' (1946) - Uncle Pio *'' So Dark the Night'' (1946) - Henri Cassin *'' Blondie Knows Best'' (1946) - Dr. Schmidt *'' The Return of Monte Cristo'' (1946) - Bombelles *'' The Unfaithful'' (1947) - Martin Barrow *'' Blind Spot'' (1947) - Lloyd Harrison *'' Mr. District Attorney'' (1947) - Berotti *''

Gunfighters Gunfighters, also called gunslingers (), or in the 19th and early 20th centuries gunmen, were individuals in the American Old West who gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and participated in gunfights and shootouts. Today, the te ...

'' (1947) - Jose - aka Uncle Joe *'' When a Girl's Beautiful'' (1947) - Stacy Dorn *'' The Crime Doctor's Gamble'' (1947) - Jules Daudet *'' I Love Trouble'' (1948) - Keller *''

Port Said Port Said ( ar, بورسعيد, Būrsaʿīd, ; grc, Πηλούσιον, Pēlousion) is a city that lies in northeast Egypt extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. With an approximate population of ...

'' (1948) - Alexis Tacca *'' The Dark Past'' (1948) - Prof. Fred Linder *'' Ladies of the Chorus'' (1948) - Salisbury *'' The Lone Wolf and His Lady'' (1949) - Mynher Van Groot *''

El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...

'' (1949) - Mexican Joe *'' Sky Liner'' (1949) - Bokejian *''

Once More, My Darling ''Once More, My Darling'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by and starring Robert Montgomery and Ann Blyth. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording (Leslie I. Carey Sound recordist Leslie I. Carey (August ...

'' (1949) - Kalzac *'' Holiday in Havana'' (1949) - Lopez *'' Tell It to the Judge'' (1949) - Francois, Headwaiter (uncredited) *'' Under My Skin'' (1950) - Bartender (uncredited) *'' Harbor of Missing Men'' (1950) - Captain Corcoris *'' Beware of Blondie'' (1950) - Matre'd Coq D'or (uncredited) *'' In a Lonely Place'' (1950) - Paul, Headwaiter *'' The Second Woman'' (1950) - Balthazar Jones *'' A Lady Without Passport'' (1950) - Frenchman, Palinov's Tout *'' Woman on the Run'' (1950) - Dr. Hohler *'' All About Eve'' (1950) - Captain of Waiters *''

Pygmy Island ''Pygmy Island'' is a 1950 Jungle Jim film starring Johnny Weissmuller as the title character. It was movie number five in the series. Production Filming started 19 June 1950. Katzman hired several midget actors to play pygmies. The film was shot ...

'' (1950) - Leon Marko *'' Target Unknown'' (1951) - Jean *'' I Can Get It for You Wholesale'' (1951) - Bettini (uncredited) *'' The House on Telegraph Hill'' (1951) - Dr. Burkhardt *'' Savage Drums'' (1951) - Borodoff *'' Little Egypt'' (1951) - Pasha *''

My Favorite Spy My Favorite Spy may refer to: * My Favorite Spy (1942 film), an American comedy film * My Favorite Spy (1951 film) ''My Favorite Spy'' is a 1951 comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and starring Bob Hope and Hedy Lamarr. Plot US intelligen ...

'' (1951) - Croupier (uncredited) *'' Lady Possessed'' (1952) - Dr. Stepanek *'' Bal Tabarin'' (1952) - Inspector Manet *''

'' (1952) - Wittol *'' The Big Sky'' (1952) - 'Frenchy' Jourdonnais *'' O. Henry's Full House'' (1952) - Boris Radolf (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited) *'' Night Without Sleep'' (1952) - George (uncredited) *'' Tonight We Sing'' (1953) - Prager *'' The Story of Three Loves'' (1953) - Legay (segment "Equilibrium") (uncredited) *''

Call Me Madam ''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars ...

'' (1953) - Prime Minister Sebastian *'' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1953) - Hotel Manager *''

The Golden Blade ''The Golden Blade'' is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Nathan Juran and starring Rock Hudson as Harun Al-Rashid and Piper Laurie as Princess Khairuzan. It is set in ancient Bagdad and borrows from the Arabic fairy tales of ''One Thous ...

'' (1953) - Barcus *'' The Royal African Rifles'' (1953) - Van Stede *'' The French Line'' (1953) - François, Ship Steward *'' The Great Diamond Robbery'' (1954) - Van Goosen *''

Paris Playboys ''Paris Playboys'' is a 1954 American comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring The Bowery Boys. The film was released on March 7, 1954 by Allied Artists and is the thirty-third film in the series. Plot After Sach is mistaken by ...

'' (1954) - Dr. Gaspard *'' Knock on Wood'' (1954) - Dr. Kreuger *''

Tobor the Great ''Tobor the Great'' (a.k.a. ''Tobor'') is a 1954 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced by Richard Goldstone, directed by Lee Sholem, and starring Charles Drake, Karin Booth, and Billy Chapin. The film ...

'' (1954) - The Foreign Spy-Chief *'' New York Confidential'' (1955) - Morris Franklin *'' A Bullet for Joey'' (1955) - Raphael Garcia *''

Daddy Long Legs A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...

'' (1955) - Emile (uncredited) *''

'' (1955) - Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited) *'' Kiss of Fire'' (1955) - Ship Captain Bellon *'' Artists and Models'' (1955) - Kurt's Associate (uncredited) *'' The Adventures of Fu Manchu'' (1956) - Otto Helgaard *'' The Birds and the Bees'' (1956) - Bartender (uncredited) *'' Adventures of Superman'' (1956, TV series, Episode: The Deadly Rock) - Professor Van Wick *''

Attack Attack may refer to: Warfare and combat * Offensive (military) * Charge (warfare) * Attack (fencing) * Strike (attack) * Attack (computing) * Attack aircraft Books and publishing * ''The Attack'' (novel), a book * '' Attack No. 1'', comic an ...

'' (1956) - Otto - German NCO *'' Stagecoach to Fury'' (1956) - Nichols *'' The Gift of Love'' (1958) - Toy Shop Owner (uncredited) *''

A Certain Smile ''A Certain Smile'' was originally published in French as ''Un certain sourire'' by the Paris publisher Juillard in 1956. It was the second novel by Françoise Sagan and was written in two months. Two translations into English then followed in 19 ...

'' (1958) - Denis *''

Verboten! ''Verboten!'' is a 1959 American romantic war drama film written, produced and directed by Samuel Fuller and starring James Best, Susan Cummings, Tom Pittman, and Harold Daye. It was the last film of the influential but troubled RKO Radio Pictu ...

'' (1959) - Mayor (Burghermeister) of Rothbach *'' Count Your Blessings'' (1959) - Guide *''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company ...

'' (1962, TV Series, Episode: The Diamond Ring) - Mr. Schneider *'' Perry Mason'' (1962, TV Series) - Franz Moray *''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...

'' (1962, TV Series) - Alexander Dubois ("The Dowry") *''

Dime with a Halo ''Dime with a Halo'' is a 1963 film directed by Boris Sagal. It stars Barbara Luna and Rafael López. Plot Four thieving street urchins, led by Chuy, bet $2 on a pick-six horse race every week. A kindly American, Mr. Jones, places their bet for ...

'' (1963) - Priest *'' The Evil of Frankenstein'' (1964) - Dr. Sergado (additional sequence: US) (uncredited) *'' Wild and Wonderful'' (1964) - Bartender *'' Ship of Fools'' (1965) - Steward aboard Vera (uncredited) *'' Our Man Flint'' (1966) - Israeli Diplomat (uncredited) *''

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter ''Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter'' is a low-budget Western horror film released in 1966, in which a fictionalized version of the real-life western outlaw Jesse James encounters the fictional ''grand''daughter (the film's title notwi ...

'' (1966) - Dr. Rudolph Frankenstein *'' The Swinger'' (1966) - Man with Fish (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Geray, Steven 1904 births 1973 deaths Hungarian male film actors American male film actors Hungarian emigrants to the United States People from Estes Park, Colorado 20th-century American male actors