Charles Puffy (born Károly Hochstadt; 3 November 1884 – 1942 or 1943) was a Hungarian film actor.

Biography

Hochstadt appeared in more than 130 films between 1914 and 1938. He was the only

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such a ...

star in Hungary's silent film era, appearing under the name "Pufi" (meaning "Fatty" in Hungarian, referring to his weight) and Carlie Puffy in the United States for Universal Studios. His other stage names were Károly Huszár or Pufi Huszár. Besides his work on films, he frequently appeared on stage, mostly in comical roles. Later, he worked in films in both Germany and the United States, including such classics as

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...

's '' Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler'' (''Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler'') (1922) and Josef von Sternberg's '' Der blaue Engel'' (''The Blue Angel'') (1930). He used the names "Karl Huszar", "Karl Huszar-Puffy" or "Charles Puffy". In the sound era, he returned to his native Hungary, where he was featured in smaller roles in a number of films. Puffy was

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

, and decided to flee Hungary when the

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

started. He and his wife tried to get away to the United States, but Puffy died mid-way, in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Other sources say that he and his wife were captured by the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

and imprisoned in a

Gulag The Gulag, an acronym for , , "chief administration of the camps". The original name given to the system of camps controlled by the GPU was the Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps (, )., name=, group= was the government agency in ...

Karaganda Karaganda or Qaraghandy ( kk, Қарағанды/Qarağandy, ; russian: Караганда, ) is the capital of Karaganda Region in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, fourth most populous city in Kaza ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

. Puffy participated in the camp's amateur acting company, but after one year in capture, he died of

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...

Selected filmography

* '' Tavasz a télben'' (1917) * '' Az Ezredes'' (1917) aka ''The Colonel'' * '' St. Peter's Umbrella'' (1917) * ''

Lili ''Lili'' is a 1953 American film released by MGM. It stars Leslie Caron as a touchingly naïve French girl whose emotional relationship with a carnival puppeteer is conducted through the medium of four puppets. The film won the Academy Award for ...

'' (1918) * ''

The Three Aunts "The Three Aunts" is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in ''Norske Folkeeventyr''.George Webbe Dasent, ''Popular Tales from the Norse''"The Three Aunts" Edinburgh: David Douglass, 1888. Synopsis A p ...

'' (1921) * ''

About the Son ''About the Son'' (german: Um den Sohn) is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Frederik Larsen and starring Carola Toelle, Ernst Hofmann and Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur. It premiered in Berlin on 13 May 1921.Grange p. 92 Cast * Carola Toelle ...

'' (1921) * ''

The Convict of Cayenne ''The Convict of Cayenne'' (German: ''Der Sträfling von Cayenne'') is a 1921 German silent drama film directed by Léo Lasko and starring Frederic Zelnik and Loni Nest.Bock & Bergfelder p.549 It premiered in Berlin at the Marmorhaus. Cast In a ...

'' (1921) * '' The Earl of Essex'' (1922) * '' Open All Night'' (1924) * '' The Great Unknown'' (1924) * ''

The Love Thief ''The Love Thief'' is a 1926 silent black and white American romance film. Directed by John McDermott, it stars Norman Kerry, Greta Nissen, and Marc McDermott. Cast list * Norman Kerry as Prince Boris Alexander Emanuel Augustus * Greta Niss ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Mystery Club ''The Mystery Club'' is a 1926 American silent mystery film directed by Herbert Blaché and starring Matt Moore, Edith Roberts and Mildred Harris.Munden p.535 It was based on a story from Arthur Somers Roche's ''Crimes of the Armchair Club'' ...

'' (1926) * '' A Man's Past'' (1927) * ''

The Private Life of Helen of Troy ''The Private Life of Helen of Troy'' is a 1927 American silent film about Helen of Troy based on the 1925 novel of the same name by John Erskine, and adapted to screen by Gerald Duffy. The film was directed by Alexander Korda and starred Marí ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Man Who Laughs ''The Man Who Laughs'' (also published under the title ''By Order of the King'' from its subtitle in French) is a novel by Victor Hugo, originally published in April 1869 under the French title ''L'Homme qui rit''. It takes place in England beg ...

'' (1928) * '' Yellow Lily'' (1928) * ''

My Heart is a Jazz Band ''My Heart is a Jazz Band'' (German: ''Mein Herz ist eine Jazzband'') is a 1929 German silent drama film directed by Frederic Zelnik and starring Lya Mara, Raimondo Van Riel and Heinrich Gotho. The film's art direction was by Andrej Andrejew. ...

'' (1929) * ''

The Hero of Every Girl's Dream ''The Hero of Every Girl's Dream'' (German: ''Der Held aller Mädchenträume'') is a 1929 German silent film directed by Robert Land and starring Harry Liedtke, Betty Bird and Hermine Sterler.Rogowski p.120 The film's sets were designed by Robe ...

'' (1929) * ''

Land Without Women ''Land Without Women'' (german: Das Land ohne Frauen) is a 1929 German drama film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Conrad Veidt, Elga Brink and Clifford McLaglen. It was based on the novel ''Die Braut Nr. 68'' by Peter Bolt. The film is ...

'' (1929) * '' My Sister and I'' (1929) * ''

Father and Son Father and Son or Fathers and Sons may refer to: Literature * ''Father and Son'' (book), a 1907 memoir by Edmund Gosse *Father and Son (comics), cartoon characters created by E. O. Plauen * ''Fathers and Sons'' (novel), an 1862 novel by Ivan Tur ...

'' (1929) * ''

My Daughter's Tutor ''My Daughter's Tutor'' (german: Der Erzieher meiner Tochter) is a 1929 German silent comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Harry Liedtke, Dolly Davis, and Charles Puffy. The plot closely mirrored that of Ernst Lubitsch's ''T ...

'' (1929) * '' Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame'' (1929) * ''

The Great Longing ''The Great Longing'' (german: Die große Sehnsucht) is a 1930 German comedy film directed by Steve Sekely in his directorial debut and starring Camilla Horn, Theodor Loos, and Harry Frank. It was shot at the EFA Studios in Berlin. The film's ...

'' (1930) * ''

Next, Please! ''Next, Please!'' (german: Der Nächste, bitte!) is a 1930 German comedy film directed by Erich Schönfelder and starring Charles Puffy, Adele Sandrock, and Albert Paulig. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Gustav A. Knauer an ...

'' (1930) * '' The King of Paris'' (1930) * ''

The Adventurer of Tunis ''The Adventurer of Tunis'' (german: Die Abenteurerin von Tunis) is a 1931 German adventure film directed by Willi Wolff and starring Philipp Manning, Theo Shall, and Ellen Richter. It was made at the Staaken Studios in Berlin.Klaus p.14 Locat ...

'' (1931) * '' A Crafty Youth'' (1931) * ''

My Cousin from Warsaw ''My Cousin from Warsaw'' (german: Meine Cousine aus Warschau) is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Liane Haid, Tala Birell, and Fritz Schulz. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin.Jacobsen p.346 The film ...

'' (1931) * ''

Twice Married ''Twice Married'' (german: Zweimal Hochzeit) is a 1930 German comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Liane Haid, Ralph Arthur Roberts, and Lucie Englisch. The film's sets were designed by the art director Emil Hasler Emil Hasler ( ...

'' (1930) * '' The Mad Bomberg'' (1932) * '' Five from the Jazz Band'' (1932) * ''

Scandal in Budapest ''Scandal in Budapest'' (german: Skandal in Budapest) is a 1933 German-Hungarian comedy film, filmed in Hungary in the German language and directed by Géza von Bolváry and Steve Sekely, Istvan Szekely and starring Franciska Gaal, Werner Pledath ...

'' (1933) * ''

The Rakoczi March ''The Rakoczi March'' (german: Rakoczy-Marsch) is a 1933 drama film directed by Gustav Fröhlich and Steve Sekely and starring Fröhlich, Leopold Kramer and Camilla Horn. It was a co-production between Austria, Germany and Hungary.Dassano ...

'' (1933) * '' Little Mother'' (1935)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Puffy, Charles 1884 births 1942 deaths Hungarian male silent film actors Hungarian expatriates in Germany Hungarian expatriates in the United States Hungarian expatriates in Japan Hungarian Jews Male actors from Budapest Silent film comedians 20th-century Hungarian male actors Hungarian male film actors Jewish Hungarian actors People who died in the Gulag