István Békeffy (August 31, 1901 – June 9, 1977) was a Hungarian

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

. He was married to the actress

Ida Turay Ida Turay (Born Ida Turmayer; 28 September 1907 – 2 June 1997) was a Hungarian film actress known for her roles in comedies during the 1930s.Ostrowska, Pitassio & Varga p.58 She was the sister of the actress and singer Clara Tabody. She was ...

from 1926. In 1957, following the failed Hungarian Revolution, he moved to

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

and wrote screenplays for the West German film industry. These included several comedies featuring

Heinz Rühmann Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a Ge ...

.Görtz & Sarkowicz p.412 He returned to Hungary in 1971.

Selected filmography

Screenwriter

* ''

Miss Iza ''Miss Iza'' (Hungarian: ''Iza néni'') is a 1933 Hungarian comedy film directed by Steve Sekely, Istvan Szekeley and starring Sári Fedák, Pál Jávor (actor), Pál Jávor and Ella Gombaszögi. It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in Budapest. The ...

'' (1933) * ''

Miss President ''Miss President'' (Hungarian: ''Elnökkisasszony'') is a 1935 Hungarian comedy film directed by Andrew Marton and starring Lili Muráti, Pál Jávor and Gyula Kabos.Ostrowska, Pitassio & Varga p.90 It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in Budapest ...

'' (1935) * ''

The Wise Mother ''The Wise Mother'' (Hungarian: ''Az okos mama'') is a 1935 Hungarian comedy film directed by Emil Martonffi and starring Antal Páger, Mici Erdélyi and Júlia Komár. Vilmos p.136 The film's sets were designed by the art director István Sz ...

'' (1935) * ''

Fräulein Lilli ''Fräulein Lilli'' or ''Miss Lilli'' is a 1936 Austrian comedy film directed by Hans Behrendt, Robert Wohlmuth and Max Neufeld. It starred Franciska Gaal, Hans Jaray and S.Z. Sakall. It was Gaal's last European film,Dassanowsky p.67 although sh ...

'' (1936) * ''

The Borrowed Castle ''The Borrowed Castle'' (Hungarian: ''A kölcsönkért kastély'') is a 1937 Hungarian romantic comedy film directed by Ladislao Vajda and starring Piroska Vaszary, Ida Turay, and Imre Ráday.Biltereyst, Maltby & Meers p.79 The film's sets were ...

'' (1937) * '' Roxy and the Wonderteam'' (1938) * ''

Rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers. It is a member of the sage family, Lamiaceae. The species is native to the Mediterranean r ...

'' (1938) * ''

The Minister's Friend ''The Minister's Friend'' (Hungarian: ''A miniszter barátja'') is a 1939 Hungarian comedy film directed by Viktor Bánky and starring Antal Páger, Júlia Komár, Mici Erdélyi and Béla Mihályffi.Juhász p.122 It was shot at the Hunnia Stud ...

'' (1939) * '' No Coincidence'' (1939) * ''

Seven Plum Trees ''Seven Plum Trees'' (Hungarian: ''Hétszilvafa'') is a 1940 Hungarian comedy film directed by Félix Podmaniczky and starring Gyula Csortos, Ida Turay and László Szilassy.Juhász p.68 The sets were designed by art director István Básthy. ...

'' (1940) * ''

The Gyurkovics Boys ''The Gyurkovics Boys'' (Hungarian: ''Gyurkovics fiúk'') is a 1941 Hungarian comedy film directed by Dezső Ákos Hamza and starring László Szilassy, Ida Turay and Erzsi Simor.Cunningham p.227 It is an adaptation of the 1895 novel of the same ...

'' (1941) * '' Three Bells'' (1941) * '' Magdolna'' (1942) * ''

Cadet Love ''Cadet Love'' (Hungarian: ''Kadétszerelem'') is a 1942 Hungarian comedy film directed by Frigyes Bán and starring Valéria Hidvéghy, Margit Zsilley and Margit Árpád. Rîpeanu p.129 It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in Budapest. The film's ...

'' (1942) * ''

Suburban Guard Post ''Suburban Guard Post'' (Hungarian: ''Külvárosi örszoba'') is a 1943 Hungarian drama film directed by Dezsõ Ákos Hamza and starring Katalin Karády, István Nagy and Rózsi Csikós. It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in Budapest. The film's ...

'' (1943) * '' The Schoolmistress'' (1945) * ''

The Siege of Beszterce ''The Siege of Beszterce'' (Hungarian: ''Beszterce ostroma'') is a 1948 Hungarian historical drama film directed by Márton Keleti and starring Klári Tolnay, Ida Turay and Andor Ajtay. It was based on the novel of the same title by Kálmán Mi ...

'' (1948) * ''

Mickey Magnate ''Mickey Magnate'' (Hungarian: ''Mágnás Miska'') is a 1949 Hungarian comedy film directed by Márton Keleti and starring Miklós Gábor, Ági Mészáros and Marika Németh. It was based on a popular stage musical comedy by Károly Bakoni an ...

'' (1949) * ''

Singing Makes Life Beautiful ''Singing Makes Life Beautiful'' (Hungarian: ''Dalolva szép az élet'') is a 1950 Hungarian musical comedy film directed by Márton Keleti and starring Imre Soós, Violetta Ferrari and Ferenc Ladányi.Liehm & Liehm p.152 It was shot at the Hun ...

'' (1950) * '' Déryné'' (1951) * '' Erkel'' (1952) * ''

Try and Win ''Try and Win'' (Hungarian: ''Civil a pályán'') is a 1952 Hungarian sports comedy film directed by Márton Keleti and starring Imre Soós, János Görbe and Violetta Ferrari. It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in Budapest and on location ar ...

'' (1952) * ''

Tale on the Twelve Points ''Tale on the Twelve Points'' (Hungarian: ''Mese a 12 találatról'') is a 1957 Hungarian sports film, sports comedy film directed by Károly Makk and starring Klári Tolnay, Ferenc Zenthe and István Somló. It was shot at the Hunnia Studios in ...

'' (1957) * ''

The Man Who Walked Through the Wall ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1959) * '' The Black Sheep'' (1960) * '' The Juvenile Judge'' (1960) * '' The Liar'' (1961) * ''

The Shadows Grow Longer ''The Shadows Grow Longer'' () is a 1961 Swiss-West German drama film directed by Ladislao Vajda. The film was selected as the Swiss entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 34th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret ...

'' (1961) * '' Max the Pickpocket'' (1962) * ''

A Nearly Decent Girl ''A Nearly Decent Girl'' (, ) is a 1963 West German-Spanish comedy film directed by Ladislao Vajda and starring Liselotte Pulver, Alberto de Mendoza and Martin Held.Bock & Bergfelder p.11 Synopsis The secretary of a German CEO accompanies him o ...

'' (1963) * ''

Praetorius Praetorius, Prätorius, Prætorius was the name of several musicians and scholars in Germany. In 16th and 17th century Germany it became a fashion for educated people named "Schulze," "Schultheiß," or "Richter (disambiguation), Richter" (which mea ...

'' (1965)

Adapted from his works

* ''

Sunshine Susie ''Sunshine Susie'' is a 1931 British musical comedy film directed by Victor Saville and starring Renate Müller, Jack Hulbert, and Owen Nares. The film was shot at Islington Studios with sets designed by Alex Vetchinsky. It was based on a novel ...

'' (1931) * ''

The Private Secretary ''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...

'' (1931, German) * ''

'' (1931, Italian) * '' The Typist'' (1931) * ''

Kiss and Make-Up ''Kiss and Make-Up'' is a 1934 romantic comedy film starring Cary Grant as a doctor who specializes in making women beautiful. Genevieve Tobin and Helen Mack play his romantic entanglements. The film was based on the play ''Kozmetika'' by Istvá ...

'' (1934) * ''

Unjustified Absence ''Unjustified Absence'' (Italian: ''Assenza ingiustificata'') is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Alida Valli, Amedeo Nazzari and Lilia Silvi. A girl leaves school to marry a doctor, but becomes ...

'' (1939) * '' Janika'' (1949) * ''

Playing Truant ''Playing Truant'' (Swedish: ''Skolka skolan'') is a 1949 Swedish comedy film directed by Schamyl Bauman and starring Sickan Carlsson, Gunnar Björnstrand and Olof Winnerstrand.Qvist & Von Bagh p.44 It was shot at the Centrumateljéerna Studios i ...

'' (1949)

References

Bibliography

* Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999. * Görtz, Franz Josef & Sarkowicz, Hans. ''Heinz Rühmann, 1902-1994: der Schauspieler und sein Jahrhundert''. C.H.Beck, 2001. * Khatib, Lina H., ''Storytelling in World Cinemas, Volume 1''. Columbia University Press, 2012.

External links

* 1901 births 1977 deaths Hungarian screenwriters Hungarian emigrants to Switzerland People from Szeged {{Hungary-writer-stub