Jump to content

Stephen Bekassy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stephen Bekassy
Bekassy (center) in 1932
Born
Békássy István

(1907-02-10)February 10, 1907
Nyíregyháza, Hungary
DiedOctober 30, 1995(1995-10-30) (aged 88)
Budapest, Hungary
Resting placeNational Graveyard, Budapest, Hungary
Other namesIstvan Bekassy
Years active1930–1964
Spouses
ChildrenStefan (Steffi) Dilworth

Stephen Bekassy (born István Békássy; February 10, 1907 – October 30, 1995) was a Hungarian-born American film actor.

Career

[edit]

Bekassy's American stage debut came in Errand for Berenice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1944. His American film debut was in A Song to Remember (1945).[1]

He appeared in films such as Hell and High Water and Prisoner of War in 1954.[2] On television he made two guest appearances on Perry Mason. In 1958 he played art expert Laslo Kovac in "The Case of the Purple Woman," and in 1959 he played murder victim Rick Stassi in "The Case of the Bartered Bikini." In 1958, he guest-starred as Count Razil in the episode "Command Performance" of the CBS situation comedy Mr. Adams and Eve.[3] He played Monsieur Brissard, an attendant to the title character of "The Princess" Jennifer (played by Annie Farge, later spelled with an accent over the "e", or as "Fargue") in S4 E15 of "The Rifleman" which aired 7/13/1961.

Personal life

[edit]

Bekassy was born in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. He married Teri Fejes in 1931, but divorced in 1933. In 1936 he married Lívia Neufeld, but as well divorced soon in 1938. He emigrated to the United States and eventually married Beverly Violet Bidwell (1905 - 1971) on October 8, 1941, in Carson City, Nevada. Beverly Violet Bidwell wrote under the name, Hagar Wilde. They later divorced. In 1969 he married Erika Beregi. He subsequently married Hanna Hertelendy (1919–2008), the widow of actor Robert Walker.

During World War II, Bekassy rescued Jewish escapees.[citation needed] He later worked with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.[citation needed]

During the Red Scare, Ronald Reagan accused Stephen of being a Communist because he was Hungarian.[citation needed]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1930 Kacagó asszony
1934 Purple Lilacs Charlie
1935 The Homely Girl Miklós, Éva bátyja
1936 Barátságos arcot kérek Tibor
1937 Tales of Budapest Feri, Annie öccse
1945 A Song to Remember Franz Liszt
1948 Arch of Triumph Alex
1949 Black Magic Viscount de Montagne
1951 Secrets of Monte Carlo Otto Von Herzen
1951 Ten Tall Men Lieutenant Kruger
1952 Woman of the North Country Andre Duclos
1952 The Pathfinder Colonel Brasseau
1953 Fair Wind to Java Lieutenant
1954 Hell and High Water Neuman
1954 Prisoner of War Lieutenant Georgi M. Robovnik
1955 The Racers Race Official Uncredited
1955 Interrupted Melody Comte Claude des Vignaux
1955 The Purple Mask Baron De Morleve
1956 Sneak Preview Season 1 Episode 1: "Just Plain Folks"
1956 Serenade Russell Hanson Uncredited
1957 Calypso Joe Rico Vargas
1958 The Young Lions German Major Uncredited
1958 The Light in the Forest Colonel Henry Bouquet
1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Dr. Anton Rudell Season 4 Episode 20: "The Diamond Necklace"
1960 Beyond the Time Barrier General Karl Kruse
1960 Pepe Jewelry Salesman Uncredited
1961 Bachelor Flat Paul Probest, Artist Uncredited
1962 Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Colonel Kleinsdorf

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Monahan, Kaspar (December 12, 1944). "Show Shops". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. p. 18. Retrieved August 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ Celluloid wars: a guide to film and the American experience of war. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1992. p. 191. ISBN 978-0-313-26099-5. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  3. ^ The Classic TV Archive Mr. Adams and Eve (1957-58) Accessed 12 June 2021
[edit]