User:Zkarpati/Sándor Kertész

Kertész Sándor, született Klein (Debrecen, 1911. június 29. – Toronto, 1990. június 14.) színész, rendező, színigazgató.

He was born born into a Jewish family as the child of a shoemaker, Lajos Klein, and Mária Stein. He completed his high school studies at the Calvinist High Scool in Debrecen. In 1929, he began his acting career with Árpád Kiss's company in Sopron. Subsequently, he signed with theaters in Pécs and later with Lőrinc Deák's company in Kispest. In 1938, Dezső Kertész contracted him to the Royal Theater in Budapest. During World War II, he served in forced labor and later became a prisoner of war. While interned at the Fokszánya prisoner camp, he organized theater performances. Upon his return, from 1946 to 1948, he acted and directed at the Csokonai Theater in Debrecen, as well as at the National Theater in Miskolc from 1949 to 1951, the National Theater in Pécs from 1951 to 1952, and the Vígszínház in Budapest from 1952 to 1954. From 1955 to 1956, he was a member of the "People's Army Theater's" chamber ensemble. In November 1956, he defected to Canada with his family, where a year later he founded the Hungarian theater in Toronto, initially operating as the "Vidám Színpad", later renamed as Művész Színház, for a total of three decades. In 1983, the theater celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. Until his retirement in 1988, he served as the theater's director, actor, and playwright. He wrote the history of Hungarian theater in Canada and made several return visits to Hungary. Initially known for comedic dance roles, he later transitioned to dramatic roles. In 1988, the Hungarian government honored him with the Pro Cultura Hungarica Award.