George Tabori
Encyclopedia
George Tabori was a Hungarian
writer and theater director.
as György Tábori, a son of Kornél and Elsa Tábori. His father died in Auschwitz in 1944, but his mother and his brother Paul managed to escape the Nazis. His son Peter Tabori and again his son Kris Tabori both started the college Oxford. As a young man, Tabori went to Berlin
but was forced to leave Hitler's Germany
in 1935 due to his Jewish background. He first went to London
, where he worked for the BBC
and received British citizenship. In 1947 he immigrated to the United States
, where he became a translator (mainly of works by Bertolt Brecht
and Max Frisch
) and a screenwriter
including Alfred Hitchcock
's movie I Confess
(1953).
In the late 1960s, Tabori brought his own and the work of Brecht to many colleges and universities. At the University of Pennsylvania
he taught classes in dramatic writing which resulted in Werner Liepolt's The Young Master Dante and Ron Cowen
's Summertree. Two of Tabori's plays in English
-- The Cannibals and Pinkville -- were produced by Wynn Handman
at the American Place Theatre in New York City
from 1968 through 1970.
In 1971, Tabori returned to Germany
, where his new emphasis was theater work, and mainly worked in Berlin, Munich
, and Vienna
. He was stepfather to actor Kristoffer Tabori
during his marriage to Lindfors.
He died in Berlin, aged 93.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
writer and theater director.
Life and career
Tabori was born in BudapestBudapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
as György Tábori, a son of Kornél and Elsa Tábori. His father died in Auschwitz in 1944, but his mother and his brother Paul managed to escape the Nazis. His son Peter Tabori and again his son Kris Tabori both started the college Oxford. As a young man, Tabori went to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
but was forced to leave Hitler's Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1935 due to his Jewish background. He first went to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he worked for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and received British citizenship. In 1947 he immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he became a translator (mainly of works by Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the...
and Max Frisch
Max Frisch
Max Rudolf Frisch was a Swiss playwright and novelist, regarded as highly representative of German-language literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of human identity, individuality, responsibility, morality and political...
) and a screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
including Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's movie I Confess
I Confess (film)
I Confess is a drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Montgomery Clift as Fr. Michael William Logan, a Catholic priest, Anne Baxter as Ruth Grandfort, and Karl Malden as Inspector Larrue. This was the only film Hitchcock made with these three actors...
(1953).
In the late 1960s, Tabori brought his own and the work of Brecht to many colleges and universities. At the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
he taught classes in dramatic writing which resulted in Werner Liepolt's The Young Master Dante and Ron Cowen
Ron Cowen
Ron Cowen is a writer and producer.-As a writer:* Queer as Folk TV Series * Sisters TV Series* The Love She Sought * An Early Frost * Paul's Case...
's Summertree. Two of Tabori's plays in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-- The Cannibals and Pinkville -- were produced by Wynn Handman
Wynn Handman
Wynn Handman, is the Artistic Director of The American Place Theatre, which he co-founded with Sidney Lanier and Michael Tolan in 1963. His role in the theatre has been to seek out, encourage, train, and present new and exciting writing and acting talent and to develop and produce new plays by...
at the American Place Theatre in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from 1968 through 1970.
In 1971, Tabori returned to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where his new emphasis was theater work, and mainly worked in Berlin, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He was stepfather to actor Kristoffer Tabori
Kristoffer Tabori
Kristoffer Tabori is an American actor and television director.-Early life:Tabori was born in Malibu, California, the son of director Don Siegel and Swedish-American actress Viveca Lindfors. He appeared in one of his mother's films, Weddings and Babies, as a young boy...
during his marriage to Lindfors.
He died in Berlin, aged 93.
Marriages
- Ursula Höpfner (1985–2007; his death)
- Ursula Grützmacher-Tabori (1976–1984; divorced)
- Viveca LindforsViveca LindforsElsa Viveca Torstensdotter Lindfors , better known under her professional name of Viveca Lindfors, was a Swedish stage and film actress.-Life and career:...
(1954–1972; divorced) - Hannah Freund (1942–1954; divorced)
Further reading
- Embodied memory : the theatre of George Tabori, 1999, ISBN 0877456860
- DramaContemporary : Germany : plays by Botho Strauss, George Tabori, Georg Seidel, Klaus Pohl, Tankred Dorst, Elfriede Jelinek, Heiner Müller, 1996, ISBN 0801852803