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Alexander Korda 1893 - 1956

Alexander Korda was born on September 16, 1893 at Hungary., and died at age 62 years old on January 23, 1956 in London, Greater London County, England United Kingdom. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Alexander Korda.

Alexander Korda

September 16, 1893

Hungary.

January 23, 1956

London, Greater London County, England, United Kingdom

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Alexander Korda Alexander Korda (1893 - 1956)

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Alexander Korda's History: 1893 - 1956

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Introduction

ALEXANDER KORDA Famous Director and Producer. Born: September 16, 1893, Hungary Died: January 23, 1956 (aged 62) London England Notable Family Members: spouse Merle Oberon, brother Zoltan Korda Sir Alexander Korda, original name Sándor Laszlo Kellner, (born Sept. 16, 1893, Pusztatúrpásztó, Hung.—died Jan. 23, 1956, London, Eng.), Hungarian-born British motion-picture director and producer who made major contributions to the development of Britain’s film industry. Before he was 20 years old, he worked as a journalist in Budapest, and in 1914 he started the film periodical Pesti Mozi (“Budapest Cinema”). He made his first film in 1914, and by 1917 he had become the co-owner and manager of Corvin, one of Hungary’s largest production studios, and had directed or produced about 20 feature films. Korda left Hungary in 1919 during the political turmoil there and went to Vienna and then to Berlin, where he made several films for the Ufa studios and attracted the attention of Hollywood. From 1927 to 1930 he directed films in Hollywood, notably The Private Life of Helen of Troy (1927), a historical romance that made his reputation in the American film industry. Korda returned to England in 1931 and founded his own production firm, London Film Productions. His film The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) achieved international popularity. Korda’s company followed up this success with a series of lavish productions, notable among them Catherine the Great (1934), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1935), Elephant Boy (1937), The Ghost Goes West (1936), and Rembrandt (1936). By 1939 Korda had overextended himself financially, however, and he lost control of Denham Studios, the production facilities where many of Britain’s best films of the 1930s had been made. He then went to Hollywood to produce films for a few years. In 1942 he returned to England, where he received the first British knighthood ever conferred on anyone in the film industry. In the mid-1940s he revived London Film Productions and again assembled a talented production team. His company’s later productions included The Third Man (1949), The Wooden Horse (1950), Seven Days to Noon (1950), The Sound Barrier (1952), and Richard III (1955). Despite recurrent financial setbacks, Korda kept on producing films until his death.
09/16

1893

Birthday

September 16, 1893

Birthdate

Hungary.

Birthplace

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Professional Career

Alexander Korda Biography Born: September 16, 1893 · Pusztatúrpásztó, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary] Died: January 23, 1956 · London, England, UK (heart attack) Birth name: Kellner Sándor László Kellner Nickname: Alex Mini Bio One of a large group of Hungarian refugees who found refuge in England in the 1930s, Sir Alexander Korda was the first British film producer to receive a knighthood. He was a major, if controversial, figure and acted as a guiding force behind the British film industry of the 1930s and continued to influence British films until his death in 1956. He learned his trade by working in studios in Austria, Germany and America and was a crafty and flamboyant businessman. He started his production company, London Films, in 1933 and one of its first films The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), received an Oscar nomination as best picture and won the Best Actor Oscar for its star, Charles Laughton. Helped by his brothers Zoltan Korda (director) and Vincent Korda (art director) and other expatriate Hungarians. London Films produced some of Britain's finest films (even if they weren't all commercial successes). Korda's willingness to experiment and be daring allowed the flowering of such talents as Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and gave early breaks to people such as Laurence Olivier, David Lean, and Carol Reed. Korda sold his library to television in the 1950s, thus allowing London Films' famous logo of Big Ben to become familiar to a new generation of film enthusiasts. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Crook Born near Turkeve in Hungary. Alexander was then the eldest of 3 brothers who were to make their names independently in films; Zoltan as a director, and Vincent as an Art Director who would work with Alexander as a director. Much of their success was due to the contributions of others but it was Alex's domination of the British film industry that was responsible for some of the most famous films in cinematic history and the talents of many young actors and actresses who went on to be top stars in their own right. His readiness to pay top salaries ensured that top names were always available for him, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Merle Oberon, Leslie Howard, and Ralph Richardson are just a few who he helped on their way to fame. He also helped some of the top directors such as David Lean, Carol Reed, Michael Powell, and Launder and Gilliat. His talent for obtaining financial backing was second to none, making other producers envious, particularly when he obtained sufficient finance to enable the building of Denham Film Studios. He was for 25 years the most imaginative and courageous man to work in the British film industry and for that reason alone his name and his films deserve to be remembered in the history of British cinema Family Spouses Alexandra Boycun(June 8, 1953 - January 23, 1956) (his death) Merle Oberon(June 3, 1939 - June 4, 1945) (divorced) María Corda(March 1, 1921 - 1930) (divorced, 1 child) Relatives Victoria Korda (Grandchild) Trivia He took some flak for spending a lot of time in the US during World War II, but it now appears that he was (among other things) acting as a courier for Winston Churchill. Grandfather of Victoria Korda. Older brother of Vincent Korda and Zoltan Korda. Founder/owner of London Film Productions and Denham Studios. Directed one Oscar-winning performance: Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). Quotes Anyone who gets a raw deal in a film studio is no more deserving of pity than someone who gets beaten up in a brothel. A gentleman has no business in either place. When my friends and I were young in Hungary, we all dreamed of being poets. And what did we become? We became politicians and advertisement men and film producers. [on Charles Laughton] With him acting was an act of childbirth. What he needed was not so much a director as a midwife. The art of filmmaking is to come to the brink of bankruptcy and stare it in the face. It's not enough to be Hungarian; you must have talent, too.
01/23

1956

Death

January 23, 1956

Death date

Heart Attack.

Cause of death

London, Greater London County, England United Kingdom
Death location

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Alexander Korda lived 13 years shorter than the average family member when died at the age of 62.

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