Hungarian Hollywood Tour 2016

USPA NEWS - Hungarian Hollywood Tour 2016 has been launched

It is a fact that there were many-many Hungarian-born stars in the history of Hollywood. Hungarians should be proud of them, they should keep their memories. Their examples should be followed.

The newly started Hungarian Hollywood Tour 2016 Project serves this very goal in Hungary. The tour ““ as a first step - will visit some villages and towns in Northern Hungary with a Hollywood “žfingerprint“. The village of Ricse where Adolph Zukor, founding father of the Paramount Pictures was born, Tolcsva where William Fox was born, Mátészalka where the parents of Tony Curtis came from, Nagylóc where the 3-times Oscar winner Miklós Rózsa spent his childhood or Miskolc where Emeric Pressburger and Kisvárda where Victor Varkoni was born. This unique, special and timely project aims at drawing the attention of wide circles for these stars as unfortunately they are not enough known in their homeland.

35 Oscar was won by artists of Hungarian origin and 21 “Hungarian“ stars can be found at the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. There is a separate facebook page for the Tour (https://www.facebook.com/Magyar-Hollywood-Túra-2016-Projekt-995569240527030/ ) and all the icons, Zukor, Fox, Curtis, Rózsa and the others have a so-called memorial page which intend to cover all possible information of them.

The original idea of organizing this tour is based on the book of Ambassador Balázs Bokor, former Consul General of Hungary in Los Angeles, “My Hollywood“. In its preface, Secretary of State László L. Simon wrote: “It is a book that, as soon as published, will be the resource of Hungarian film history and of the researches about Hungarians spread in the world“. This book talks about all the 35 Oscar winners and offers a “stop“ at each of the 21 stars on the Hollywood Boulevard giving interesting details on the life of world-known directors, actors, movie people . It introduces the Los Angeles Hungarian Film Festival, and leads us behind the scenes of the film-making.

The first stop of the Hungarian Hollywood Tour 2016 paid tribute to Adolph Zukor. The Hollywood film mogul was born in the tiny village of Ricse in the Northern part of Hungary. During the unique event, the great number of participants witnessed the ceremonial unveiling of an Adolph Zukor memorial plaque in the local House of Culture also bearing the name of Adolph Zukor. The main hall of the House was fully packed with audience listening to a talk show moderated by Ambassador Balázs Bokor with the active participation of Oscar winner director, Ferenc Rófusz, three-times Grammy-winner director, Gábor Csupó and Béla Bunyik, the director of the Hungarian Film Festival of Los Angeles.

After the discussion “The Public is Never Wrong“, everybody visited the old house Zukor was born, planted a memorial tree and remembered the mother of Zukor in the local Jewish cemetery at her graveside.The Tour will reach its next destinations in the second half of August and September. August 14 will be the day of memory for William Fox in his village, Tolcsva - in the middle of the famous Tokaj Wine Region. The event is an integrated part of the Zemplén Festival. August 26 will witness the feast of Tony Curtis with unveiling his memorial plaque. It goes on to Kisvárda, Nagylóc and Miskolc. The last event will be part of the internationally known and respected CINEFEST Festival.