Contemplate how a single plaque can encapsulate a life lived on the stage. This is the Szakácsi Sándor Plaque. It commemorates a celebrated Hungarian actor. Szakácsi Sándor was a Jászai Mari Award winner. He was a versatile performer. Szakácsi excelled in both tragic and comedic roles.
This plaque marks Szakácsi Sándor’s former residence in Budapest’s IX district. It is on the Lónyay Street front of the house at Boráros tér 2. Ferencváros Municipality commissioned it in 2017. The sculptor was György Strausz.
Szakácsi Sándor never felt truly satisfied with his performances. Yet, he was a celebrated actor. He found depth in every role. He was also a significant voice actor and a talented reciter of poems. He was dedicated to his profession.
From a young age, Szakácsi knew he wanted to be an actor. He and Sándor Sörös decided this in school. They applied to the Academy of Drama and Film together. He joined the company of the Vígszínház in Budapest after a year in Szolnok. He regarded his time in Szolnok as happy and productive.
Péter Valló often directed him in Szolnok. Valló followed Szakácsi’s career closely. Valló described Szakácsi as a dazzling talent. He noted his incredible musicality and sense of rhythm. He possessed great physical and acoustic gifts.
Valló also directed Szakácsi in several plays at the Vígszínház. Szakácsi experienced this period with varying intensity. He longed for major roles. He said his career had ups and downs during those years.
Szakácsi Sándor gained national fame early through television appearances. He once said he sometimes felt unimportant. He missed the challenge of big roles. He hoped for significant opportunities.
Competition among actors at the Vígszínház was fierce. It was hard to stay in leading roles. Szakácsi remained but did not fully integrate into the mainstream. István Horvai favored László Tahi Tóth. László Marton preferred Géza D. Hegedűs. Despite his talent, Szakácsi did not always get the spotlight.
Valló described Szakácsi as a bit of a loner. He didn’t conform to the mainstream. Some felt Várkonyi made a pedagogical error. He hired three similar actors at once. These were Sándor Sörös, István Maszlay, and Sándor Szakácsi.
His seven-year relationship with Éva Szerencsi ended in divorce. This happened during his early years at the Vígszínház. His father’s illness also affected him greatly. He met Szerencsi at the Pinceszínház. They married but Szakácsi was too jealous. He struggled to accept seeing his wife in the arms of another actor on stage.
Szerencsi was bothered by her husband’s excesses. Their marital crisis occurred during the filming of Abigél. She said he often came home late. According to friends, he loved women but couldn’t settle down.
Szakácsi and Szerencsi were in The Wizard of Oz together in Szolnok. She played Dorothy and he played Toto the dog. Szakácsi often recalled a child shouting to their parents. The child wanted to take Toto home.
Szerencsi’s career took off during Abigél. Szakácsi’s career advanced less rapidly. This imbalance contributed to their marital problems. He admitted to feeling like “Éva Szerencsi’s husband”. When they walked on Margaret Island, children mobbed Éva.
He mentioned László Marton as someone he was jealous of. Marton was the director of the Vígszínház. He also was a teacher. Marton paid a lot of attention to Éva. During his divorce, Szakácsi became unreliable. He drank and often arrived at rehearsals hungover.
The Vígszínház felt they couldn’t rely on him. They took away a role he had rehearsed for a month. He admitted this was justified. He reached a low point.
Later, he appreciated the role of Truhecsevszkij in the premiere of the Kreuzer Sonata. Critics noted his good performance. However, they also mentioned that the weakness of the role could not be compensated.
Szakácsi’s physique and talent suited heroic leading roles. The Vígszínház rarely gave him these opportunities. He said he had many memorable understudy roles. These included Képzelt Riport and Harmincéves vagyok. He also took over leading roles in Egerek és emberek.
He quickly learned roles and adapted to existing productions. This skill was valued in voice acting. He identified with characters and dubbed lines after only one viewing.
Sárdi Mihály said that Szakácsi was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This led to his constant insecurity. He was always dissatisfied with his performances. He loved the stage. Even during his self-destructive periods, he never jeopardized a performance. He struggled with roles that didn’t suit him. This affected his later self-esteem.
As you stand here, remember Szakácsi Sándor. His talent and dedication live on. The Szakácsi Sándor Plaque is a small reminder of a great actor’s life.