Dezső Kertész
Directed and starred in Hungary's first feature-length film, "The Officer's Swordknot," in 1918, launching a national industry.
1892–1965 (age 73)·Hungarian actor, director·Birthday: September 2·The Lost Generation
Biography
Dezső Kertész completed "The Officer's Swordknot" in 1918, a 75-minute drama produced by his own company, Corvin Film. He founded Corvin Film in 1916 with József Neumann, constructing Budapest's first major film studio. Kertész directed 27 films between 1918 and 1929, including the serial "The Sunflower Girl." He began his career as a stage actor at the National Theatre in Budapest in 1913. Kertész transitioned to screen acting in 1915, quickly becoming a leading man for Phoenix Film. He co-wrote the scripts for most of his directorial projects, often adapting popular novels. His 1919 film "99" was one of the earliest Hungarian comedies. Kertész relocated to Berlin in 1920, directing three films for German studios before returning to Budapest. He ceased directing after the arrival of sound film, serving as a production manager for Hunnia Filmstudio until 1944. The Hungarian Film Archive restored "The Officer's Swordknot" in 2012. Kertész's entrepreneurial work established the technical and narrative foundations for Hungarian cinema.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Dezső was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dezső Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Dezső's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 60
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 70
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Died at 73
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
Key Achievements
- Discovered and promoted actress Ica von Lenkeffy, who became a major star of the silent era.
- Pioneered the use of location shooting in the Hungarian countryside for films like "The Village Rogue" (1922).
- Served as the first President of the Hungarian Film Chamber from its inception in 1938 until 1944.
Did You Know?
He was a champion fencer and performed all his own sword-fighting stunts in historical films.
Kertész owned one of the first automobiles in Budapest, a Hungarian-made MARTA, which he often drove to set.
He was an avid collector of antique maps, amassing a collection of over 200 focusing on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
“The camera is a liar, but a truthful one.”
