Sándor Csikos Named Actor of the Nation

Hungary Today 2024.04.05.

Sándor Csikos, Kossuth Prize- and Jászai Mari Award-winning artist, recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary, was elected as the ‘Actor of the Nation,’ the National Theater announced on Thursday.

Sándor Csikos was elected to replace Miklós Benedek, who died on January 9, reports Magyar Nemzet. The ‘Actor of the Nation’ title was created to honor living artists of the National Theater who have achieved outstanding merits in the cultivation of the Hungarian language, the interpretation of national literature, as well as the development and promotion of Hungarian theater and the National Theater.

Sándor Csikos was born in Karcag, central Hungary. After graduating from the Academy of Drama and Film, he worked at the Miskolc National Theater (northern Hungary) from 1965 to 1969; at the Csokonai National Theater in Debrecen (eastern Hungary) from 1972; at the Kisfaludy Theater in Győr (northwestern Hungary) from 1974 to 1975; and then at the Csokonai National Theater again from 1975 to 1984.

Photo via Facebook/Csokonai Nemzeti Színház Debrecen

He later joined the company of the Móricz Zsigmond Theater in Nyíregyháza (northeastern Hungary), where he was a director from 1990 to 1993. Since 1993 he has been a member of the Csokonai National Theater again. In a career spanning more than five decades, he has played more than 200 roles and is one of the Hungarian actors who have appeared most often as Lucifer in The Tragedy of Man.

After the death of Miklós Benedek in January, the nation’s actors elected their new member. The decision was made by current holders of the title: Piroska Molnár, László Szacsvay, Gyula Bodrogi, Tamás Jordán, Dorottya Udvaros, Zsuzsa Lehoczky, Éva Almási, György Cserhalmi, Mari Csomós, Levente Király, and Géza Tordy. However, unfortunately another announcement is expected soon, as Géza Tordy passed away on March 30, at the age of 85.

Fact

The title of ‘Actor of the Nation,’ first awarded on August 22, 2000, can be held by 12 artists at a time. It is awarded by the National Theater to a person who has performed outstandingly in a leading or episodic role, has reached the age of 62, and has spent four decades in the acting profession or 20 seasons – at least one role per season – on the stage of the National Theater.

Among the first recipients there are famous Hungarian artists such as Ferenc Bessenyei, Iván Darvas, Erzsi Máthé, Irén Psota, Imre Sinkovits, Mari Törőcsik, and many more.

Dorottya Udvaros Elected Actress of the Nation

Kossuth and Jászai Mari Award-winning actress Dorottya Udvaros was elected the Nation's Actress by the current holders of the title.Continue reading

Via Magyar Nemzet; Featured image via Facebook/Csokonai Nemzeti Színház Debrecen