Iván Ruttkay (3 February 1926 – 30 June 2013), sometimes spelled Iván Ruttkai, was a Hungarian film and stage actor and competitive

speed skater Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors racing, race each other in travelling a certain distance on Ice skate, skates. Types of speed skating are long-track speed skating, short-track speed skating, and marath ...

. He represented Hungary in the

1948 Winter Olympics The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games (; ; ; ) and commonly known as St. Moritz 1948 (; ), were a winter multi-sport event held from 30 January to 8 February 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the ...

. His siblings were the actress

Éva Ruttkai Éva Ruttkai (31 December 1927 – 27 September 1986) was a Hungarian actress, well known from her work on stage, cinema, and television productions. She was the wife of Miklós Gábor, and later Zoltán Latinovits. Life Éva Ruttkai (born Év ...

and the actor Ottó Ruttkai.

Early life

Ruttkay was born Iván Russ on 3 February 1926 in

Budapest, Hungary Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

. His parents were Emma Podrabsky and Miklós "Márk" Russ. His family was

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Ruttkay was conscripted into the Hungarian Labor Service, unit number 101/322. In addition enduring forced labor, Ruttay also survived the

Kiskunhalas Kiskunhalas (; ) is a city in the county of Bács-Kiskun, Hungary. Railroad The city is an important railway junction. It crosses the Budapest-Subotica-Belgrade railway line. The Kiskunfélegyháza railway ends in Kiskunhalas. Geography Kisk ...

massacre, where the ''

Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...

'' (Nazi SS) killed 196 of his fellow labor servicemen.

Speed skating

Ruttkay was a competitive

speed skating Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long-track speed skating, short-track speed skating, and marathon speed skat ...

champion. He represented Hungary in numerous events in the

in St. Moritz, Switzerland. At the Olympics, he finished 10th in the 1500 metres event, 13th in the 5000 metres competition, 15th in the 10000 metres event, and 37th in the 500 metres competition.

Acting

Ruttkay was a film actor and also performed on the stage in Budapest. He started his acting career as a child, learning his craft and performing at (Uncle Lakner's Children's Theater) in Budaest. His first film was (''The Mysterious Stranger'') in 1936, followed by ''{The World of the Heart)'' and (''Mommy'') in 1937. After World War II, Ruttkay returned to acting, with a role as Jani in (''Rosewood)'' in 1940. This was his best known role. In 1941, Ruttkay's films included ''(Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow)''; ''(The Left-Handed Angel)''; and (''Prince Bob)''. He had a role in ' (''The Tale of the 12 Hits)'' in 1956. Rottkay was cast in the four-part television film, (''The Villa)'', in 1971.

Personal life

Ruttakay's siblings were the noted Hungarian film and stage actress

and the stage actor Ottó Ruttkai (sometimes spelled Ruttakay). For the last few decades of his life, Ruttakay lived in Sweden. Ruttakay died in

Stockholm, Sweden Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

on 30 June 2013 at the age of 87 years.

Filmography

{, class="wikitable sortable" !Film !Year !Character !References , - , '' he Mysterious Stranger' , 1936 , Pista, son of the janitor Márton , , - , '' he Word of the Heart' , 1937 , , , - , '' ommy' , 1937 , Józsi , , - , '' osewood' , 1940 , Jani, István Berek's valet , , - , he ''Left-Handed Angel' , 1941 , Laci, Klári's younger brother , , - , '' esterday, Today, Tomorrow' , 1941 , boy in the hotel , , - , '' rince Bob' , 1941 , barber , , - , ' '' he Tale of the 12 Hits' , 1956 , , , - , he ''Villa' , 1971 , Richard Middleton, American journalist ,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruttkay, Ivan 1926 births 2013 deaths Hungarian male speed skaters Olympic speed skaters for Hungary Speed skaters at the 1948 Winter Olympics 20th-century Hungarian sportsmen 20th-century Hungarian actors 20th-century Hungarian Jews People from Budapest