Steve Sekely


Steve Sekely was a Hungarian Jewish film director. Born István Székely, he was known by several names, based on his changing professional and immigration status, including Stefan Szekely. He directed films in Hungarian, German, and English.

Biography

He worked as a newspaper journalist in Germany, before returning to Hungary in the early 1930s. He directed one of the most famous classic Hungarian films, the frequently revived comedy Hyppolit, a lakáj. That film was remade in 2000 and the original was later digitally restored and released on DVD.
Sekely left pre-war Hungary, fleeing growing fascism and laws restricting rights and professional opportunities for Jews.
He worked in Hollywood for much of his subsequent career, directing mostly B movies and early episodic TV, although he directed his best-known English language film, the cult science fiction thriller The Day of the Triffids in the UK and returned to Hungary to direct his final film, The Girl Who Liked Purple Flowers, which was released in 1973.

Partial filmography

  • Next, Please! Germany
  • The Great Longing Germany
  • Hyppolit, the Butler Hungary
  • Flying Gold Hungary
  • Rouletabille the Aviator France
  • A Tremendously Rich Man Germany
  • Romance in Budapest Hungary
  • Scandal in Budapest
  • Miss Iza Hungary
  • The Rakoczi March Austria/Germany/Hungary
  • Emmy Hungary
  • Purple Lilacs Hungary
  • Cornflower Hungary
  • Romance of Ida Hungary
  • Ball at the Savoy Austria/Hungary
  • Address Unknown Hungary
  • Be True Until Death Hungary
  • Half-Rate Honeymoon Hungary
  • Cafe Moscow Hungary
  • Danube Rendezvous Hungary
  • Sensation Hungary
  • A Girl Sets Out Hungary
  • An Affair of Honour Hungary
  • Beauty of the Pusta Hungary
  • Help, I'm an Heiress Hungary
  • Two Prisoners Hungary
  • Young Noszty and Mary Toth Hungary
  • Number 111 Hungary
  • Miracle on Main Street first US film
  • Behind Prison Walls US
  • Revenge of the Zombies US
  • Women in Bondage US
  • Lady in the Death House US
  • Waterfront US
  • My Buddy US
  • Lake Placid Serenade US
  • The Fabulous Suzanne US
  • Blonde Savage US
  • Hollow Triumph US
  • Amazon Quest US
  • Stronghold US
  • The Empress of China West Germany
  • The Missing Scientists UK
  • Cartouche Italy/France
  • Desert Desperadoes Italy
  • The Day of the Triffids UK
  • Kenner US
  • The Girl Who Liked Purple Flowers Hungary