Full Name Mihaly Varkonyi Role Film star Name Victor Varconi | Years active 1913—1959 Occupation Actor | |
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Spouse Anna Aranyosy (m. 1919–1949), Lilliane Varconi (m. ?–1976) Movies The Exile, The Divine Lady, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Plainsman, The King of Kings Similar People Jeno Janovics, Spencer Gordon Bennet, Michael Curtiz, Amleto Palermi, Alexander Korda | ||
Victor Varconi
Pontius Pilate Judges Jesus in Cecil B DeMille's King of Kings Pt 1
Victor Varconi (31 March 1891 – 6 June 1976) was a highly successful silent film star in Hungary. Born Mihály Várkonyi in Kisvárda, Austria-Hungary, he was the first Hungarian actor to make a film in the United States. His normal speaking accent sounded almost exactly like that of Transylvanian Bela Lugosi.
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He worked under contract to Cecil B. DeMille, and played Pontius Pilate in DeMille's 1927 production of The King of Kings.
Varconi's popularity waned with the advent of sound films - because of his accent he was cast in smaller parts, often playing Hispanic characters. He worked on the New York City stage and wrote for radio.
He died from a heart attack in Santa Barbara, California on 6 June 1976 at the age of 85. He was interred at the Calvary Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California, US.