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.
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Life
Éva Ruttkai (born Éva Russ) was born on 31 December 1927, in Budapest, as the sixth child (though only she, and her brothers Iván and Ottó reached adulthood). The family had hard time to make a living. The two brothers already worked as child actors, with Ruttkai following them from age 2. With her brother Iván she worked in the Vígszínház theatre, then in the children theatre of Artúr Lakner, where Ruttkai could work together with well-known actors like Lili Darvas or Artúr Somlay. Gaining the attention of Dániel Jób, director of the Vígszínház, she was contracted at age 16, playing there until her death (except for 1948–1951, playing in the National Theatre). She married Miklós Gábor in 1950, giving birth to a daughter, Júlia, two years later. Meeting Zoltán Latinovits in 1960 during rehearsals, they lived together until Latinovits's death.
Death
In 1984, Ruttkai was diagnosed with breast cancer. Half a year after her last stage appearance, she died on 27 September 1986.
Legacy
During her four decade of career, Éva Ruttkai became one of the most versatile actress of her time, gaining critical acclaim in both classical and modern, native and foreign stage roles, and a wide range of movies and television films. She won the Kossuth Prize in 1960.
Selected filmography
Television films
1958: Papucs - Júlia
1961: A szerző ma meghal - Diana
1962: Két üres pohár - Éva
1962: A vak
1963: Kreutzer szonáta - Feleség
1964: Lajos király válik - Királyné
1966: Látszat és valóság
1966: Távolsági történet
1969: Bözsi és a többiek 1–3 (TV Mini-Series) - Bözsi
1968: Az aranykesztyű lovagjai (TV Mini-Series) - Mrs. Harrison
1968: A férfi - Judit
1969: A régi nyár - Mária Koháry, actress
1969: Olykor a hegedűk is
1969: Én, Prenn Ferenc
1969: Komédia a tetőn
1970: Lujzi
1970: Tévedni isteni dolog
1972: A képzelt beteg - Toinette
1978: Abigél (TV Mini-Series) - Horn Mici
1985: Egy fiú bőrönddel - Dobosyné, Péter anyja
1985: Fantasztikus nagynéni - Amália néni