József Sas

József Sas (born József Polacsek; 3 January 1939 – 17 January 2021) was a Hungarian actor, comedian and theatre manager. He was director of the Mikroszkóp Theatre from 1985 to 2009.

József Sas
József Sas in 2007
Born
József Polacsek

(1939-01-03)3 January 1939
Békéscsaba, Hungary
Died17 January 2021(2021-01-17) (aged 82)
Budapest, Hungary
Years active1957–2018
Spouse
Zsuzsa Komjáti
​
(m. 1977)​

Early life and career

József Sas was born into a family of Jewish origin as the son of Izidor Polacsek,[1] who was an actor under the stage name Imre Sas. His father was deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he was killed in 1944.[2]

Sas finished the private drama school of Kálmán Rózsahegyi in 1957. Thereafter he joined the Kisfaludy Károly Theatre in Győr. He was a member of the Békés County Jókai Theatre since 1958, the National Theatre of Pécs since 1959, the Hungarian People's Army Art Ensemble since 1960 and the Katona József Theatre of Kecskemét since 1966.

He joined the Mikroszkóp Theatre of Budapest in 1973, the most influential cabaret theatre in Socialist Hungary. He served as long-time director of the theatre from 1985 to 2009. In this capacity, Sas was a regular contributor to the radio and TV cabaret, released several major albums, and was the author and performer of several solo evenings.

Criminal charge

In June 2009, József Sas was legally sentenced to one-year prison with two-year period of probation, and a fine of HUF 300.000 on charges of seven counts of tax fraud, so, although nominated for the Kossuth Prize in that year, the submission was withdrawn. According to the data of the prosecutor's office, between 1998 and 2001 he did not pay about HUF 35 million as a tax, and he was also a debtor with a health contribution of HUF 7 million and a social security contribution of HUF 4 million, for a total of HUF 46.1 million.[3][4] Sas resigned from his position of director after the verdict.[5]

Personal life

Sas married Zsuzsa Komjáti in 1977.[6] They had a daughter Ágnes and a son Tamás.[7] Sas announced his retirement from theatrical performance in November 2018, due to declining health.[8] He was on vacation with his wife in Thailand in early 2019, when he had a severe bilateral stroke. A special plane transferred him to Hungary for further medical treatment.[9][10][11] He was treated for months in the rehabilitation institute in Budakeszi, then in the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz) Charity Hospital.

At the end of 2020, Sas was infected during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary.[12] He died on 17 January 2021, of complications from COVID-19.[13]

References
  1. Markos Zoltán: Sas József – A nemzet komédiása szombat.org, 2020. 09. 22.
  2. "Sas József száműzetésben - Népszava". nepszava.hu. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014.
  3. index.hu Gyurcsány visszavonatta Sas József Kossuth-díját (2008. március 12.)
  4. index.hu Sas József egy év felfüggesztett börtönt kapott (2009. június 17.)
  5. Selmeczi Tibor lett a Mikroszkóp Színpad megbízott igazgatója MTI/index.hu - 2009. június 24.
  6. Bajtai, András (3 January 2018). "Sas József 44 éve imádja feleségét - A korkülönbség sem állt boldogságuk útjába". femina.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  7. BorsOnline (16 December 2020). "Sas József lánya: Hála Istennek apu jól van". www.borsonline.hu. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  8. "Minden előadását lemondta Sas József". 5 November 2018.
  9. "Sas József végre megszólalt: nem tudja használni a bal oldalát". 24.hu. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  10. Origo. "Sas József az agyvérzéséről: Baj van, baj van!". www.origo.hu/ (in Hungarian). Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  11. "Egy betegszállító különgép hozta haza Thaiföldről Sas Józsefet". 24.hu. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  12. "Még kórházban van, de nem szorul lélegeztetőgépre Sas József". 24.hu (in Hungarian). 13 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  13. "Elhunyt Sas József". 17 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
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