Hana Maria Pravda
Hana Maria Pravda (born Hana Becková on 29 January 1916 Prague − 22 May 2008 Oxford[1]) was a Czech-British actress.[2]
Hana Pravda | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 22 May 2008 92) | (aged
Occupation | Actress |
Spouse(s) | Alexander Munk George Pravda |
Personal life
Hana Pravda trained in Leningrad in 1936 under Alexei Dikii. On her return to Prague she married her first husband, Alexander Munk who was a student activist. When the war broke out both were sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp and were subsequently transferred to the Auschwitz concentration camp where they became separated. Pravda survived the camp and the subsequent January 1945 death march and recorded her experiences in a diary.[3] The diary was published as I Was Writing This Diary for You, Sasha (2000) and Kaleidoscope: Snapshots of My Life (2002).[4] She later found out that her husband had died. She returned to Prague and continued to act in the Realistic theater where she met George Pravda. She emigrated to the United Kingdom with him and continued her career.[5]
Her son, Dr Alex Pravda, is an academic. Her granddaughter is the English actress Isobel Pravda.
Career
Pravda worked in Czech theatre before the outbreak of World War II and made 5 films (under the names Hana Becková, Hana Bělská, Hana Alexandrová and Hana Pravdová). Pravda's most well-known role was as Emma Cohen in the 1970s television drama Survivors. She also appeared as the wife of the innkeeper (played by her real-life husband George) in the Jack Palance version of Dracula (1973).[6] Other TV credits include: Danger Man, Department S, Callan, Z-Cars, Dad's Army and Tales of the Unexpected.[2]
Partial filmography
- On the Sunny Side (1933) - Willi
- Marijka nevěrnice (1934)
- První políbení (1935) - Věra
- Nikola Šuhaj (1947)
- The Long Shadow (1961) - Matron
- Before Winter Comes (1969) - Beata
- The Kremlin Letter (1970) - Mrs. Kazar
- And Soon the Darkness (1970) - Madame Lassal
- Death Wish 3 (1985) - Mrs. Kaprov
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)
- Follow Me (1989) - 2. alte Frau
- Bullseye! (1990) - Old Lady at Seance
- Shining Through (1992) - Babysitter
- Leon the Pig Farmer (1992) - Woman
- The Man Who Cried (2000) - Grandmother
- Paradise Grove (2003) - Ruth Posnitch (final film role)
References
- Quay, Diana (2008-07-17). "Obituary: Hana Pravda". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
- http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba4706a72
- "I Was Writing This Diary For You, Sasha". Charlbury: Day Books. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2010-10-24.
- Quay, Diana (July 17, 2008). "Obituary: Hana Pravda". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
- Pensotti, George (2008-07-08). "The Stage / Features / Hana Pravda" (PHP). The Stage. The Stage Newspaper Limited. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
- http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a930b6a
- "Holocaust diarist is played by actress granddaughter", Dalya Alberge, Evening Standard, Dri 11 Jan 2013 p. 29