Jenő Heltai

• Name — Jenő Heltai • Birth Name — Eugen Herzl • Born — 11 August 1871 • Birthplace — Pest, Austria-Hungary • Died — 3 September 1957 • Place of death — Budapest, Hungarian People's Republic • Occupation — Author • Notable Works — Modern songs (1892)

Jenő Heltai was the first son of Károly Herzl and Jozefa Reich. He was of Jewish descent, though he later converted to Christianity. Several of his novels and plays have been adapted into movies. Theodor Herzl was his cousin. He studied at the Law Faculty of the University of Budapest before he quit his studies in 1890 to become a journalist, working for the newspaper "Magyar Hírlap". In 1892, Heltai published his first book of poetry, Modern dalok. Heltai married his first wife, Hausz Valéria on 3 August 1903. From 1914 until 1917, Heltai was the director of a Budapest theater. He became the chairman of the Association of Hungarian Playwrights in 1916. In 1917, Heltai divorced his wife and around this time married Frida Gombaszögi. This marriage did not last long, as Heltai married his third wife, Lilla Gács in 1923. All three of his wives were actresses. Heltai coined the word for cinema in Hungarian, "mozi". He received the Kossuth Prize, the highest literature award in Hungary in 1957. Jenő Heltai died on 3 September 1957 in Budapest.

• Modern dalok (Modern songs), 1892, poetry • Kiskirályok (Little Kings), 1913, novel • Álmokháza (House of Dreams), 1929, novel • A néma levente (The Silent Knight), 1936, play • Egy fillér (One Penny), 1940, play

Jenő Heltai was recorded at birth as Herzl Jenő. The authorities additionally record the headings Jenő Herzl and Eugen Herzl. His recorded language was Hungarian. He married Frida Gombaszögi. Other recorded relations include Theodor Herzl.

Jenő Heltai is recorded as journalist, writer, poet, theatre manager and dramaturge.