RIP Péter Balázs

 

Farewell to Péter Balázs – A Gifted Entertainer Leaves the Earthly Cabaret Stage

Hungary Today

12/11/2025

 

The former director of the Szigligeti Theater in Szolnok passed away on Wednesday at the age of 82.

Péter Balázs was born in Budapest in 1943. In 1965, he graduated from the University of Theater and Film Arts in the class of Miklós Szinetár. After graduating, he was offered a contract at the Petőfi Theater in Veszprém.

There he was discovered by director Zoltán Várkonyi, who hired him for the Comedy Theater of Budapest (Vígszínház) troupe, to which he belonged for 25 years. In 1989, Balázs also made his debut as a director. From 1995, he worked as a freelance actor. From 2007 to 2021, the popular actor was at the helm of the Szigligeti Theater in Szolnok.

He was known for his comedic roles, but also made a name for himself as a director, was a popular voice actor, and put together cabaret programs that became the epitome of sophisticated entertainment. Balázs also appeared in numerous television series.

“Péter Balázs left a lasting mark on Hungarian cultural life with his stage presence, unforgettable film roles, and iconic dubbing voice,” - emphasizes the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.

In 1982, he was awarded the Jászai Mari Prize, and in 2012, he was honored for his “popular, grotesque charm and dry humor, for his dubbing of fairy tale characters who became legends, for his demanding work as a director, and for his community-building activities as a theater maker and director.”

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán bid farewell to the deceased with the words: “It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of my friend Péter Balázs. All that remains for me to do is to thank him as a comrade for his work over the past years, for his humanity, and for everything he has done for us.”

BALAZS, Péter

Born: 3/5/1943, Budapest, Hungary

Died: 12/10/2025, Budapest, Hungary

 

Péter Balázs’ westerns – actor:

Hol colt, hol nem colt (TV) – 1980 (sheriff)