The lifelong title, established in 2000, may be carried by only twelve actors. When a title holder dies, the title is passed on. Király?s title was previously held by the Ferenc Zenthe, who died in July at the age of 86.
The title is awarded by the National Theatre with the approval of the minister in charge of culture. Recipients must be over 62 and they must have played at least one major role a year for 20 years during a period of 40 years.
The title was originally granted to Gábor Agárdy, Kati Berek, Ferenc Bessenyei, Iván Darvas, Dezső Garas, Ferenc Kállai, Margit Lukács, Erzsi Máthé, Irén Psota, Gellért Raksányi, Imre Sinkovits and Mari Törőcsik in 2000. When Imre Sinkovits died in 2001, his title went to István Avar; then in 2002, Juci Komlós took over Margit Lukács?s title. Ferenc Zenthe was awarded the title in 2005 when Ferenc Bessenyei died, and Gyula Szabó received the title at the beginning of this year, when Gábor Agárdy passed away.
Levente Király was born in Budapest on March 6, 1937. He studied at the Academy of Theatre and Film in 1955?1959. He has been a member of the Szeged National Theatre since 1959. He was a recipient of the Mari Jászai Award in 1967, the Theatre Critics? award in 2002 and Hungary?s highest award for artists, the Kossuth Award, in 2003.
