Both, Béla (Szerencs, 21 November 1910 - Budapest ? 20 February 2002) – Actor, theater manager. His higher studies were at the Academy of Dramatic Art, Budapest, and graduated in 1932. He was contracted by the National Theater (Nemzeti Színház), Miskolc. From 1934 to 1941 he was Principal Stage Manager of the National Theater (Nemzeti Színház), Budapest, and subsequently that of the National Theater (Nemzeti Színház), Szeged. After 1945 he worked as stage manager and theater manager at a number of theaters, including the Magyar Theater (Magyar Színház), Budapest, and the Csokonai Theater (Csokonai Színház), Debrecen. In 1958 he became the Principal Stage Manager of the Madách Theater (Madách Színház), Budapest, later its director. Under his leadership the theater soon became a leading one. Between 1964 and 1971 he was the Director again at the National Theater of Budapest. His numerous stage managements include I. Madách’s The Tragedy of Man (Az ember tragédiája); J. Katona’s Bánk bán; M. Jókai’s The Sons of the Stonehearted Man (A kőszívű ember fiai); F. Felkai’s The Eaglet of Győr (A győri sasfiók); F. Schiller’s Mary Stuart (Stuart Mária); E. M. Remarques’s Full Circle (Die letzte Station – Az utolsó állomás), and W. Shakespeare’s As You Like It (Ahogy tetszik). Amongst his feature and TV films are: The Witness (A tanú) (1969); Adventures of Prix (Prix kalandjai) (1973); Black Diamonds i,ii (Fekete gyémántok, I-II) (1976); My First Two-hundred Years (Az első kétszéz évem) (1986); The Elephant (Az elefánt (TV, 1978); Petőfi, 1-6 (TV, 1981); The Days of Széchenyi (Széchenyi napjai) (TV, 1985), and Neighbors (Szomszédok) (1987-1999). He received the Merited Artist title (1962) and the Outstanding Artist tile (1971). – B: 1031, T: 7103.
Botond (Botund)(10th century) – Hungarian military commander. He was one of the legendary figures of the “Age of Adventures” (Kalandozások kora). The chronicles named Kölpeny the ancestor of the Botond clan. Beside Lehel (Lél) and Bulcsu, he was also guardian of the young leader, Zsolt. The three leaders fought together in battles, including the victorious one against the invading Germans. (954-955). In a German campaign, when Botond learned about the defeat of his two friends near Augsburg on 9 August 955, he immediately took on the victors, defeated them and recovered most of their booty. In one of the campaigns against the Byzatine Empire in 960, he appeared before the gates of Byzantium and after defeating a giant adversary in a duel, with one stroke of his axe he cut such a big hole on the metal gate of the city that a child could walk through it. Simon Kézai, the 13th century chronicler described the scene and regarded it as fact; while Anonymous, the 12th century chronicler considered it merely a legend. However, this was the origin of the so-called “Golden Gate Legend”. The damaging of the gate meant declaration of war at that time. Botond’s intention was to make Byzantium taxpayer to his people; but to no avail. According to tradition, Botond died at home and was buried at Verőce. – B: 0942, T: 7103.→Anonymus; Era of the Hungarian Campaigns; Kézai, Simon; Lechfield, Battle of.