Since childhood, Rekk Marika has pretty much traveled around the world: she was born in Cairo, grew up in Budapest, studied dancing in Paris, worked in New York on Broadway, in many European cities and capitals.
Childhood
So, Carolina Marie Rekk was born in Egypt in the family of a successful architect in 1913. A little later, the family will return to Budapest. Despite the war, her father is doing well, there are orders for the construction of the plant. However, inflation eats up all the savings. By this time, the family has already lived in Paris since 1924.
Study
Back in Budapest, Rekk Marika began to learn dancing when she was nine years old. And when the family moved to Paris, the girl was sent to the classical ballet dance school, led by Madame Rutkowski. Carolina’s business is going brilliantly - she’s being taken to the Moulin Rouge company. This was facilitated by a family friend, a Hungarian restaurateur, who drew the attention of the director of the Moulin Rouge Gertrude Hoffman to the Hungarian dance miracle. The girl is eleven years old at this time. In variety shows, she quickly goes through an acrobatic school, and she is taken on tour in New York. So Rekk Marika begins performing on Broadway in the corps de ballet.
Tours in the USA last four years. During this time, a diligent and capable student learns all the subtleties of dance.
London, Monte Carlo and other European cities
In the capital of Britain, Marika gets in sixteen years. She starts touring in London in 1929, but then returns to her native Budapest. Laszlo Silagi will make her debut in the operetta Random, which will be played two hundred and forty times. “Ball in Savoy” will be held ninety-two times, “Wild Flower” - one hundred and forty times.
It is necessary to comprehend science
Constant employment on the stage, rehearsals and performances do not give the opportunity to study in an ordinary school. Classes with her father. In addition, he becomes its producer, concludes contracts, since Rekk Marika is still a minor. The father stands guard over the interests of his daughter, all theater directors fear him. Finally, they pay attention to it in the cinema.
First movies
Contracts, of course, concluded a father. The first roles were small, second plan, even episodic. But both Marika and father understand that this art is the future. Since the beginning of the thirties, Marika has starred in Hungarian music films, where singing, talking and dancing alternate.
But already in 1933, she will play the first big role in the Hungarian musical comedy Ghost Train. After a stunning success in Vienna on a tour of the Stern der Manege revue in 1934, she was invited to Germany and signed for a two-year filming contract.
At the UFA Film Factory
The first film, Light Cavalry, brought the diva a resounding success. But only film director Georg Jacobi will fully reveal her sparkling talent. They will start working together in 1936, and in 1940 she will become his wife and give birth to his daughter Gabriele, who will later become an actress, and his son Fred Paul.
But filming in German films requires an impeccable pronunciation. He is honed by the artist. For this, a German teacher is invited. In addition, they strictly monitor that she adheres to a diet and a specific daily routine. Telephone conversations are tapped. But Marika takes everything for granted and does not grumble. Moreover, intense shooting is underway. From 36 to 39 years she starred in ten films. Marika becomes a wealthy woman. She has a home in Budapest and in Berlin. After the film "Hello Jeannine," she will be invited to an appointment with Hitler, who will honor her conversation and will ask if she herself does all the tricks in the film. But never in his paintings does Nazism promote Marika Reck. Films with her participation are light, funny, musical.
And the most striking and beloved film will be “The Girl of My Dreams”, in which color, dancing, music, singing harmoniously merge. Until 1953, one or two films were released with her annually.
After forty years
Filming continues. She will star in 12 more films and write a book of memoirs, “Heart with Pepper”.
In 1950, the color musical comedy “Child of the Danube” will be released. Marika Rekk plays in this light-hearted movie the blond waitress Marika from Noah's Ark. The unemployed journalists who want to settle in these beautiful places pay attention to her. They learn about her dream of rebuilding her father’s old barge. To do this, they offer her to create a youth theater with a repertoire that will promote renewed folk art. Marika with all the fervor takes up this matter, and she is supported by all the actors of the old theater, which closed. But during a thunderstorm, lightning hits the theater. Everything burns to the ground. But the journalists and the heroine of the film are not discouraged. Georges in love with Marika publishes an article urging residents to help youth. And then a theater grows up again, in which the magnificent Marika dances and sings. The performances are sold out, and soon Marika’s dream to fix the old barge will come true.
Retirement
Since 1958, Marika Rekk has mainly sung and danced in performances on the stages of Vienna, Munich, Hamburg and West Berlin. She retires in 1988. She has her own fan club. Even in old age, she lives without decrepitude. She will die in Baden, near Vienna, at the age of 90. Here is such a long and full life lived Marika Rekk. Her biography speaks of talent that can bring people joy.