Szobi Cseh, the most famous Romanian stuntman, passed away on Friday, August 1, at 71. He was suffering from bone cancer.

Cseh was born in Miercurea Ciuc to an ethnic Hungarian family. He graduated the sports academy in Bucharest in 1966 and started his career as a stuntman one year later, in 1967, in Sergiu Nicolaescu’s historical movie Dacii. He worked on more than 150 movies as a stuntman, stunt coordinator or master of fighting.

He is best known for his role in the Margelatu series, which shows the story of a Romanian outlaw during the 1848 revolution. Cseh played Buza de Iepure (Cleft Lip), who was Margelatu’s sidekick, with Margelatu being played by famous Romanian actor Florin Piersic.

In 1975 he became the coordinator of a stunt school in Germany and worked together with German director Peter Fogel on 11 movies produced by DEFA Berlin and Tele Munchen.

During his career he made some spectacular stunts, some of them world records at the time.

In 1990, Cseh founded the first association of professional stunt men in Romania, which he led for many years. He also taught acting classes at the National University of Theatre and Film and stunt classes.

editor@romania-insider.com