Pál Kalmár


Pál Kalmár was a Hungarian pop singer who is noted as being the first singer to perform Gloomy Sunday. He was at the height of his fame in the 1930s and 1940s but continued singing into the '60s.
Kalmar Pal's musical history is also well documented in Saly Noemi's book "A Tangokiraly".

Biography

Pál Kalmár was born in Budapest on September 5, 1900, his father was from Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok county district court and his mother a dedescendant of the historic Czebe family. He was schooled in the Highlands and eventually obtained a military career in the Royal Hungarian Army. Later, at 19, he became part of the Hungarian comedy theater. In 1935, he worked on the film 'St. Peter's umbrella'. During the Second World War his career was interrupted but he resumed singing as a full-time job after the war. After a major throat operation in 1968, he permanently lost his voice.

Discography