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Eva Todor
Eva Todor
Eva Todor
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Eva Todor in 1930

Key Information

Eva Todor Nolding (born Fodor Éva; 9 November 1919 – 10 December 2017) was a Brazilian actress and dancer.[1]

Biography

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Eva Fodor was born in Budapest but emigrated with her family to Brazil in 1929. She later changed her surname to Todor.[2] She was married twice – to Luís Iglesias from 1935 until his death in 1963, and to Paulo Nolding from 1964 until his death in 1989. She had no children.

Todor died in Rio de Janeiro on 10 December 2017 of pneumonia while suffering from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, aged 98.[3]

Filmography

[edit]

Cinema

Television

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Eva Todor

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from Grokipedia
Eva Todor was a Hungarian-born Brazilian actress and dancer known for her prolific career spanning more than 80 years in theater, film, and television. Born in Budapest, Hungary, on November 9, 1919, she immigrated to Brazil with her family in 1929, where she began her artistic journey studying classical ballet from the age of four and performing in dance shows in São Paulo before transitioning to acting. She gained acclaim in Brazilian theater, particularly in comedy, and won the Molière Prize in 1969 for her performance in the play Olho na Amélia by Georges Feydeau. Todor later became a prominent figure in television, appearing in numerous TV Globo productions including long-running telenovelas such as Locomotivas (1977), Top Model (1989–1990), América (2005), and A Rosa e o Espinho (2000–2001), along with films like Xuxa em Abracadabra (2003). Todor remained active late in life despite health challenges, including Parkinson's disease, and died on December 10, 2017, in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 98 from pneumonia.

Early life

Birth and emigration to Brazil

Eva Todor was born Eva Fodor on November 9, 1919, in Budapest, Hungary. Her family emigrated to Brazil in 1929, when she was 9 years old, settling in Rio de Janeiro. The emigration was driven by financial difficulties in post-First World War Europe. She later adopted the professional surname Todor from her original family surname Fodor.

Ballet training and early performances

Eva Todor began her ballet training at the age of four in 1923 at the Royal Opera ballet in Budapest. After her family emigrated to Brazil in 1929, she continued her dance studies in Rio de Janeiro under Maria Olenewa, a pioneering Russian ballet instructor in the country, where she trained alongside Bibi Ferreira. Her early professional appearances involved performing interval dances in cinemas owned by Francisco Serrador across São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre. She also received an invitation from Oduvaldo Vianna to dance at the Theatro Municipal in São Paulo. An audition with Dulcina de Moraes was unsuccessful due to her Hungarian accent, which led her to transition into burlesque and light musical comedies at the Teatro Recreio. This shift marked the beginning of her broader stage career in Brazil, eventually leading to her partnership with Luís Iglesias.

Theater career

Early revues and partnership with Luís Iglesias

Eva Todor entered the world of Brazilian popular theater in the 1930s through the genre of revues, or "revista", a form of light comedy and musical spectacle that dominated Rio de Janeiro's stages at the time. At age 15, she made her professional debut in 1934 at the Teatro Recreio in the revue "Há uma forte corrente", co-authored by Luís Iglesias and Freire Junior. She quickly rose to become the leading actress in the Teatro Recreio's company, starring in a series of revues throughout the decade that solidified her reputation as a box-office draw in "teatro ligeiro". In 1936, she married playwright and actor Luís Iglesias, who wrote numerous roles tailored to her talents, especially those emphasizing her comedic flair and ingénue persona. Their professional partnership produced many successful productions at the Teatro Recreio, including titles such as "Cidade Maravilhosa" (1935), "Mamãe Eu Quero" (1937), and "Yes, Nós Temos Banana" (1939), among others. Todor's early revues with Iglesias made her synonymous with commercial success in the popular revue circuit. The collaboration extended into 1940 with the major hit revue "Feia" by Paulo Magalhães, though she soon founded her own company that year. The partnership ended with Iglesias' death in 1963.

Founding Eva e Seus Artistas and Teatro Serrador era

In 1940, Eva Todor founded the theater company Eva e Seus Artistas, which her husband Luís Iglesias created specifically to feature her in comedy productions after their earlier work in revues. The company became a significant platform for nurturing talent, launching the careers of actors including Oscarito, Jardel Filho, Jorge Dória, and Elza Gomes. Eva e Seus Artistas established a long-term residency at the Teatro Serrador in Cinelândia, Rio de Janeiro, where Todor remained for more than twenty years, with her own accounts specifying 23 consecutive years at the venue. Her style of performance, characterized by improvisation, immediacy, charisma, and sympathy, created strong empathy with popular audiences and contributed to consistent commercial success. When the Teatro Serrador closed for renovations, Todor took her full company of 40 contracted artists on a three-year tour in Portugal without any institutional support, demonstrating the group's resilience and her leadership in sustaining large-scale theatrical operations. This extended residency and international endeavor solidified Eva e Seus Artistas as a cornerstone of mid-20th-century Brazilian popular theater.

Later stage work and awards

After the death of her longtime collaborator and husband Luís Iglesias in 1963, Eva Todor married Paulo Nolding in 1965, who took over the management of her career and guided her toward more mature, dramatic roles distinct from her earlier revue work. This transition included notable performances in Senhora na Boca do Lixo by Jorge Andrade in the late 1960s and De Olho na Amélia by Georges Feydeau in 1969, the latter becoming another significant box-office success. For her leading role as Amélia in De Olho na Amélia, Todor won the Prêmio Molière for Best Actress in 1969. The death of Paulo Nolding in 1977 left Todor deeply shaken, leading to a temporary withdrawal from professional activities. In later years, her contributions to Brazilian theater were recognized with a special homage at the 22nd Prêmio Shell de Teatro (Rio de Janeiro edition) in 2010, honoring her overall artistic trajectory.

Television career

Debut and pioneering series

Eva Todor made her television debut in 1957, starring in As Aventuras de Eva, which is recognized as the first Brazilian television series. Created specifically for her by her husband, Luís Iglesias, the comedy series aired on TV Tupi Rio and ran for nearly three years. This pioneering work marked her entry into television, where she portrayed various episodic adventures that highlighted her comedic skills and established an early format for Brazilian serialized programming. Following the conclusion of As Aventuras de Eva, Todor took a brief hiatus from television before returning in the late 1970s, prompted by an invitation from José Bonifácio de Oliveira Sobrinho (Boni).

Breakthrough in telenovelas and major roles

Eva Todor achieved a significant breakthrough in Brazilian telenovelas upon joining TV Globo in 1977 with her starring role as Kiki Blanche in Locomotivas, a performance that spanned 169 episodes and established her as a prominent figure in the network's prime-time productions. She followed this with additional notable appearances, including Cecília in Partido Alto (1984) and Calu in De Corpo e Alma (1992), contributing to her growing presence in Globo's telenovela lineup. Her major roles in subsequent decades included Morgana in Top Model (1989–1990), where she appeared in 197 episodes, showcasing her versatility in comedic and dramatic elements. She later portrayed Josefa Lacerda de Moura in O Cravo e a Rosa (2000–2001) across 221 episodes, earning recognition for her commanding presence in the period comedy. Todor continued her success with Miss Jane in América (2005) in 88 episodes, Cidinha in Caminho das Índias (2009) in 54 episodes, and Dália in Salve Jorge (2012–2013) in 20 episodes, marking her final television appearance at age 93. These recurring roles solidified her status as one of Globo's most enduring supporting actresses in telenovelas.

Film career

Selected film appearances

Eva Todor's film appearances were relatively few compared to her extensive career in theater and television, reflecting her primary focus on stage and small-screen work. Her cinematic output remained limited, with roles spread across several decades and often in supporting capacities within Brazilian productions. She made her film debut in Os Dois Ladrões (1960), directed by Carlos Manga, portraying Madame Gaby opposite Oscarito, her longtime theater collaborator. This chanchada comedy marked her entry into cinema during the waning years of the genre's popularity at Atlântida Cinematográfica. Following a long interval without film roles, Todor returned to the medium in the 2000s. She played the Grandmother in the children's fantasy film Xuxa Abracadabra (2003), directed by Moacyr Góes. In her final film appearance, she portrayed Dona Marly in the biographical drama Meu Nome Não É Johnny (2008), directed by Mauro Lima and starring Selton Mello. These later roles underscored her enduring presence in Brazilian entertainment, even as her film contributions stayed selective.

Personal life

Marriages and family

Eva Todor was married twice and had no children from either marriage, despite attempting to do so in both. Her first marriage was to Luís Iglesias, a playwright and director who became her close artistic collaborator, writing and directing works tailored for her and co-founding her theater company. The marriage lasted until his death in 1963. In 1964, Todor married Paulo Nolding, an engineer who left his profession to become her manager and handled her career throughout their relationship. This marriage endured for 25 years until Nolding's death in 1989. Following Nolding's passing, Todor was deeply affected, stating she felt "muito desorientada" and withdrew briefly from her professional activities before resuming work. Since she had no children or living relatives, upon her death she left her entire inheritance to her seven long-time employees who had cared for her.

Health issues in later years

In her later years, Eva Todor was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, a condition that contributed to her living a reclusive life at home in Rio de Janeiro's Zona Sul. By 2014, at age 94, reports highlighted how the disease had led to her withdrawal from public life, and in 2016, at age 95, she was described as continuing to battle the illness while maintaining a contract for life with Rede Globo. Sources also indicate that she suffered from Alzheimer's disease and cardiac problems during this period. Despite these health challenges, Todor continued working until her final television appearance in the telenovela Salve Jorge in 2012.

Death and legacy

Death

Eva Todor died on December 10, 2017, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the age of 98. Her death resulted from pneumonia, complicated by Parkinson's disease. The actress had maintained a career spanning nearly eight decades prior to her passing.

Recognition and impact

Eva Todor earned widespread recognition as one of Brazil's most enduring and beloved performers, maintaining a remarkable 78-year career from her 1934 debut in theatrical revues until her final television appearances in 2012. Her longevity and continuous presence in popular theater and telenovelas established her as the longest-running female star in Brazilian entertainment, blending classical ballet origins with mastery of comedy and dramatic depth. She starred in the TV series As Aventuras de Eva, which aired on TV Tupi starting in 1957 and ran for nearly three years, bridging her stage experience to television and influencing subsequent generations of performers. Her work in mid-20th-century theater made her a reliable box-office draw, while her own company provided opportunities to nurture emerging talent within the industry. Eva Todor's impact was rooted more in immense popular affection and cultural resonance than in an abundance of major awards, with her name often synonymous with the history of Brazilian theater, particularly the Teatro de Revista genre where she excelled as a master of fine humor and irony. She received the Prêmio Molière for best actress in 1969 for De Olho na Amélia, along with later tributes including a lifetime achievement honor at the Prêmio Shell in 2010 and a public homage in 2013 at age 93, reflecting enduring esteem despite the relative scarcity of formal accolades. Her charisma, inexhaustible joy, and self-described "brilliant, long career without setbacks" cemented her legacy as a cherished figure who entertained and inspired across decades.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0865367/
  2. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/cultura/noticia/2017-12/morre-atriz-eva-todor-aos-98-anos
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0865367/bio/
  4. http://www.purepeople.com.br/noticia/eva-todor-completa-94-anos-de-muito-sucesso-e-ainda-com-energia-para-atuar_a12259/1
  5. https://telenovela-database.fandom.com/wiki/Eva_Todor
  6. https://enciclopedia.itaucultural.org.br/pessoa/1637/eva-todor
  7. https://memoriaglobo.globo.com/perfil/eva-todor/noticia/eva-todor.ghtml
  8. https://portais.funarte.gov.br/brasilmemoriadasartes/acervo/atores-do-brasil/biografia-de-eva-todor/
  9. http://www.revistacal.com.br/rev-12/p_evatodor.htm
  10. https://entretenimento.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2010/04/06/beth-goulart-e-eleita-melhor-atriz-do-premio-shell-rj-eva-todor-e-homenageada.htm
  11. https://www.museudatv.com.br/programas/aventuras-de-eva/
  12. https://memoriaglobo.globo.com/perfil/eva-todor/noticia/trabalhos-na-globo.ghtml
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0391726/fullcredits/
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1092016/characters/nm0865367
  15. https://caras.com.br/tv/atriz-de-suave-veneno-deixou-heranca-para-funcionarios.phtml
  16. https://www.museudatv.com.br/biografia/eva-todor/
  17. http://astrosemrevista.blogspot.com/2014/09/eva-todor-grande-dama-das-comedias.html
  18. https://natelinha.uol.com.br/famosos/2014/09/04/viuva-e-sem-filhos-eva-todor-vive-reclusa-por-causa-de-mal-de-parkinson-79321.php
  19. https://diariogaucho.clicrbs.com.br/entretenimento/noticia/2016/03/com-contrato-vitalicio-com-a-globo-eva-todor-luta-contra-o-mal-de-parkinson-5090224.html
  20. https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/televisao/atriz-de-mais-de-30-novelas-eva-todor-morre-aos-98-anos-de-pneumonia-18154
  21. https://monitormercantil.com.br/o-g-nero-eva-todor-de-ser-e-de-representar/
  22. https://revistaquem.globo.com/QUEM-News/noticia/2013/07/aos-93-anos-eva-todor-e-homenageada-em-estreia-de-espetaculo.html
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