Unveiling The Gabor Sisters: Glamour, Marriages & Hollywood - [Explore Now]

Cicero Swaniawski IV 25 May 2025

Were they actresses, socialites, or something else entirely? The Gabor sisters, a trio of Hungarian-American women who captivated the world, were, in essence, celebrities before the term truly existed, their fame fueled by a potent mix of glamour, wit, and an undeniable talent for self-promotion.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, the Gabor sisters Magda, Zsa Zsa, and Eva embarked on a journey that would take them from the heart of Europe to the glittering lights of Hollywood. Their story is one of remarkable resilience, surviving the tumultuous events of World War II and forging careers in a world that often seemed to define them by their marriages and public personas.

Full Name	Magda Gabor	Zsa Zsa Gabor (born Sri Gbor)	Eva Gabor
Date of Birth	1915	February 6, 1917	February 11, 1919
Place of Birth	Budapest, Hungary	Budapest, Hungary	Budapest, Hungary
Parents	Jolie Gabor (ne Janka Tilleman) and Vilmos Gabor (born Farkas Mikls Grn)
Siblings	Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eva Gabor
Marriages	Jan de Bythwood	Burhan Belge (1937-1941), Conrad Hilton (1942-1947), George Sanders (1949-1954), Herbert Hutner (1962-1966), Joshua S. Cosden Jr. (1966-1967), Jack Ryan (1975-1976), Michael O'Hara (1976-1983), Frdric Prinz von Anhalt (1986-2016)	Burhan Belge (1937-1941), Conrad Hilton (1942-1947), John Williams (1956-1957), Richard Brown (1959-1961)
Children	None	None	None
Notable Career	Actress	Actress, Socialite	Actress
Film and TV Highlights	The Wife of Monte Cristo	Moulin Rouge, Queen of Outer Space, Green Acres	The Beverly Hillbillies
Death	July 6, 1997	December 18, 2016	July 4, 1995
Reference	Wikipedia

The Gabor family's roots lay in Hungary. Jolie Gabor, their mother, was an heiress to a jewelry empire, while their father, Vilmos Gabor, served as a major in the Hungarian army. The sisters' lives were irrevocably changed by the rise of Nazism. They, along with their mother, narrowly escaped Hungary on the eve of World War II, making their way to the United States. This move to the United States in the wake of the war proved to be a pivotal moment, setting the stage for their Hollywood aspirations.

Magda, the eldest, had a previous brush with acting, having appeared in a small role in a Hungarian film before the war. This experience, coupled with the family's inherent ambition, fueled their desire to break into the American film industry. They relocated to New York City initially. The family was known to be extremely stylish. They would later make their way to Hollywood, the epicenter of dreams and where fame was waiting for them.

Eva Gabor, born in Budapest on February 11, 1919, was the youngest of the three sisters. Her birth record, listing her parents as Jolie Gabor (ne Janka Tilleman) and Vilmos Gabor (born Farkas Mikls Grn), is a testament to her origins. She, like her sisters, pursued a career in acting, achieving notable success in television and film. She was also known to be very stylish.

Zsa Zsa, born as Sri Gbor on February 6, 1917, became arguably the most recognizable of the sisters. Her name, synonymous with celebrity, was often mentioned with terms such as frivolity and camp. She personified the modern celebrity, renowned for her personality and quotable wit as much as for her acting roles.

Their claim to fame, beyond their acting careers, was their high-profile personal lives and particularly their many marriages. Their husbands included a hotelier (Conrad Hilton), a press director of the Turkish foreign ministry, and others from high society. Zsa Zsa, in particular, was known for the sheer number of her marriages, which often made headlines.

Magda's path through Hollywood, while less prominent than her sisters', was no less interesting. Magda Gabor, in some ways, paved the way for her sisters careers by having some roles in film. The ambition that drove the Gabor sisters was undeniable, and it's a key factor in the trios success in Hollywood.

The Gabor sisters had the chance to create lasting impact on the entertainment and social worlds by moving to the United States. They survived the Holocaust by escaping to the States before the war. They were able to find success by acting.

The Gabor sisters, Magda, Zsa Zsa, and Eva, became a cultural phenomenon. Their fame wasn't always directly proportional to their acting accomplishments, it was a product of their charisma, their carefully cultivated public personas, and their knack for self-promotion. They showed the world the power of celebrity even before the internet.

The story of the Gabor family, while glamorous, wasn't without its hardships. There were losses and battles, from the tragic death of lovers to the struggle with bipolar disorder. These challenges only served to highlight the sisters resilience and their unwavering commitment to living life on their own terms.

The Gabor sisters, always in the spotlight, always making headlines, and always getting married, became a cultural phenomenon. Contemporary discussions surrounding the famous family frequently include comparisons to other celebrities. The legacy of the Gabor sisters is a fascinating blend of talent, ambition, and the enduring power of self-created fame. They moved to Hollywood, married celebrities, and competed for their mother's love.

Zsa Zsa, who would later be called the first celebrity to be famous solely for her celebrity, was born Sri Gbor in Budapest, Hungary, on February 6, 1917. Her sister, Eva, died in 1995, and Magda in 1997, making Zsa Zsa the only survivor of the trio of acting Gabor sisters.

The answer to the crossword clue "Gabor sister whose given name was Sri," seen in the August 31, 2024, LA Times crossword, is ZSA ZSA.

The solution to the crossword clue is six letters long.