Who Are Those Guys? ~ Rudolf Cortes

Rudolf Cortés was born Rudolf Kraisinger on March 16, 1921 in Plzen Czechoslovakia. He was  a singer of popular songs with a very beautiful, rich and velvety soft Baritone voice. He became one of the most popular singers of Czechoslovak pop music in the 1950s of. In addition, he was also an actor, playing a number of smaller or episodic roles in several Czech films. Among other things, he was known as a member of the Theater of Variety and Satire (later the ABC Theater) since the 1950s as an important theatrical representative and the central character in the play "Lemonade Jor" or "Horse Opera", in which he was extremely successful and later appeared in the film of the same name. His character was later played by Karel Fiala and sung by Karel Gott, Rudolf Cortés played only a very small episodic role in this film).

Cortés' father met his future wife, Mercedes Cortés, during a working stay in Uruguay, South Amaerica, where he worked as a cooper in building a brewery in Montevideo. After their wedding in Uruguay, they both lived in the Czech Republic, where they had two sons. Along with Rudolf, Oskar was born during the couple's forced stay in Spain, when their trip to Bohemia was interrupted by the detention of their ship in Spain as a result of the outbreak of war.

Rudolf Cortés trained from 1935-1942 and then worked as an independent furrier at the Fur Wholesale Plant in Prague. From 1940 he sang first bass in the Smetana choir. Later he also performed in the Chamber Choir. He was also a singer in the popular jazz orchestra of Emil Ludvik. After World War II, Cortés became the main singer of the Karel Vlach Orchestra for many years.

Rudolf Cortés died in a retirement home in Krasna Lipa near Rumburk as a result of Alzheimer's disease on December 12, 1986.

In 1978 he received the title of Merited Artist.

 

CORTES, Rudolf (aka Rudolf Cortés, Rudolf Cortéz) (Rudolf Kraisinger) [3/16/1921, Plzen, Czechoslovakia – 12/12/1986, Krásná Lípa, Czechoslovakia (Alzheimer's)] – film, TV actor, singer, married to Dagmar [1945-1965] father of singer Dagmar Cortésová [1947-    ], Rudolf Cortes Jr. [1951-    ], married to Alena, father of David Cortes, member of the singing group ‘rampského pěveckého kvartetu Zlatá hvězda’, ‘Emil Ludwig Orchestra’, ‘Charles Vlach Orchestra’, awarded Merit Artist of Czechoslovakia [1978].

Lemonade Joe – 1964 (gunman)