LAKATOS, LÁSZLÓ

LAKATOS, LÁSZLÓ (1882–1944), Hungarian author and journalist. Born in Budapest, Lakatos displayed an early talent for journalism and for a brief period edited the liberal daily Világ. He was an able satirist, fond of aphorisms and paradoxes. Lakatos wrote on Jewish themes, choosing his subjects mainly from topical issues and the Budapest middle classes. A number of his plays were extremely successful outside Hungary and include Négy frakk ("Four Cutaways," 1923), Pajtásházasság ("Companionate Marriage," 1928), and Helyet az ifjúságnak ("Make Way for Youth," 1934). He also wrote novels, notably Egy pesti lány története ("The Story of a Budapest Girl," 1913). At the outbreak of World War II Lakatos was forced to immigrate to Paris but had to flee from the Nazi invaders and died in Nice. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Magyar Irodalmi Lexikon, 2 (1965), S.V.; L. Bóka, Magyar mártir irók antológiája (1947). (Baruch Yaron)