Jolie Gábor Christman de Szigethy (September 29, 1896 - April 1, 1997) is best known as "Mama Jolie" being the mother of actresses and socialites Magda Gabor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Eva Gabor. Born Jancsi Tilleman in Budapest, Hungary, Jolie claimed to have been born in 1900, however, according to researcher Piet Hein Honig, Jolie's Budapest birth certificate tells that she was actually born in 1896. She was born Jewish and was related to Annette Tillemann, the wife of politician Tom Lantos.[1] Jolie was married three times:
- Vilmos Gábor, Hungarian soldier, father of her three daughters (1914-1939)
- Peter Howard Christman (1947-1948)
- Count Edmund "Odon" de Szigethy (1957-1989, his death).
Jolie was predeceased by her daughter, Eva, on July 4, 1995. On April 1, 1997, Jolie died at the age of 100, just two months before the death of her eldest daughter, Magda. Jolie's only grandchild is Zsa Zsa's daughter, Francesca Hilton.
Bibliography
- Jolie Gabor, by Jolie Gabor as told to Cindy Adams, Mason Charter, 1975.
- Jolie Gabor's Family Cookbook, by Jolie Gabor, with Ted & Jean Kaufman, Thomas Y Crowell Company, 1962.
- Gaborabilia, by Anthony Turtu and Donald F Reuter, Three Rivers Press, 2001. ISBN 0-609-80759-5
