Susan Douglas Rubes

Susan Douglas Rubeš (13 March 1925 – 23 January 2013) was an Austrian-born Canadian actress and producer. She was sometimes credited as Susan Douglas or Susan Rubes.

Life and career Rubeš was born Zuzka Zenta Bursteinová in Vienna, Austria, the only child of Charlotte and Alfred Burstein. Her family was Jewish. When Zuzka was a child, her parents moved to a farm in Czechoslovakia, where they bred race horses. Her family took her to the theater or opera in Brno, and, on occasion, would visit Zuzka's maternal grandmother in Vienna, the manager of the Burgtheater. Zuzka learned English (her fourth language) by watching three movies a day. Under the name Suzi Burstein, she attended George Washington High School in New York City. After graduating in 1943, she changed her name to Susan Douglas. Her first name, Zuzka, is Czech for Susan, while she selected Douglas from a phone book.

Beginning in 1945, she began a career spanning radio, television, theater and film; she was both an actress and producer. Her 1947 movie debut was in The Private Affairs of Bel Ami. This was renamed the Susan Douglas Rubes Theatre Center in 1977. Today, the main venue is known as the Susan Rubes Mainstage. In 1972 she served as associate editor of A Collection of Canadian plays, volume 4. She remained artistic director of the center until 1979, then moved to CBC Television. Later the same year the couple appeared together in Forbidden Journey. They remained married until his death in 2009.

Awards and honors

Tony Award for best debut on Broadway Drama Bench Award, 1974 Member of the Order of Canada, 1975 Woman of the Year Award, B'nai Brith Women's Council of Toronto, 1979

Filmography