Guinness World Records declares veteran Israeli performer Hanna Maron as having 'longest career as a theatrical actress' with 83 years on stage.

Hanna Maron during a rehearsal in 1957

Hanna (Meierzak) Maron was born in Berlin, Germany on November 23, 1923. As a child, she appeared in several plays, films, and radio plays. In 1931 she appeared uncredited in Fritz Lang's M. She attended a Montessori school where she learned French. In 1932, she spent a year in Paris. In 1933, following the Nazi Party's rise to power, she immigrated with her family to Mandate Palestine.

In 1940, she joined Habimah. During World War II, she volunteered for the Auxiliary Territorial Service of the British army, serving two years before joining the Jewish Brigade’s entertainment troupe. In 1945 she joined the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv. As a member of the repertory committee, she helped shape the company's repertoire, including new works by Israeli dramatists. Early on, she appeared in supporting roles, but after her success as Mika in He Walked in the Fields by Moshe Shamir, she became one of Israel's leading actresses.

She married a fellow actor, Yossi Yadin. They were together for six years.

Among her better known roles were in Pygmalion, The Glass Menagerie and Hello, Dolly!, as well as several plays by Nathan Alterman.

On February 10, 1970, her El-Al flight to London was hijacked to Munich-Riem Airport by Palestinian militants. Sustaining serious injuries in a grenade attack, her leg had to be amputated, but she resumed her acting career a year later. She remained a peace activist.

She starred in the films Aunt Clara (1977), The Vulture (1981) and Dead End Street (1982). From 1983 to 1986 she starred in the Israeli sitcom Krovim, Krovim ("Near Ones, Dear Ones"). In 2000 she initiated and founded the Herzlia Theater Ensemble. She directed and participated in an evening of Alterman poems, and on an evening of Bertholt Brecht's works. In late 2003, she returned to the Cameri to play in a comedy. In 2004 she starred in a theater event that reenacted an IDF refuseniks' trial.

She is the widow of architect Yaakov Rechter (Yoni Rechter's father). Their daughter is actress Daphne Rechter. Actress Maya Maron is her granddaughter.

In 1973, Maron was awarded the Israel Prize in theatre.
In 1994, she received an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University.
In 2007, she received an honorary doctorate from Ben-Gurion University.
Ynet dubbed her "The first lady of Israeli theater".
She was cited as an inspiration by many Israeli actors, including Yehoram Gaon and Gila Almagor.
In 2005, she was voted the 98th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.

Source: Wikipedia