He inherited his sense of criticism from his father, and he also claimed to have inherited his musicality from his mother. Géza Hoffmann, as he was then known, applied for placement at the Academy of Theatrical Arts, but he was not admitted. So instead he went to work as a worker at a porcelain factory. He signed up to the theatrical school directed by Kálmán Rózsahegyi, where among others he met József Sas and István Sztankay, who were later both his colleagues and good friends. While working in the factory, he joined the theatrical circle led by András Jászai. He has already been painting porcelain for five years when in 1960, József Szendrő, a well-known theatrical director of the time spotted his talent. He was offered a contract with the Csokonai theatre of Debrecen in September 1960. While an actor there, he was keen to parodize the performances with his friends. He became so good at this, that by 1963 he has decided to move back to his native Budapest, and with the permission of the National Directing Agency, under his stage name of Hofi, was now allowed to perform.