Entertainment News from Athens, Tributes to Greek Artists

"Darla dirladada" Greek folk song "Dirlada" originating from the island of Kalymnos in Greece. It was conceived as a song that sponge divers would sing when traveling with their caïque boats across the seas. The song's lyrics contain words of encouragement and the opportunity awaiting the crew. One of the most notable recordings is that performed by Pantelis Ginnis, a Kalymnian sponge diver captain.  Dionysis Savvopoulos sang "Dirlada" on his 1969 album To Perivoli tou Trelou. In 1970 the song was recorded by French singer Dalida. It was released as a single from her album Ils ont changé ma chanson, on which it features as the sixth track. Dalida also recorded the song in Italian, German, and English-language versions. In 1993, the band G.O. Culture covered the song in a house and techno version. In France, this version was a success in discothèques and in terms of sales. In 2018, the Romanian band D-l Goe covered the song to honour the 1st of March holiday, using an electro rock approach for the Romanian lyrics, previously used by singer Margareta Paslaru. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this popular song:

‎Eftychia Papagiannopoulou‎‎, originally Hadjigeorgiou-Economou, later Nikolaidou and finally Papagiannopoulou‎‎‎‎ (1893 - January 7, 1972) was the first ‎‎female Greek‎‎ ‎‎lyricist‎‎, and the most important of Greek folk song. ‎‎She began writing lyrics in 1948 and selling them for amounts from 200 to 300 drachmas. But having a great addiction to ‎‎gambling‎‎ she lost a lot of money this way. When she wrote the lyrics, she then renounced her copyright. ‎‎ ‎Many of her own lyrical creations became huge successes‎‎‎‎, with the help of great composers of the time, such as Tsitsanis, Chiotis, Hadjidakis, Kaldaras, etc.‎ ‎Her life was transferred in the form of a book written by her granddaughter, Rhea Maneli, entitled ‎‎My Grandmother Eftihia‎‎‎‎ this biography inspired the theatrical monologue performed by ‎‎Nena Mendi‎‎ in the performance with her full name as the title. ‎ ‎In 2019‎ Eftychia‎‎ a Greek biographical drama‎‎ film, written by Katerina Bey and ‎‎directed by‎‎ ‎‎Angelos Frantzis‎‎ was released. The film won 8 awards, including best film ‎at ‎‎the Iris Awards‎‎ 2020 of the ‎‎Greek Film Academy‎.‎ ‎‎

‎‎Kostas Doukas‎‎ ‎‎was born in Smyrna in  1895‎‎ he was a ‎‎Greek‎‎ ‎‎actor‎‎.‎ His real name was Konstantinos Aslanidis. He studied at the Commercial School and worked at the ‎‎Bank of Athens‎‎. He left his job there to become an actor. He took part in films by ‎‎Kostas Hatzichristou‎‎, such as ‎‎Tis Kakomoiras‎‎ (The codcat).‎ ‎Apart from his acting career on stage and screen, in the end he ended up a one man-orchestra for the cinema, directing films, writing scripts, organizing and directing productions and more or less catching all the posts of cinema.‎ Listen to the podcast and find out more:

Jenny Karezi, was a Greek film and stage actress, and her real name was Evgenia Karpouzi  she was born in Athens, Greece 12 January 1934 and passed away on the 27 July 1992 from cancer. Her stage debut was in the Marika Kotopouli theatre in the French comedy, La belle Heléne, with Melina Mercouri and Vasilis Diamantopoulos. In 1955, Karezi made her cinema debut in the Alekos Sakellarios' comedy, Laterna, ftoheia kai filotimo in 1955, a massive success just like its sequel, Laterna, ftoheia kai garyfallo in 1957. For the soundtrack of the 1959 film To nisi ton genneon she recorded a song by future Academy Award-winner Manos Hadjidakis, "Min ton rotas ton ourano" ("Do not ask the sky"). As a victim of metastatic cancer, she asked those close to her to make palliative care better known and to assist in its development so others suffering painful diseases or ailments would be able to live their last days with dignity. The Jenny Karezi Foundation is a non-profit Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care organization, founded in 1992, in memory of the Greek actress. Listen to the podcast and find out more

Eleni Papadaki was born on 4 November 1903 in Athens to an affluent family, she studied philology at Athens University, phonetics, music and piano at the Great Conservatory of Athens, but began an acting career at the age of twenty-two in 1925, in Luigi Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author. The theatre critic for the Demokratia newspaper greeted her performance with the comment that "today the stage has acquired a great actress". At the same time, she also performed in Oscar Wilde's Salome. Her most successful performances during the last part of her career was in ancient Greek tragedies. During the Axis occupation of Greece she has been accused of being the mistress of the collaborationist prime minister Ioannis Rallis including right-wing newspapers of the Greek Resistance.  Eleni Papadaki was executed in Athens on 22 December 1944, during the "Dekemvriana" events, by communists of the OPLA. Listen to the podcast as we try to understand & restore the dignity and spirit of this amazing actress whose short life ended so tragically:

Grigoris Bithikotsis, also known as Sir of the Greek pentagram, was one among the greatest Greek songwriters and folk singers of the 20th century.

Bithikotsis was born on 11 December 1922, in the Athenian suburb Peristeri and he was the youngest child of an eight-member family. He decided to follow the folk music and rebetiko at the age of fifteen, he made his debut on the Greek stage in 1949 as a songwriter and master of the bouzouki. He composed more than 200 songs, many of which met great success and the love of the audience. His collaboration with Mikis Theodorakis, whom he met when he was in exile in Makronissos, and with Manos Hadjidakis marked his career. Listen to the podcast and find out everything about this legendary artist whose voice has become the sound of Greece:

Dimitris Horn was the son of scriptwriter Pandelis Horn and godson of the famous Greek actress Kyveli. He had an aristocratic aura   and an intense stage presence.  From an early stage he developed a reputation as the "best actor of his generation" performing in many classical theatrical plays. His most notable films were "The Counterfeit Coin" (1954) and "A Girl in Black" (1956).  He later married shipping heiress Anna Goulandri and became the first director of the Greek State Radio and Television after the restoration of democracy.  Listen to the podcast and find out more about the most charismatic, talented, bon viveur who's legacy will live forever: 

Tasso Kavaddia was born on January 10, 1921 in Patras. She studied piano in Athens, writing and decoration in Paris, scenario and clothing with Giannis Tsarouchis, and acting at the Drama School & Art School with Karolos Koun. From 1954 until 1967, Kavaddia worked as a radio journalist and radio executive. From 1955 until 1969, she was a newspaper reporter. She had also worked as a translator.  Many of her translations focused on literature texts. She played many roles in the theater and participated in many movies. She always played the role of the villain, the wicked and angry woman and that is how she is remembered although in her real life she was a sweet, dynamic woman that made big strides during her life. Listen to the podcast and find out more:

Kostas Hatzichristos 25 December 1921 - 3 October 2001, was an actor and director, who initially studied at the Sergeants Major Military School of Syros, but found his way on to the theatrical stage after the German invasion.   To avoid being caught one night by the  Nazis, he decide to hide amongst the actors of a theatrical play. He made up his on words, the crowd laughed and that was when he realized he was born to be an actor. Hatzichristos became one of the best comedians of post war Greece, he performed on the big screen in many movies that are still favored by audiences today and he produced and directed many extravagant theatrical productions. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this charismatic and talented actor:

‎Rosa Eskenazi‎‎ ‎‎(1897‎‎ – ‎‎December 2,‎‎ ‎‎1980)‎ ‎was a ‎‎Greek‎‎ Jewish dancer and singer of ‎‎rebetiko‎‎, ‎‎traditional Greek music, ‎Kanto and Turkish folk music, born in Constantinople. Her recordings and performances in music centers lasted from the late 1920s to the 1970s.‎ She was the first female artist to sign a recording contract based on royalties. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this phenomenal woman that accomplished so much while living in such difficult times and whose memory will live forever through her music.