Entertainment News from Athens, Tributes to Greek Artists

Our great comedian Stavros Paravas was born on April 15, 1935 to parents from Asia Minor and was the youngest of his five siblings. He grew up in a refugee settlement, on Alexandras Avenue. His childhood was difficult, but full of love, carefreeness and dreams, as he said. Paravas studied acting secretly, his parents only discovered that he had become an actor in year three, he appeared in various plays with Dinos Iliopoulos and Vilma Kyrou. In 1960, he appeared in the cinema, in the film "Christina" by Yannis Dalianidis, followed by "Hard Man", "Child of the Piazza" and "Smart Bird", in roles that forged one of the later stereotypes of the public about Stavros Paravas, that of the popular dude. he worked tirelessly in the musical theatre, raising some very popular numbers, such as "Dennis the Terrible", "Dirlanda" etc. During the years of the Colonels' dictatorship and while his career was at its peak he was arrested, tortured & imprisoned on the island of Gyaros. Listen to the podcast and learn more about this fascinating & very loved actor.  

Aleka (Alexandra) Katseli, nee Mazaraki (Athens, October 19, 1917 - September 11, 1994), was a great Greek actress and qualified dance artist. She appeared for the first time at the Art Theatre in 1942, during the Occupation. After the liberation, and  a series of successes, she was hired in 1945 at the National Theatre of Greece, from the stage of which she made her first appearance as Portsia in Shakespeare's play "Merchant of Venice", taught by her later husband, director Pelos Katselis. She starred in the film "Lykaina" and took part in the dances "Marsyas" and "Forms of a woman" of the Greek Chorodrama by Manos Hadjidakis (1949), continuing a rich theatrical career culminating in 1986 where she starred in the play "The House of Bernada Alba" by Federico Garcian Lorca. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this legendary actress.

Chronis Exarchakos was a Greek actor born in 1932 in Ermoupolis, Syros. He first appeared in the theater in the play The Villa, with the Rigopoulos- Analytis troupe. A year later he makes his debut in the cinema, with the film of Odysseus Kosteletos Divorce ala Greek. He appeared in 20 films and 60 musical theatrical plays. Just like his roles so in real life, he generously spread laughter. His friends describe him as a pleasant and lively humorous  man who, however, had intense outbursts and explosions. Many attribute the abrupt changes in his behavior to the oppression he received from his mother. The actor lived much of his life with her, as his mother was ill and needed special care....Listen to the podcast and find out more about this very talented and gifted actor who even when faced with serious health problems, he did not lose his humor....

Manos Katrakis - August 14, 1908 – September 2, 1984 was a Greek actor in theatre and film. Katrakis was a restless and creative spirit, distinguished for his talent, deep – characteristic voice, simplicity, generosity and sensitivity. He first appeared on a theatrical stage in Athens in 1927. The director Kostas Leloudas was thrilled by his potential and a year later he played in the first Greek silent film titled The Banner of '21 (1928). His almost 53-year career in the theatre gave us some unforgettable – historical performances, with roles in works by important Greek and foreign dramatists. 1952, in the context of the 25th anniversary of the revival of the "Delphic Idea", Manos Katrakis, together with H. Jacob Nielsen, N. Roland and Al. Loner participate in an International Struggle of Ancient Drama, interpreting alternately the role of Prometheus with the Greek actor winning the award and the warm applause of the audience, proving that he is one of the most important actors of his generation. Listen to the podcast and find out more 

Stelios Kazantzidis, 29 August 1931 – 14 September 2001 was a prominent leading Greek singer of  popular music, or Laïkó. He collaborated with many of Greece's foremost composers, a hallmark in his career – and an event of great importance for the musical scene of post-war Greece – was his cooperation with composer Vassilis Tsitsanis. Starting in 1956 it resulted in several new songs as well as reinterpretions of Tsitsanis older songs. Kazantzidis, thus, sung and popularized such rebetiko classics as "Synnefiasmeni Kyriaki", "Bakse tsifliki" and "Ta Kavourakia". A few years later Kazantzidis started to develop his own musical style, a style with influences ranging from rebetika to Indian music. This new turn met with considerable success and became a template for later developments in Greek popular music. Kazantzidis was the voice of the people, of the weary, the exploited, the betrayed. And the voice of the refugee and the émigré, too. Listen to the podcast and find out more

Pantelis Zervos (December 23, 1908 – January 22, 1982) was a Greek actor in theatre and film. A characteristic figure of the "golden age" of Greek cinema (50s, 60s and early 70s) usually played the character of the gendarmerie, the father, the mayor-commune or the mentor of the protagonists, where he presented himself as traditional and strict, but always fair and good. His most important theatrical presentations were in the plays "Alkistis", "Antigone", "Thesmophoriazousai", "Macbeth", "Pluto" etc. His presence on the film scene was also great. More than 70 were his participations in films, with dominant in the play "Maddalena" of 1960. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this wonderful artist 

Nikos Xanthopoulos (born 14 March 1934) is a Greek actor, known for his roles in the 1960s era Greek Drama Cinema. He was also a singer of Greek folk bouzouki, having released many albums and singles. He is known as "the child of the folk" mainly for playing roles depicting men from the lower working classes. Xanthopoulos sang over 300 songs in thirty movies, but his singing talent was not confined to movies. He recorded nine albums and 55 singles, and toured Europe, the USA, Africa and Australia. Listen to the poscast and find out more about this much loved and respected artist:

Polly Panou (October 28, 1940 – September 27, 2013) was a Greek folk singer(rebetissa). She was born in Athens on October 28, 1940, but grew up in Patras. Her real name was Polytimi Koliopanou. "Godfather" of her artistic name was Grigoris Bithikotsis, the man who discovered her in Patras and was destined to change her life. She was one of the most important voices of Greek folk music and she was a child star that  started her career while still in primery school. It is noted that Polly Panou was the first to sing "The Children of Piraeus", by Manos Hatzidakis which later became an international success. Listen to the podcast and find out more about the extraordinary life of this brilliant artist.

Vicky Moscholiou   23 May 1943 – 16 August 2005, born in Metaxourgeio in Athens, was a Greek singer. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV ranked her the 13th top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960). She rose to fame in 1964 with Stavros Xarhakos' song "Hathike to feggari" (The Moon is Lost), which was composed for the movie Lola.Moscholiou continued with collaborations with Giorgos Zambetas, Manos Eleutheriou, Giorgos Katsaros, Akis Panou, and Loukianos Kilaidonis, among other well-known composers and songwriters. Songs she was famous for include "Paei, paei", "Aliti", "Pou pas choris agapi", "Nautis bgike sti steria", "Ta deilina", "Oi metanastes", and "Anthropoi monachoi". Listen to the podcast and find out more:

Apostolos Avdis or Avdelopoulos  Apostolos was born in Patras in 1903. He studied Theology for a while at the University of Athens and immediately afterwards he enrolled in the School of Cadets. He abandoned everything and went out to the theater in 1929, studying at the Drama School of the Athens Conservatory. He performed in many theatrical plays and was considered an A rated actor.  He appeared in only 3 classical Greek Films with the most memorable being "Stournara 288" where he played the role of a Member of Parliament Mr. Kaloheretas.   He died in 1960 at the age of 60. Listen to the podcast and find out more.