Entertainment News from Athens, Tributes to Greek Artists

In this episode I pay tribute to actor Spiros Kalogirou, one of the "bad guys" of greek cinema. Spyros Kalogirou November 3, 1922 - June 27, 2009 was a Greek actor of theatre and cinema, who was identified with the role of evil on the big screen. Characteristic was his trembling voice and his wild appearance. Yet Spiro played in many comedies and is regarded as one of the best Greek actors of the old Greek Cinema.  He played in about two hundred plays and in all kinds of theatre, classical and contemporary writers, from theatre of the absurd (Ionesco) to revue, but also in many of the Greek dramatology. In 1966, at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, he was awarded an honorary distinction for his performance in the short film "Jimmy the Tiger" by Pantelis Voulgaris and in 1971 the film critics awarded him the Silver Apollo for his role in the film "Abuse of Power". He was awarded the Golden Head of the "Vachtakov Theatre" in Moscow. He also appeared in television series. Listen to the podcast and find out more.

Rena Pagrati  13 March 1949 – 25 June 1998 was a child star, a Greek cinema, TV and theatre actress. Rena Pagrati was also a singer in the Greek musical band "Nostradamus".

 On 25 June 1998 she committed suicide.

Sapfo Notara born Sapfo Chandanou 1907 – June 11, 1985) was a Greek actress, known for supporting capabilities in acting. In Greek films, she acted in comedies as an aunt or a housewife. Notara had a radio programme called I Kiria Kiriaki. One of her last theatre appearances was in the play  Pornography (1981)where she collaborated with by Manos Hatzidakis. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this fascinating actress whos famous movie quotes have become popular Greek slogans.  

Giannis Poulopoulos 29 June 1941 – 23 August 2020 was a Greek singer-songwriter, who had several hits in Greece during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In terms of total album sales, he is the fourth biggest-selling Greek singer of all time. Poulopoulos liked singing from an early age. Prompted by friends, he unsuccessfully sought an audition with Columbia Records, while also working as a builder, playing football in Saint Ierotheos for the Courageous team, and producing oil paintings. Aged 19, Poulopoulos secured auditions with Mikis Theodorakis, Apostolos Kaldaras, Vassilis Tsitsanis, and Giannis Papaioannou, and sang two songs, Mana mou kai panagia ("My Mother and the Madonna") and Parapono ("Complaint").

Poulopoulos impressed Theodorakis at his first audition, and Theodorakis arranged for Poulopoulos to sing three songs in a theatrical production by Nikos Kourkoulos and Tzeni Karezi of Iakovos Kambanellis's play, The Neighbourhood of Angels. Grigoris Bithikotsis later performed cover versions of the first three songs ("Set a table for two," "Glory to God" and "Bread is on the Table") that Poulopoulos recorded. Listen to the podcast and find out everything about this legendary singer.

Kostas Voutsas born Konstantinos Savvopoulos 31 December 1931 – 26 February 2020, was a Greek actor, director, and writer. Voutsas was born in Vyronas, Athens in 1931 to a refugee family from Epivates, and moved to Thessaloniki in 1932. He studied drama at the Drama School of the Macedonian Conservatory of Thessaloniki and made his stage and screen debut in 1953. He was a major actor in Finos Films and went on to star in about 60 movies, mostly comedies and musicals of the 'golden era" of Greek commercial cinema. He soon became one of the best and most popular comic actors of his generation and created personal groups, starring in many Greek comedies by top playwrights and classics like Aristophanes' The Wasps (as Philokleon), Molière's Le bourgeois gentilhomme (title role), etc.

He was always more committed to being a theatrical actor. In an interview with the Athens daily newspaper To Vima, he said: "Playing in movies has helped me a lot, but I was always committed to the theatre and that was my highlight." His acting technique is being studied at the University of Patras. He received many lifetime achievement awards: Thessaloniki International Film Festival and more. Listen to the podcast and find out everything about this amazing Greek legend.

Vlassis Bonatsos : November 30, 1949 – October 14, 2004 was a popular Greek entertainer and singer. Vlassis started his music career by creating a group named "PELOMA BOKIOU" in the early 1970s. In the early 1980s he costarred in the legendary theatrical play "Evita" starring Aliki Vougiouklaki and him as Che. Then he took up acting and starred in Greek movies, but his fame reached its peak in the 1990s when he started participating in popular TV series such as "Aparadektoi" He is also remembered as a presenter of iconic TV shows and gameshows on Greek TV including the Greek version of Family Feud (named in Greek: Kontres). In Kontres his memorable catchphrase was "Tora!!!!!" (Now!!!) Incredible "Fovero/Tromero" with a characteristic sudden raise in his voice. Find out more by listening to the podcas, about this incredibly talented man lost too soon and missed by many.  

Tzimis Panousis 12 February 1954 – 13 January 2018 was a Greek musician, stand-up comedian and occasional film and theater actor born in Athens. His fans often refer to him as “Tzimakos” (little Jim).  He made his first appearance in the mid-1970s, performing in various pubs, with his band "Mousikes Taxiarhies" (Musical Brigades). Panousis had several run-ins with the Greek authorities. His second album, Musical Brigade , was briefly withdrawn from circulation in 1982 because of the ostensibly blasphemous lyrics of a love ballad. In 1984, censors placed beeps over some of the lyrics in his third album, An I Giagia Mou Ihe Rouleman. In 1997, a court battle with well-known Greek singer George Dalaras began. Panousis had frequently been making fun of Dalaras in his live shows. Panousis had hosted various radio shows for more than 15 years. He was also the author of six books (a peculiar type of sarcastic essays). Moreover, he had appeared in four movies.  Listen to the podcast and find out why Tzimako was adored by thousands of fans, what his real personality was like under his ruthless satirical persona. 

Stefanos Stratigos: 1923 – April 6, 2006 was a Greek actor in film and television, and was the son of the actors Vasileios and Amalia Stratigos. His sisters were also actors Aleka and Stella Stratigou, ιn which they resided early to theatre. He attended the Drama School then known as the Royal Theatre of Greece.  He performed in approximately 85 movies, all well known box office productions, many on stage theatrical productions in some of which he was also the director, as well as many popular television series.  Stratigos was famous for portraying mainly characters that were "bad guys", villain,  macho or bitter.  In his real life he was a calm, mild and loving gentleman. Listen to the podcast and find out more about this charming "heavy" legend from the Classic Hellenic Cinema era.

Thanasis Veggos: 29 May 1926- 3 May 2011, was a Greek actor and director.  He performed in more than 130 films, predominantly comedies, starring in more than 50 of them.  He is considered one of the best Greek comedy actors of all time, his famous catchphrase "My good man" and "Run like Veggos" has been adopted into common usage in the Greek language since nobody has run more or faster than Veggos in his many slapstick comedies.  Listen to the podcast and find out more about this sensitive, humble and iconic legend.

Vasilis Triantafillidis : 7 May 1940-21 May 2018 also known by his nickname Harry Klynn.  Was a Greek comedian, singer, actor, writer, poet and artist.  Born to Pontiac Greek refugees in Kalamaria Thessaloniki he experienced poverty during childhood before embarking on an exiting career and making a name for himself in Greece and abroad.  He has been named the "Father of Stand Up Comedy" in Greece and a Modern day "Aristophanes".  Listen to to podcast and find out why Harry Klynn became the most popular and loved Greek comedian of his time.