W9- Greece -Early Cinema Actresses
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Smaroula Giouli was born in 1930 in Thessaloniki, Greece. She was an actress and director, known for The Taxi Driver (1953), Come to Daddy... (1950) and The Last Mission (1949). She was married to Evaggelos Livadas. She died on 7 March 2012 in Athens, Greece.1930 - 2012, (82).
29 credits, 43-71.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Melina Mercouri was born in Athens, Greece on October 18, 1920. An early woman activist, she was elected to the Greek Parliament in 1977. Later Miss Mercouri was to become the first woman to hold a Senior cabinet post "Minister of Culture" in the Greek government. In 1971 she wrote her autobiography titled "I Was Born Greek." Melina wed actor Jules Dassin in 1966 and remained married to him until her death in 1994. Melina Mercouri died of lung cancer in New York City, on March 6, 1994.1920 - 1994, (73).- Katina Paxinou was born in 1900, in Piraeus, Greece. She first appeared on stage in 1928, in an Athens production of Henry Bataille's "La femme nue". In the early 1930's she was one of the founding members of the National Theatre of Greece (previously named Royal Theatre) and performed several major roles in Sophocles' "Electra", Henrik Ibsen's "Ghosts" etc, often co-starring with her husband, Alexis Minotis. The outbreak of the Second World War found her in UK; she later managed to arrive at the US, where she was offered her first film role in 1943 in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943). For her superb portrayal of the Spanish revolutionary Pilar in this classic film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel, she won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award and a Golden Globe in 1944. She made a few more Hollywood movies, before returning to Greece in the early 1950's. During 1950 - 1971, some of her great performances were as Jocasta in Sophocles's "Oedipus Rex" (1951, 1952, 1955 and 1958, also staged at that time on Broadway with enormous success), as Countess Rosmarin Ostenburg in Christopher Fry's "The Dark Is Light Enough" (1957), as Clara Zachanassian in Friedrich Dürrenmatt's "The Visit" (1961), as Mary Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night" (1965) and in the title roles of Euripides' "Hecuba" (1955) and Bertolt Brecht's "Mother Courage" (1971). She also starred in some other movies; she was particularly touching as the Italian matriarch in the Luchino Visconti masterpiece Rocco and His Brothers (1960). She died of cancer in 1973 and is justly considered as the greatest Greek actress of the 20th century.1900 - 1973, (72).
- Despo Diamantidou was born on 13 July 1916 in Piraeus, Greece. She was an actress, known for Love and Death (1975), Topkapi (1964) and Sapila kai aristokratia (1967). She was married to Andreas Filippides. She died on 18 February 2004 in Athens, Greece.1916 - 2004, (87).
79 credits, 49-2003. - She studied theatre at Marika Kotopouli's drama school. She worked with Karolos Koun Art Theatre. She played at "Blood Wedding" (Federico García Lorca) and "The glass Menagerie" (Tennessee Williams) in the late forties. She also worked with Mrs Katerina (famous Greek actress at that time) and with Kostas Mousouris's group in the early fifties. In the mid fifties she created a group with two Greek actors, Dimitris Horn and Giorgos Pappas. In the sixties she gave unforgettable performances with her own group. One of these performances was "A streetcar named desire" where she played Blanche du Bois. In 1967 she suffered the onset of cancer. Although she was seriously ill, she continued to appear on stage until 1982 (one year before her death). Her last appearance was as Sarah in a play which is widely known from the movie Children of a Lesser God (1986). At that time she no voice at all, the cancer having deprived her of it.1926 - 1983, (57).
10 credits, 1946-1968.
Greece. USA. - Actress
- Writer
- Producer
At the beginning of her career she played several roles at the Greek National Theatre with Katina Paxinou and Alexis Minotis. At the same time she appeared at several movies and she became a star, a protagonist at once. she creates her own personal groups and plays mostly comedy with (1960) great successs.In 1968 she gets married to Kostas Kazakos and they create their own group on stage. They stage plays of Albee (Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf) Ibsen (Hedda Gabler), and the ancient Greek tragics Sophocles (Electra, Oedipus Rex), Euripides (Medea). Her last appearence on stage was at Loula Anagnostakis (a female Greek author) play "Diamonds and Blues".1932 - 1992, (60).
41 credits, 55-90.- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Mary Chronopoulou was born in 1933, in Athens, Greece. She studied at the Drama School of the Greek National Theater, where she made her stage debut in 1953 as a member of the Chorus in Euripides' "Hippolytus". She had a fruitful theatrical career, appearing in many plays, like Lillian Hellmann's "The Little Foxes" (as Regina), Tennesse Williams' "The Fugitive Kind" (as Carol), John Osborne's "Look Back in Anger" (as Alison Porter)and Maxim Gorky's "The Enemies" (as Tatiana Bartin). She was very active in films, too, playing a wide variety of parts in comedies, musicals, melodramas and film noirs. She also sang in some of her plays and movies; some of the songs she performed in 1960's musicals are still popular today in Greece.1933 -
50 + credits, 1954 +- Actress
- Soundtrack
Maro Kodou was born on 21 June 1934 in Athens, Greece. She is an actress, known for And the Woman Shall Fear Her Husband (1965), What If... (2012) and Antigone (1961).1934 -
71 + credits, 1954 +- Zoe Laskari was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. In 1959 she won the title of "Miss Greece" and two years later she played the female lead in Giannis Dalianidis's youth melodrama _Katiforos, O (1961)_. The success of that film made Laskari a star; she signed an exclusive contract with Finos Film, the most powerful Greek studio of the period, and appeared in many films, musicals, comedies and melodramas (most of them were directed by the prolific Dalianidis, who became her mentor). She made her stage debut in the late 1960s, but really concentrated on theater after the decline of the Greek commercial cinema in the mid-1970s; her stage work includes Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (as Martha), Euripides' "The Trojan Women" (as Eleni), Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" etc.1944 - 2017, 72
29 + credits, 1961 + - Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Irene Papas was born on 3 September 1929 in Chilimodion, Corinth, Greece. She was an actress and director, known for The Guns of Navarone (1961), The Message (1976) and Electra (1962). She was married to José Kohn and Alkis Papas. She died on 14 September 2022 in Chiliomodion, Corinthia, Greece.1926 -
credits 1948 +- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Rena Vlahopoulou was born in 1923 in Corfu, Greece. She was an actress and producer, known for The Girl from Corfu (1956), A Greek Woman in the Harem (1971) and I Rena einai 'off-side' (1972). She was married to Giorgos Lafazanis, Giannis Kostopoulos and Kostas Vasileiou. She died on 29 July 2004 in Athens, Greece.1923 - 2004, (81).
41 credits, 53-91.- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Aliki Vougiouklaki was born in 1934 (or 1933, according to some sources), in Maroussi Attikis, Greece. She studied at the Drama School of the Greek National Theater and made her stage debut in a 1953 Athens production of Molière's "Le malade imaginaire". Around the same time she made her movie debut in To pontikaki (1954). The late 1950's was her breakthrough period: she starred in a successful revival of George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion" (as Eliza Doolittle) and took the leading part in a very popular movie, Maiden's Cheek (1959). She instantly became Greece's most popular star, created her personal stage group (with a repertory including Aristophanes' "Lysistrata", Tennessee Williams' "Sweet Bird of Youth" and Sophocles' "Antigone") and starred in many films, light comedies and melodramas (in many of them she co-starred with Dimitris Papamichael, who was her husband and theater partner during 1965-1974). Her film Ypolohagos Natassa (1970) has been the biggest moneymaker in the history of Greek cinema.1934 - 1966, (62).
66 credits, 60-96.- Athanasia Moustaka was a Greek actress with a significant theatrical career until the mid-60s. She was distinguished for her modest ethos, indomitable hard work and exemplary professional conscientiousness. She is the daughter of the actor and trouper Dionysios Plessas. In 1913, at the age of 14, she debuted on stage and until 1918 she had collaborated with the troupes of Kyveli and Marika Kotopouli. From 1921 to 1925 she collaborated with the Veakis-Nezer troupe and in 1931 she was hired by the newly established National Theater, where she remained until 1950. In 1926 she lost her husband Konstantinos Moustakas (1883-1926), also an actor, well-known at the time for the role of "Leontari" in Timos Depasta's comedy "Tziotiko Ravaisi". In 1951 she collaborated with Dimitris Rontiris, in 1952-1953 with the Lambetis-Pappas-Horn troupe and from 1953 until her death in 1968 she collaborated again with the National Theater. During her 55 years of complete devotion to theater, Moustaka played countless roles. She emerged as a character actress in a number of works, from light Greek and foreign comedies to tragedies, where she played "nurses" and "maids" with admirable success. In the 1950s and 1960s, she increased her appearances on the big screen, where she adapted her acting skills with characteristic ease. Prominent roles in films include O methystakas (1950) & The Counterfeit Coin (1955) by Giorgos Tzavellas, The Shepherd's Daughter (1955) by Dimis Dadiras, Astero (1959) by Dinos Dimopoulos, A Neighborhood Named 'The Dream' (1961) by Alekos Alexandrakis and Lost Happiness (1966) by Pavlos Tasios, which was also her last appearance on the screen. She debuted on the big screen in 1929 in Dimitris Gaziadis' melodrama The Port of Tears (1929), alongside Aimilios Veakis. Athanasia Moustaka died on July 13, 1968, at the age of 69. Her funeral took place the next day at the 3rd Cemetery of Athens, attended by well-known actors of the time, such as Eleni Hatziargyri, Mary Aroni, Vaso Manolidou, Nikos Tzogias and Rita Myrat. Angelos Terzakis said goodbye to Athanasia Moustaka on behalf of the National Theater and Miranta Myrat on behalf of the Hellenic Actors' Union. Eulogy was delivered by the historian of the modern Greek theater, Giannis Sideris.1898 - 1970, (71).
23 credits, 29-66. - Nitsa Tsaganea was born in 1904. She was an actress, known for Oi Germanoi xanarhontai... (1948), Nilly Willy (1995) and The Brightest Star (1967). She was married to Hristos Tsaganeas and Georges Vitsoris. She died on 30 April 2002 in Athens, Greece.1904 - 2002, (98).
60 credits, 36-95. - Miranta Myrat was born in 1905 in Athens, Greece. She was an actress, known for Love and Waves (1928), Miss Lawyer (1933) and Forgotten Faces (1946). She died on 27 January 1994 in Greece.1905 - 1994, (89).
49 credits, 28-89. - Sapfo Notara was born in 1907 in Iraklio, Crete, Greece. She was an actress, known for Don't Fall in Love on a Saturday (1962), Football Pools and Bouzouki Joints (1968) and Dimitri mou... Dimitri mou (1967). She died on 11 June 1985 in Athens, Greece.1907 - 1985, (78).
35 credits, 51-78. - Joly Garbi was born in 1913 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She was an actress, known for Throbs at the Desk (1963), The Smart Aleck (1966) and O episkeptis tis omihlis (1991). She was married to Thodoros Moridis. She died in December 2002 in Athens, Greece.1913 - 2002, (89).
76 credits, 32-92.
South Africa. Greece. - Ilia Livykou was born in 1919 in Heraklio Crete, Greece. She was an actress, known for Sta synora tis prodosias (1968), Enas delikanis (1963) and Antigone (1961). She was married to Agisilaos Kozyris. She died on 6 September 2002.1919 - 2002, (83).
46 credits, 48-74. - Actress
- Writer
- Set Decorator
Tasso Kavadia was born on 10 January 1921 in Patra, Greece. She was an actress and writer, known for Frenitis (1971), Guilty Relationships (1974) and Stella (1955). She was married to Vasilis Kazantzis. She died on 18 December 2010 in Athens, Greece.1921 - 2010, (89).
62 credits, 54-2009.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sperantza Vrana was born on 6 February 1926 in Messolongi, Greece. She was an actress, known for Melpo (1958), Lust and Passion (1960) and The Counterfeit Coin (1955). She died on 29 September 2009 in Athens, Greece.1926 - 2009, (83).
40 credits, 50-2010.- Actress
- Additional Crew
Theano Ioannidou was born on 1 January 1930 in Athens, Greece. She was an actress, known for Electra (1962), Mimikos and Mary (1958) and Some Water, Please, Mrs. Vangelio! (1959). She died on 27 September 2009 in Athens, Greece.1930 - 2009, (79).
20 credits, 54-85.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Margarita Papageorgiou was born on 1 January 1935 in Greece. She was an actress, known for The Happy Beginning (1954), The Ogre of Athens (1956) and The Magic City (1954). She died on 24 January 2021 in Greece.1935 -
credits 1954 +- Anna Fonsou was born on 4 July 1939 in Kaissariani, Athens, Greece. She is an actress, known for Her Private Life (1971), The Tomboy (1959) and The Boy I Love (1960).1939 -
56 + credits, 1957 + - Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Martha Karagianni was born in 1939, in Athens, Greece. She studied ballet and made her first screen appearance in Madame X (1956). Three years later, in 1957, she made her stage debut. She alternated theater and cinema for the next few years, but her real breakthrough came in the early 1960s, when she started appearing in a series of films directed by her screen mentor Giannis Dalianidis; all of them were musicals and comedies and made her extremely popular. Her stage work includes Mikis Theodorakis "Omorphi poli", Joe Masteroff's "Cabaret" (as Sally Bowles), Nell Dunn's "Steaming" and many Greek comedies. She also starred in some TV series.1939 -
64 + credits, 1954 +- Elena Nathanael was born in Athens, the daughter of a well-off textile designer and manufacturer. Her impressive good looks got her noticed by producers and directors of the, then-blooming, Greek commercial cinema of the mid-sixties. After studying drama at the Pelos Katselis Drama School, Elena got her first screen part in the 1963 movie Kati na kaiei (Something burning), directed by Yiannis Dalianides. Her second screen role came in 1965 in the German movie Walsungenblunt, directed by Rolf Thiele and based on a Thomas Mann novel. A few more parts followed in Greek movies of the late sixties, usually in the Athenian spoilt rich girl mould. In 1968 she got a best actress award at the Salonica film festival for her part in the movie Randevou me mia agnosti (Rendez-vous with a stranger). In the early seventies she established her screen persona (that of a free-spirited, beautiful young woman) and became something of a fashion icon but with the abrupt decline of the Greek commercial cinema in 1973 her career came to a halt. After a seven year absence she made a comeback of sorts with a number of straight-to-video movies, usually light comedies. Her last role worthy of her beauty and acting abilities was that of Julia in the hugely successful Thornbirds spin-off TV soap, Aggigma psyhis, in 1998.1941 -2008, (67).
42 credits, 64-2007. - Kiki Persi was born in 1920 in Alexandria , Egypt. She was an actress, known for O drapetis (1991), The Man Who Returned from the Heat (1972) and Annio, i tseligopoula tis kataras (1971). She died on 9 January 2005 in Athens, Greece.35 credits, 54-97.