George Kapiniaris
Encyclopedia
George Kapiniaris is Greek Australian
television actor, stage actor and comedian.
. He then starred in the Melbourne based television sitcom Acropolis Now
with Giannopoulos, Simon Palomares
and Mary Coustas
. His character "Memo" was known to refer to women by the term "chicky babe", a phrase later stolen by Bruno Lucia
. Since that show's cancellation, he has continued stand-up comedy and has produced a few stage performances, as well as emceeing events such as weddings. Some of his songs include a parody of Knockin' on Heaven's Door
, called "Gnocchi
on Heaven's Door".
In 1988, Kapiniaris joined the cast of the drama series The Flying Doctors
as Dimitrios "D.J." Lonniadis. In 2007, Kapiniaris starred in the television comedy series Kick
on SBS
as Takis Mavros. George also appeared on the television soap opera Neighbours
in 2007, in a guest role as a celebrity chef. Kapiniaris appeared in the controversial 2008 mini series Underbelly
. He plays a real life character: George Defteros, the lawyer to Melbourne's underworld. In 2009 he appeared as Ricardo in Broken Hill --an inmate who became part of a jail band--playing the guitar. With fellow comedians Joe Avati
, Nish Selvadurai
and Simon Palomares
have joined forces for a national tour Il Dago.
Kapiniaris has appeared in a series of comedic commercials for automotive repairer and insurance broker RAA
, featuring Kapiniaris talking to a confidante, a worker named 'Trev' at a coffee shop. Kapiniaris created a his own website based on the RAA
ads called Georgesays.com.au. He also created a Today Tonight
segment entitled The Dummies, poking fun at politicians through the use of puppets. In 2008 Kapiniaris and Acropolis Now
costar Simon Palomares
made consecutive appearances on successful Channel 31 show, the Deakin TV produced TheatreGames LIVE. Kapiniaris is a big fan and narrated the soccer club Sydney Olympic.
Greek Australian
Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian". In the 2006 census, 365,147 persons declared having Greek ancestry, either alone or in conjunction with another ethnicity....
television actor, stage actor and comedian.
Career
Kapiniaris broke through in the stage show Wogs Out of Work with Nick GiannopoulosNick Giannopoulos
Nick Giannopoulos is a Australian stand-up comedian, film and TV actor. He is best known for his comedy stage show Wogs Out of Work alongside George Kapiniaris and the television sitcom Acropolis Now and is an exponent of wog comedy.-Early life:Nick is an actor/writer/producer/director...
. He then starred in the Melbourne based television sitcom Acropolis Now
Acropolis Now
Acropolis Now was an Australian sitcom set in a Greek bar of the same name that ran for 63 episodes from 1989 to 1992 on the Seven Network. It was created by Nick Giannopoulos, George Kapiniaris and Simon Palomares, who also starred in the series. They were already quite well known for their comedy...
with Giannopoulos, Simon Palomares
Simon Palomares
Simon Palomares is a Spanish-Australian comedian and actor, best known for his character "Ricky" in Acropolis Now.-Biography:...
and Mary Coustas
Mary Coustas
Mary Coustas is an Australian television personality. Originally from Melbourne, Coustas often performs as the character "Effie": a stereotypical second-generation Greek Australian...
. His character "Memo" was known to refer to women by the term "chicky babe", a phrase later stolen by Bruno Lucia
Bruno Lucia
Bruno Lucia is an Australian stand-up comedian, actor and performer.With his bald, clean-shaven head, and Italian descent, Lucia became popular in the early 1990s with his role as Wayne on television sitcom All Together Now , memorable in part due to his character's catchphrase...
. Since that show's cancellation, he has continued stand-up comedy and has produced a few stage performances, as well as emceeing events such as weddings. Some of his songs include a parody of Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan for the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid. It reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Story line and song structure:...
, called "Gnocchi
Gnocchi
Gnocchi are various thick, soft dumplings. They may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, flour and egg, flour, egg, and cheese, potato, bread crumbs, or similar ingredients. The smaller forms are called gnocchetti....
on Heaven's Door".
In 1988, Kapiniaris joined the cast of the drama series The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia....
as Dimitrios "D.J." Lonniadis. In 2007, Kapiniaris starred in the television comedy series Kick
Kick (TV series)
Kick is an Australian television comedy that was first broadcast on 9 June 2007 on SBS TV. It is set in Brunswick in Melbourne, Australia. The series follows the adventures of wild twenty-something Miki Mavros who is forced to move back in with her Greek-Australian parents on Hope Street after a...
on SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
as Takis Mavros. George also appeared on the television soap opera Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
in 2007, in a guest role as a celebrity chef. Kapiniaris appeared in the controversial 2008 mini series Underbelly
Underbelly (TV series)
Underbelly is a 13-part Australian television mini-series that retells the real events of the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, and is the first series in the larger Underbelly Franchise. It depicts the key players in Melbourne's criminal underworld, including the Carlton Crew and their rival,...
. He plays a real life character: George Defteros, the lawyer to Melbourne's underworld. In 2009 he appeared as Ricardo in Broken Hill --an inmate who became part of a jail band--playing the guitar. With fellow comedians Joe Avati
Joe Avati
Joe Avati is an Italian-Australian comedian who is popular among Italian and descendant of Italians from his native Australia, as well as in Canada, United Kingdom and the United States, where he has performed on several occasions.- Comedic style :...
, Nish Selvadurai
Nish Selvadurai
Nishan Selvadurai is an Australian comedian of Sri Lankan descent, living in Brisbane.-Career:Only after two years in stand up Nish won the Queensland State Final of the FHM Cougar Rum Search for Australia's Funniest Man competition.In 2006 he had his television debut on Network 10 and the Comedy...
and Simon Palomares
Simon Palomares
Simon Palomares is a Spanish-Australian comedian and actor, best known for his character "Ricky" in Acropolis Now.-Biography:...
have joined forces for a national tour Il Dago.
Kapiniaris has appeared in a series of comedic commercials for automotive repairer and insurance broker RAA
Royal Automobile Association
The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia, also known simply as RAA, is a South Australian automobile club providing a range of member services including: 24-hour emergency breakdown, vehicle inspection, motoring advocacy, road safety, legal services, technical advice, travel services,...
, featuring Kapiniaris talking to a confidante, a worker named 'Trev' at a coffee shop. Kapiniaris created a his own website based on the RAA
Royal Automobile Association
The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia, also known simply as RAA, is a South Australian automobile club providing a range of member services including: 24-hour emergency breakdown, vehicle inspection, motoring advocacy, road safety, legal services, technical advice, travel services,...
ads called Georgesays.com.au. He also created a Today Tonight
Today Tonight
Today Tonight is a controversial Australian News and Current Affairs program, produced by the Seven Network and shown weeknightly at in direct competition with rival Nine Network program A Current Affair....
segment entitled The Dummies, poking fun at politicians through the use of puppets. In 2008 Kapiniaris and Acropolis Now
Acropolis Now
Acropolis Now was an Australian sitcom set in a Greek bar of the same name that ran for 63 episodes from 1989 to 1992 on the Seven Network. It was created by Nick Giannopoulos, George Kapiniaris and Simon Palomares, who also starred in the series. They were already quite well known for their comedy...
costar Simon Palomares
Simon Palomares
Simon Palomares is a Spanish-Australian comedian and actor, best known for his character "Ricky" in Acropolis Now.-Biography:...
made consecutive appearances on successful Channel 31 show, the Deakin TV produced TheatreGames LIVE. Kapiniaris is a big fan and narrated the soccer club Sydney Olympic.