Rena Vlahopoulou
Encyclopedia
Irene "Rena" Vlachopoulou (Ειρήνη «Ρένα» Βλαχοπούλου) (1923 – July 29, 2004) was a famous Greek
actress and singer. She starred in theatre, musical and Greek cinema productions, including The Gambler and The Countess of Corfu
.
Vlahopoulou was born on the island of Corfu
, the fifth of nine children. She first began playing the piano, taught by her father, Giannis Vlahopoulos. When she turned ten, she began singing at a local bakery; she was a talented dancer and actress and a qualified operetta
mezzo soprano. Over the course of her fifty-five year career she appeared in 105 theatrical plays between 1939 and 1994, and twenty-six films between 1951 and 1985. She was a charismatic comedienne, with considerable singing and dancing talents, and remained hugely popular on stage and film throughout her long career.
In 1938, Vlahopoulou fell in love with an AEK
footballer
, Kostas Vasileiou. The couple eloped to Athens and were married in the summer of 1939. Rena began singing at the Oasis varieté show in the Zappeion
gardens, where Mimis Traiforos presented his new work. In the winter of 1930–40, she sang at the World Theatre of Kostas Makedos at Panepistimiou Street. In the winter of 1940, the Italian Army
bombed Corfu, and she lost two of her relatives. The marriage with Vasileiou ended, and in 1942 she married her second husband, a banker named Gianni Kostopoulos. She divorced Kostopoulos in 1946.
She married her third and final husband, Giorgos Lafazanis on September 18, 1967, but the couple remained childless. Vlahopoulou left Finos Film in 1966 and moved to Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos.
From 1972 the Greek cinema went through a period of decline because of the introduction of television
, but Vlahopoulou continued to star in films for the next seven years.
During the 1980s she suffered from gastrorrhagias. In 1992 and 1993 she starred in the musical comedy Gia Tin Ellada Re Gamo To (Για την Ελλάδα ρε γαμώ το), after which she retired.
Rena Vlahopoulou died on July 29, 2004.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
actress and singer. She starred in theatre, musical and Greek cinema productions, including The Gambler and The Countess of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
.
Vlahopoulou was born on the island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, the fifth of nine children. She first began playing the piano, taught by her father, Giannis Vlahopoulos. When she turned ten, she began singing at a local bakery; she was a talented dancer and actress and a qualified operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
mezzo soprano. Over the course of her fifty-five year career she appeared in 105 theatrical plays between 1939 and 1994, and twenty-six films between 1951 and 1985. She was a charismatic comedienne, with considerable singing and dancing talents, and remained hugely popular on stage and film throughout her long career.
In 1938, Vlahopoulou fell in love with an AEK
AEK Athens FC
AEK Athens F.C. , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek association football club based in the city of Athens, Greece. Outside Greece, the club is also known as AEK Athens, however, the word Athens is not part of the club's official title.Established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Kostas Vasileiou. The couple eloped to Athens and were married in the summer of 1939. Rena began singing at the Oasis varieté show in the Zappeion
Zappeion
The Zappeion is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and private.-Constructing the Zappeion:...
gardens, where Mimis Traiforos presented his new work. In the winter of 1930–40, she sang at the World Theatre of Kostas Makedos at Panepistimiou Street. In the winter of 1940, the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
bombed Corfu, and she lost two of her relatives. The marriage with Vasileiou ended, and in 1942 she married her second husband, a banker named Gianni Kostopoulos. She divorced Kostopoulos in 1946.
She married her third and final husband, Giorgos Lafazanis on September 18, 1967, but the couple remained childless. Vlahopoulou left Finos Film in 1966 and moved to Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos.
From 1972 the Greek cinema went through a period of decline because of the introduction of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, but Vlahopoulou continued to star in films for the next seven years.
During the 1980s she suffered from gastrorrhagias. In 1992 and 1993 she starred in the musical comedy Gia Tin Ellada Re Gamo To (Για την Ελλάδα ρε γαμώ το), after which she retired.
Rena Vlahopoulou died on July 29, 2004.
Filmography
- 1951: Anatolitikes Nychtes (Ανατολίτικες νύχτες; Oriental Nights}
- 1956: Protevousianikes Peripeteies (Πρωτευουσιάνικες περιπέτειες; Capital adventures))
- 1962: Otan leipei i gataOtan leipei i gataOtan leipei i gata is a 1962 Greek comedy film made by Finos Films. It was directed by Alekos Sakellarios and stars Vasilis Avlonitis, Rena Vlachopoulou and Niki Linardou.-Plot:...
(Όταν λείπει η γάτα; When the cat's away) - 1962: Merikoi to Protimoun KryoMerikoi to protimoun kryoMerikoi to protimoun kryo translations: Some Like it Cold is a 1963 Greek comedy film directed by Giannis Dalianidis. Lakis , Rena , Eva and Mary are four cousins that were secretly with standards with Lela , Thodoros , Giorgis and Kleopa...
(Μερικοί το προτιμούν κρύο; Some like it Cold)
- 1963: Ena Koritsi Gia Dyo (Ένα κορίτσι για δύο; One Girl for Two)
- 1963: Kati Na Kaiei (Κάτι να καίει; Something Is Burning)
- 1964: I Chartopaiktra (Η Χαρτοπαίκτρα; The Gambler)
- 1964: Koritsia Gia Filima (Κορίτσια για φίλημα; Girls Fit for Kissing)
- 1965: Fonazi o kleftis (Φωνάζει ο κλέφτης; The Thief Is Screaming)
- 1966: Vouleftina (Βουλευτίνα; Lady MP)
- 1967: Viva Rena (Βίβα Ρένα; Viva Rena)
- 1970: Mia Treli Sarantara (Μια τρελή σαραντάρα; A Crazy 40-year Old)
- 1968: Ziliara (Ζηλιάρα; Jealous)
- 1969: Pariziana (Παριζιάνα; Parisienne)
- 1970: I Theia Mou I Chipissa (Η θεία μου η χίπισσα; My hippie aunt )
- 1970: Mia Ellinida Sto Charemi (Ελληνίδα στο χαρέμι; A Greek woman in the harem)
- 1971: Ziteitai Epeigontos Gempros (Ζητείται επειγόντως γαμπρός; Bridegroom sought urgently)
- 1972: I Komissa tis Kerkyras (Η κόμησσα της Κέρκυρας The Countess of Corfu)
- 1972: I Rena Einai Ofsaid/Offside (Η Ρένα είναι οφσάιντ; Rena Is Offside)
- 1979: Fantarines (Φανταρίνες; Women soldiers)
- 1980: Rena Na I Efkairia (Ρένα να η ευκαιρία; Rena, this is your chance)
- 1981: Tis Politsmanas To Kagkelo (Της πολιτσμάνας το κάγκελο; Crazy policewoman)
- 1982: I Manoula, To Manouli Ki O Paidaros (Η μανούλα, το μανούλι κι ο παίδαρος, Momma, chick and hunk)
- 1983: I Sidira Kyria (Η σιδηρά κυρία; Iron Lady)
- 1985: Rena Ta Resta Sou (Ρένα τα ρέστα σου; Rena, your Change)