Spiros Kalogirou

Spiros Kalogirou (November 3, 1922 – June 27, 2009) was a Greek actor known for his roles in theatre and cinema, often cast as the villain. His distinct style featured a trembling voice and fierce demeanour that became his signature.

After primary school, Kalogirou attended the Sevastouleio Workers’ School, which provided meals for students, as his family faced financial hardship. During his teenage years, Kalogirou worked as a photographer, running a successful studio with his brother, which provided a steady income. Alongside photography, he participated in amateur theatre and wrote lyrics for readings on the Armed Forces radio station. Noticing his talent, a director encouraged him to pursue acting professionally and enrolled him in the Drama School of the Greek Conservatory.

At the Conservatory, Kalogirou met actress Evangelia Samiotaki in 1952, who would become his lifelong partner. Thirteen years his junior, she eventually became his wife, forming both a personal and professional bond that lasted until his passing.

Kalogirou’s professional stage debut was in 1955 with Nikos Hatziskos’s troupe, performing in Erotokritos and Hamlet. His theatre career took off in 1960 when he joined the “Karolos Koun Art Theater,” performing in historic plays such as The Birds and The Persians in Greece and abroad. His collaborations included notable figures like Leos, Rondiris, Minotis, Solomos, Koun, Katraki, Myrat, Labeti, and Katerina.

A prolific actor, Kalogirou graced the stage in nearly two hundred theatrical works, from absurdist theatre (e.g., Ionesco) to Greek drama, although his independent theatre commitments limited collaborations with his wife, who was with the National Theatre. After 1980, however, the couple formed their own troupe, producing performances and touring together.

Some of his memorable later roles included Loukas in Due to Appearance by Giorgos Dialegmenos (directed by Antonis Antypas) and Uncle George in Karagiozis-Dream alongside Thymios Karakatsanis. In 1999, he starred with Mimis Denisis in I, Laskarina.

Kalogirou’s film debut came in 1955 with Dimis Dadiras’s The Shepherdess’s Lover. This led to appearances in more than 60 films, including Athens by Night, Stefania, Concerto for Machine Guns, The Fairy and the Lad, and The Man with the Carnation. His role in Lola, where he delivered the iconic line “There’s a lot of money, Aris” to co-star Nikos Kourkoulos, became particularly memorable.

His work earned recognition at the Thessaloniki Film Festival in 1966, with an honorary award for Jimmy the Tiger, a short film by Pantelis Voulgaris. Critics awarded him the Silver Apollo in 1971 for Abuse of Power, and he was also honoured with the Golden Head from Moscow’s Vakhtangov Theatre. Kalogirou’s talent extended to television, where he appeared in series like Married People Have Souls.

Source: Wikipedia