The great actress Martha Karagianni has passed away

Psychologist Dimitris Souras, who was with Martha Karagiannis until her last moments, spoke to ALPHA and announced her death.

Martha Karagianni was facing health problems. Also speaking to ALPHA, actor Makis Delaportas said he was devastated by the loss.

He stated that he did not expect it since he did not have such a serious health problem. He had frequent contact with her family.

The life of Martha Karagiannis

She was one of the most popular stars of the golden age of old Greek cinema. Her parents were of Pontic origin. In particular, Domna’s mother was born in Baku and Harilaos’ father in Ekaterinedar. She was born in Athens but grew up in Keratsini.

She studied dance and from the age of eight she started giving performances at the Lyric Stage participating in the children’s ballet of Loukia Sakellaropoulou (together with Eleni Prokopiou).

She made her film debut at the age of 17 (1956) in the Finos Films film, “The Unknown”, directed by Oresti Laskou. He did the test at Fino’s studios with Aristidis Karydis Fuchs and Dino Katsouridis.

Her theatrical debut took place in 1957 in the revue “Elephants and Fleas” where she met Yiannis Dalianidis. Previously, Napoleon Eleftheriou had seen her dancing at the “Se la pen” center and proposed to her to perform in this revue. Later he collaborated with the musical theater entrepreneur Vassilis Bournelis (Acropolis Theatre).

He appeared on television for the first time in the series O Dromos, 1977, the script of which was signed initially and until his death by Kostas Pretenderis.

Martha Karagiannis married Dimitris Stefanakos, Olympiakos football player, in October 1960. The wedding took place in the church of Agios Georgios, in Kypseli. They had a child who died three days after his birth. The couple divorced a few months later.

In 2001 she wrote her autobiography entitled “My baby love is a feast” which was published by “Ankyra” publications. A large part of the book includes interviews he had given up until then. More biographical information as well as more information about the films and plays she participated in are included in the second autobiographical book, “Martha Karagianni, a girl for a musical”, 2009 written by Makis Delaportas for Orpheas publications.

Martha Karagianni loves traveling for this reason and declares herself a “citizen of the world”. Since 1980 he has traveled almost all over the world.

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A huge career

Movie theater

Her film career was associated with the brilliant musicals and comedies of Yiannis Dalianidis. Their collaboration began in 1961 in the film Liar Wanted. She characteristically says that, although she was only 21-22 years old, Finos considered her “worn out” because she had already taken part in films which the important producer characterized as mediocre.

The only musical in which Martha Karagianni did not dance was “Some prefer it cold” because Anna Fonsou was originally going to play her role. In fact, a second proposal had been made to Popi Lazou.

In the musical film “Oi thalassies oi handres”, 1967, she appears as a purely comic actress, something that Yiannis Dalianidis insisted on, even though she put up a strong resistance, considering that the director wanted to show Zoe Laskaris, while on the contrary he told her that this is how he gives her bread for her old age meaning that she could stand out and establish herself in comedy and unhook from the image of the glamorous soubrette-dancer with an expiration date.

He sang for the first time in the movie “Captain for Crying”, 1960 (“As the Wind Blows”) but had a big success singing in the movie “Mermaids and Dudes”, 1968 (“The Man I’m Gonna Marry”). She also sang in the video film “A Crazy, Crazy Live”, 1988.

The film “O paras ki o foukaras” is the last film he made outside of Finos because he then signed an exclusive collaboration contract with the big film company. In 1965, he will make a graceful transition in the film of Giorgos Konstantinou, 5000 lies.

In 1969, he will play a dramatic role in the film of Nikos Foskolos, “I die every morning”, and a comedic role in the film of Dinos Dimopoulos, The beautiful barber.

Her collaboration with Yiannis Dalianidis and Kostas Voutsas took off in the film “The Man”, 1969.

The last film in that period is The Tricycle Guy, 1972, while he will return a few years later with the film starring Giorgos Lazaridis, Podogyros, 1980.

He last starred in the films: “I’m Dying for You”, 2009 and “For Love”, 2014.

Theater

In 1962 he took part in the performance of Theodorakis, Kakogiannis and Bost, “Beautiful City”.

He repeatedly participated in the troupe of Georgia Vassiliadou and Vassilis Avlonitis. He appeared in inspections alongside Nikos Stavridis, Costas Hatzichristos, George Constantinou, Marika Nezer, Nikos Rizo, Giannis Gionakis, Kaiti Belinda, Speranza Vrana, Rena Dor, Rena Vlachopoulou, Oresti Makri, Katerina Gioulaki, Stavros Parava, Aleko Livaditi, Betty Moschona, Eleni Prokopiou, Vangelis Voulgaridis, Yiannis Fermi, Takis Miliadis, Sotiris Moustakas et al.

But Martha Karagianni did not only play inspections. In 1972 she formed her own troupe and staged “Cabaret” at the Kalouta Theater.

Played among others: “Eva’s Penthouse”, 1965 / “SOS Land”, 1970 / “Men Prefer Blondes”, 1983 / “Ice Cream in the Winter”, 1983-1984 / “My Dear Old Woman”, 1986- 1987 / “Tonight We Improvise”, 1992-1993 / “Women’s Hammam”, 1996-1997 / “When Women Party”, 1998 / “Male and Old Lace”, 1999-2000 / “The Girl Next Door”, 2002- 2003 / “Church girls”, 2004.

TV

On television, in addition to the series “The Road”, 1977, he starred in the series “Micromesaioi” by G. Dalianidis, 1992, “Zoi patini” by Giorgos Konstantinos, 1995 and “Seven deadly mothers-in-law”, 2004.

Cinema Martha Karagiannis

The summer cinema “Katerina” has been operating since 1960 in Evgenia, Keratsini. In 2016, the now unified Municipality of Keratsiniou-Drapetsonas embraces the summer cinema, whose operation was suspended, takes care of it and reopens it with the new name, which was already given to it a few years before, dedicated to the actress Martha Karagianni.