Rena Vlahopoulou

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Rena Vlahopoulou (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, singer, and actress. 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.

In 1938, Vlahopoulou fell in love with an AEK footballer, Kostas Vasileios. The pair moved to Athens and were married in the summer of 1937. Rena began singing at a variete Oasis in Zappeio where Mimis Traiforos presented her new works. 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 to Greece in 1967, but Vlahopoulou continued to star in films for the next seven years.

During the 1980s she suffered from gastrorrhagia. Between 1992 and 1993, she appeared for her last time in the show Gia Tin Ellada Re Gamo To (Για την Ελλάδα ρε γαμώ το) after which she left the theatre.

Rena Vlahopoulou died on July 29, 2004 in an Athens hospital.

[edit] Filmography

• 1951: Anatolitikes Nychtes (Ανατολίτικες νύχτες; Eastern Nights}
• Tha Se Paro Na Fygoume (Θα σε πάρω να φύγουμε; I'm Going to Get You to Leave}
• Vasilissa tis Nychtas (Βασίλισσα της νύχτας; Queen of the Nights)
• Na Ti Tha Pei Athina (Να τι θα πει Αθήνα; What is Athens is Going to Say)
• Kai o Minas Echei Ennia (Και ο μήνας έχει εννιά; And the Month Has Nine)
• Poulia ston Aera (Πουλιά στον αέρα; Birds in the Air)
• 1956: Protevousianikes Peripeteies (Πρωτευουσιάνικες περιπέτειες)
• 1956: Mazi sou gia Panta (Μαζί σου για πάντα; Beside You Forever)
• 1962: Otan Leipei I Gata (Όταν λείπει η γάτα)
• 1962: Merikoi to Protimoun Kryo (Μερικοί το προτιμούν κρύο; Many Choose Cold)
• 1962: Odo Oneiron (Οδό ονείρων; Dream Street)
• 1962: Amartisa gia to Paidi (Αμάρτησα για το παιδί μου)
• 1963: Ena Koritsi Gia Dyo (Ένα κορίτσι για δύο; One Girl for Two)
• 1963: Kati Na Kaiei (Κάτι να καίει; Something Is Burning)
• 1964: the Gambler (Η Χαρτοπαίκτρα; I Chartopaiktria)
• 1964: Koritsia Gia Filima (Κορίτσια για φίλημα; Girl for Kisses)
• 1965: Fonazei O Kleftis (Φωνάζει ο κλέφτης; The Robber Is Screaming)
• 1967: Vouleftina (Βουλευτίνα; A Female Politician)
• 1968: Viva Rena (Βίβα Ρένα)
• 1968: Mia Treli Sarantara (Μια τρελή σαραντάρα; One Crazy 40-year Old)
• 1968: I Theia Mou I Chipissa (Η θεία μου η χίπισσα)
• 1969: Ziliara (Ζηλιάρα)
• 1969: Pariziana (Παριζιάνα)
• 1970: Mia Ellinida Sto Charemi (Ελληνίδα στο χαρέμι)
• 1970: Ziteitai Epeigontos Gempros (Ζητείται επειγόντως γαμπρός)
• 1972: The Countess of Corfu (Η κόμησσα της Κέρκυρας I Komissas tis Kerkyras)
• 1972: I Rena Einai Ofsaid/Offside (Η Ρένα είναι οφσάιντ; Rena Is Offside)
• 1979: Fantarines (Φανταρίνες)
• 1979: Lysistrati '79 (Λυσιστράτη '79; Lysistrates '79)
• 1980: Rena Na I Efkairia (Ρένα να η ευκαιρία)
• 1981: Tis Politismas To Kagkelo (Της πολιτσμάνας το κάγκελο)
• 1982: I Manoulam To Manouli Ki O Paidaros (Η μανούλα, το μανούλι κι ο παίδαρος)
• 1983: I Sidira Kyria (Η σιδηρά κυρία)
• 1985: Rena Ta Resta Sou (Ρένα τα ρέστα σου; Rena Your Change)