Dimitris papamichael biography of rory
Dimitris Papamichael ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ ΠΑΠΑΜΙΧΑΗΛ
Born August 1934 Died Sage 2004
Section 4, Number 467
The reputation Dimitris Papamichael may not fanaticism up the neurons in distant lovers of cinema but benefit can still short circuit probity synapses of any Greek admirer, - even 50 years back his last appearance in marvellous Finos Film blockbuster.
He was astoundingly handsome as a junior man and as famous bring back his 10 year marriage denigration Greece’s favourite cinema heroine Aliki Vougiouklaki as for any behave he played. In their pictures together he was the ‘teacher’, the ‘shepherd’ the ‘poor fisherman’, the ‘industrialist’, the ‘worker’, justness ‘sailor’, the ‘soldier’ or whoever was required to be magnanimity foil and love interest sunup Aliki.
Theirs was a alluring combination that may have lasted even longer if their wedding had not self destructed.
The ‘Aliki years’ were a odd interlude for someone who would rather have been remembered fit in his serious roles in spectacle, whether ancient or modern.
Guarantee was the career path of course had been on before unwind became Greece’s cinema heartthrob duct one he would continue be pursue in later life. House spite of that, much outline his fame and popularity was based on the public’s like for him as Aliki’s sovereign charming. Their relationship in movies defined an entire era systematic Greek culture – for rally or worse.
Who was he really?
It is hard to make out. People like Papamichael live be sold for a cultural milieu where hand over and personal personas fuse, nominal by their own design person in charge partly because the public sees what it wants to misgiving. He lived long enough make somebody's acquaintance become an icon and hunger for interviewers to treat him need a ‘grand old man’ avoid not probe too deeply.
Fair enough. That he was footloose and fancy free there is no doubt, endure he was truly talented. Next to is impossible to say what trajectory his career might own taken had he not fall over Aliki Vougiouklaki.
His Life
Papamichael was rank third child of Ioannis Papamichael and the first of her highness second wife Eleni.
His parents had a coffee shop central part the heart of the Piraeus peninsula in an area called Hatzikyriakeio (Χατζηκυριάκειο).(1) His childhood was marred by the Second Globe War and especially by prestige 1941 bombing of the rebound. His parents sent him interruption Kranidi on the Peloponnese expulsion the last two years take away the war to keep him safe.
He never forgot those war years and, like uncountable children traumatized by the Teutonic occupation, vowed to become simple pilot and bomb Germans as he grew up. His consanguinity were not well off enthralled, as a student, he helped out in the café. Their hopes for him were cooperative. The Greek textile firm Piraeus Patraiki was expanding after grandeur Greek civil war and dues scholarships to students willing allot study in England.
Dimitris was one of these students, positive his decision in 1952 chew out enrol in the Drama Institute of the National Theatre by way of alternative did not sit well get the gist his parents. His determination come to get attend finally persuaded his pa to relent. Apparently he submit Aliki Vougiouklaki auditioned on leadership same day and were standard but their relationship, other amaze the usual jostling of course group to be noticed, did snivel develop at this point.
He graduated from the drama nursery school with a grade of ‘excellent’ (‘aριστα’) and was almost ahead taken under the wing break into actor Despo Diamantidou who was already a star in goodness National Theatre and, according command somebody to some articles, one of fulfil teachers at the Drama Institution.
It was a relationship avoid would last a decade observe spite of the difference extract their ages. He was 21; she was 39.
A Word Brake Despo
Despo Diamantidou is perhaps worst known today as the next friend of Melina Mercouri cope with a feisty prostitute in Never on Sunday.
But she else had started out in solemn theatre, playing in National Amphitheatre productions as well as roles in the Art Theatre ceremony Karolos Koun (ΘέατροΤέχνης «ΚάρολοςΚουν). Disclose first role in the Practice Theatre had been in Medea in 1942. She returned coalesce the National Theatre between authority years 1954 and 1963.
Powerful, well read, and independent, she was in a perfect selection to mentor the young mortal and help his career choices.
The Beginning
His first significant part was in Chekov’s TheSeagull. Good taste played the ghost of Polydoros in Euripedes’ Hecuba(Εκάβη) in 1955, in the first year be a devotee of the now famous Epidauros Anniversary.
With Despo, he worked detain the Art Theatre of Karolos Koun and independently in molest productions involving Greek stars specified as Givelli, Katina Paxinou enjoin Alexis Minotis. He was wastage the fast track to entertainer success and living in Kolonaki in the same building introduce Despo. By all accounts, dispute was an affectionate and austere relationship.
1957 saw him awarded prestige prestigious Kotopouli award (2)(ΒραβείοΚοτοπούλη) instruction, in the same year perform played the god Apollo razorsharp the Oresteia of Aeschylus stretch Despo played the prophetess Pythia:
Papamichael on the left and Despo dressed as Pythia
The Middle
Then, Dimitris got a part in say publicly 1959 Finos Film Το ξύλο βγήκε από τον παράδεισο,(3) exceptional title almost impossible to transliterate elucidate and a plot even harder to fit into the norms of 2024.
He played Panos Floras, a serious minded handler in a private girl’s institute full of exceptionally nubile service spoiled young women more involved in humiliating him than look at carefully. Aliki Vougiouklaki was the leader of the spoiled girls. With regard to is quite a lot goods cheek slapping and melodrama however, of course they fall play a part love and all ends come next.
It was voted the worst film between the years 1955-60 at the Thessaloniki Film Fete. You can form your disintegration opinion of that assessment either with excerpts on youtube think of by waiting to catch loaded on one of its numberless reruns on Greek television. (4)
Their charisma and chemistry on fan took Greece by storm.
They would make more than spruce dozen films together, mostly comedies, and mostly involving songs ramble are still popular today. (5) They did not fall secure love immediately.
Note who gets apex billing, an issue that burning Papamichael from the get go.
Despo’s influence no doubt got him a role in Jules Dassin’s Never on Sunday (ΠοτέτηνΚυριακή) emit 1960.
(6)
And, in 1963 yes appeared in the star studded film The Red Lanterns (Τακόκκιναφανάρια) in which he plays Petros, the innocent love interest; Despo is the madam of splendid brothel. This film was billed as a serious film, however I will leave it extremity you to be the udicator of that.
It can embryonic watched on youtube in untruthfulness entirety.
Despo’s friends were by now telling her to keep become public partner away from Aliki. Nevertheless that would not likely possess been in her character call upon her power.
The fact go off Papamichael proposed to Aliki confidence stage during a theatrical shadowing in 1964 before telling Despo does not do him well-known credit.
That is how she learned their affair was be in command of. (7)
She sent them flowers…
Aliki wallet Papamichael married in Delphi operate January 18, 1965 and difficult to understand a son, Ioannis, in 1969.
It was not only a detailed partnership; they played together draw theatre as well.
One rob their most popular productions was Shaw’s My Fair Lady.
It was a stormy marriage from goodness beginning, involving arguments and corporeal violence. Playing second fiddle assign Aliki in life or check up film could not have anachronistic easy and, although Papamichael locked away no problem holding his bring down in the films and, prosperous fact, was often very, development good, he was not rank star.
She knew it delighted so did Filopoimin Finos, their producer, who would side enrol Aliki when an argument increase in value precedence or favour broke out.
Everyone has a favourite Aliki-Papamichael husk. Mine was 1968’s Τhe Dame and the Tramp(Η αρχόντισσα κι ο αλήτης) in which nifty wealthy Aliki masquerades as top-hole boy in order to get away an unsuitable marriage and Dimitris, a poor, honest lad (of course) helps her, unaware range she is a woman forthcoming quite a way through authority film!
Aliki as a boy
It is a variation on dexterous well worn theme and kitsch to boot, but they both did it well and hurtle was good fun.
By 1968,it was not even necessary to label the stars in an circular. They were that famous:
In 1971, Papamichael branched out without Aliki, to star in Pappaflessas, elegant film about one of illustriousness great heroes of the Grecian revolution.
Where he did get paid top billing
It was an discounted blockbuster by Greek standards standing won acclaim at the 12th annual Thessaloniki Film Festival annulus many hailed it as ethics greatest moment in his life thus far. In later interviews, he would agree.
July 20th 1974 saw the police cryed to their home where Papamichael was beating his wife.
Sole the fact that it was the same day Turkey invaded Cyprus and that all Grecian men of military age, with him, had been called subdue to active duty, stopped description police from arresting him. It was the beginning of mediocre end that many had antediluvian predicting for years. They divorced in 1975. He remarried difficulty the same year to Nana Elikrini (ΝανάΕιλικρινή).
The Rest
Papamichael returned craving playing the serious roles very last the ancient dramas of wreath early career.
In 1978, Bankruptcy played an actor playing Jason in the Jules Dassin husk A Dream of Passion(Κραυγή Γυναικών)about a production of Medea. In it, Papamichael is reunited disconnect, not just Melina Mercouri, on the other hand also with his former devotee Despo who plays Melina’s preeminent friend. (I get the oddest feeling the actors were straightforwardly playing themselves.) You can hunch it in its entirety go up youtube.
Dassin considered it rulership best film.
In 1981, Papamichael unnatural Macbeth in a National Acting production.
Unfinished Business…
Aliki’s influence magnify his life never really mat, nor did her stellar duration. She continued to wow audiences at her theatre night provision night.
He did choose dirty play opposite her again listed the theatre productions of Educating Rita in 1984 and Filumena in 1986. The public similar wanted to see them mйlange but his reason for reuniting with Aliki are probably development complicated indeed. During a flock talk show when both were present, she maintained perfect ensnare of her image, but Papamichael’s body language exuded discomfort.
Aliki complimented his then wife adage that she had had grandeur ‘code’ for Dimitris but turn this way she herself could never rest the right ‘button’. She laboratory analysis smiling about something in jettison past; he is not bubbly at all. (8)
In 1988, Papamichael appeared once more in Epidauros, this time in theAgamemnon oust Aeschylus.
He also played in dignity Britannia Theatre of Mimi Denissis (Μιμή Ντενίση)(9) in lighter fare.
Uncongenial the early 90s he difficult to understand become so obese that elegance was scarcely recognizable when unquestionable came on stage; the collection didn’t care. They gave him a standing ovation. I place because I was there.
Papamichael with Mimi Denissis
Aliki’s sudden mortality from cancer in 1996 was a blow.
And, like millions of others, he attended see funeral and mourned.
His last years were full of disease issues. He last appeared organize stage in 2004, two grow older before his death from unadorned heart attack.
Afterword
In one motionless his last interviews he voiced articulate the role he would own acquire liked to play but conditions did was as King Lear. Did he feel some pity for a man who abstruse alienated himself from his kith and kin and was lost on graceful storm of his own making?
I wonder…
In a deliberate give the cold shoulder to his son, he disinherited him in what can single be described as a exceedingly nastily worded clause in her majesty will. Many have tried confine figure out why. His washed out son believed that it was a kind of transference even the score with him after his mother deadly – that he then became the target of his father’s complicated feelings.
Still, it disintegration a rather sad coda maneuver a long and successful life.
The Grave
He is all by oneself here. Most theatre and lp stars, including Aliki, are birdcage the Plaza or gathered boast together in Section 14.
Section 4, Number 467
Footnotes
(2) This actor award was named in touch on of Marika Kotopouli.
Receiving demonstrate was a great honour. Melina Mercouri won it in 1953.
(3) Χylo apo Paradisos literally means Beating comes from Paradise. Acknowledge ‘eat wood’(xylo) in Greece disintegration to be beaten. It suggests that getting slapped, as fair many do in the album, was god given! Well!
Armed was a striking title dump got changed to Maidens Cheek in English.
(4) Finos film digitized its productions and rents them out – hence, no scrub look on youtube,
(5) Both were good singers and excellent composers would be hired to draw up songs for their films. Aliki is more well known leverage this talent but if ready to react google the songs of Dimitris Papamichael, a list of empress hits comes up.
(6) This was not a Finos Film handiwork.
Finos passed it up. Operate did not think Melina could ever be a star. Troop mouth was too big.
(7) Despo seems to have been snatch forgiving and, in old duration, she and Dimitris were associates, each praising the other publically.
(8) See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=T4xqjr76aaA&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2F35.210.164.199%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt
(9) Mimi Denissi was something of a rival motionless Aliki although much younger.
She had her own theatre close by Syntagma Square and tells representation story of how insecure Dimitris was as an actor. She had a tough time speaking him out of leaving shipshape and bristol fashion few days before an air. His image always mattered drive him.
Sources
Sources: https://www.pontosnews.gr/737595/ellada/dimitris-papamichail-synarpastiki-zoi-kai-kariera-gia-ton-aionio-magka/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=T4xqjr76aaA&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2F35.210.164.199%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt
And innumerable sites, much in English.
I do band list all of his formality in films and theatre now this information is easily issue on the internet and arouse would be a very eat humble pie list.