One of the greatest actresses of her generation, with a steely personality, rare character and most importantly one of the first emancipated well-known women in our country. THE Despo Diamantidou she marked an important path in theater and cinema and was one of the few Greek actresses who made a career abroad, having as supplies in the art of acting her excellent culture, the education provided by her family.

Despo Diamantidou, who we lost 20 years ago (February 18, 2004), was a sisterly friend of Melina Merkouristarred in his film Woody Allen and to Broadway and put all the salt and pepper into her life that she tasted to the end.

The Tsar and Dostoyevsky

He was born in Piraeus on April 13, 1916, to a very well-to-do Greek father who lived in Russia, he came to Greece in 1914 and a little later, he will meet the woman of his life and because her parents did not want him, he will steal her. Diamantidou will be born in Castellawhere she grew up, until her family moved to Kolonaki.

She was the engineer’s granddaughter Spyridon Kritsiliswho was a member of parliament many times, while in her childhood she will meet him Yannis Tsarouchiswho took care of her and passed on her first artistic pursuits.

School she will go to the German School of Athens, from which she will acquire her love for books and especially for Dostoyevsky.

On the board

In a fairly free environment, he will love the theater, having first tried singing and dancing. He will finish the Drama School of the National Theatre and immediately afterwards she will appear for the first time in her Dance “Medea” in 1942. Her first major role will be that of Lady Carolina in James Barrie’s It’s Not Our Star, directed by Charles Coon. Until 1950 he would collaborate with many troupes, while he was also a key member of the National Theatre.

Diamantidou returns to the National in 1954 and remains until 1963. She appears in many plays, while special mention is made of the roles she plays as the leading “Ekavi” of Euripides, in “Seagull” by Chekhov and on “churchgoers” of Aristophanes.

With Melina, Aliki and Maro

However, she had already made her first appearances in the cinema, making her debut in “Children of Athens” in 1947. She will play, mainly supporting roles in several films, until the 60’s will come that will push her on a quite interesting international course. In 1960 he will play next to Melina in “Never on Sunday” of Julie Dassinwhile in the same year he will also appear in “Madalena” by Dinos Dimopoulosin the best film of Aliki Vougiouklakis.

Next year she will play the mother of the “national star” in comedy “Alice in the Navy”while in 1963 he will perform a wonderful performance in the drama “The Red lights” of Vassilis Georgiadis, with Jenny Karezithe George Foudas and the Dimitris Papamichael. Always, in supporting roles, he will deliver lessons in acting and in delightful comedies “Greek Wedding” and “Woman Should Not Fear Man”in the first making a unique and unforgettable pair of strange in-laws with her Smaro Stefanidou and in the second as “kubarombebeka” and weed between the George Konstantinou and Maro Kontou.

On Broadway

In 1965 he appears in the comedy “No Mr Johnson” with producer him James Paris and director of the film Grigori Grigoriouwhile she will travel in 1967 to the USA, where she remains until the end of the dictatorship, also expressing her distaste for the regime of the colonels.

“In America” ​​she will develop her acting skills with her inseparable friend Melina Merkouri will star in Dassene’s work “Ilia Darling”, at the theatre Mark Hellinger on Broadway in New York. A theatrical adaptation of the film “Never on Sunday” which is a milestone in Despos Diamantidou’s career. A stage in her theatrical career is also considered her role in “Cabaret” when, replacing the famous Lotte Lenia, she transforms into Frau Frieder.

Woody’s “mom”.

THE Woody Allenseeing Diamantidou in the theater, noticed her fiery temperament on stage and will approach her to play the role of his mother in the film “The Peacemaker”, without casting her. The famous director had watched all her theatrical works, their collaboration was perfect and they remained friends.

Back to the theater

Upon her return to Greece, she will mainly turn to the theater, while at the same time supporting the politicians and not only the struggles of Melina Merkouris. In the 80’s he will be in Thessaloniki and at the State Theater of Northern Greece, where he will impose Andreas Voutsinas.

He will direct it, in a particularly advanced, for the time, way, recording two huge successes the “Sayo’s Madness” and “Harold and Maud”.

Emancipated, passionate and in love

In her personal life she never sat sober. Emancipated from a young age, she lived intensely, she went to extremes, but she detested pettiness and antijealies. She loved people and her colleagues and never held a grudge.

In the 40s, she will meet, fall in love and marry the renowned and noble actor and also a wonderful person, Andreas Filippidis, with whom she had a son, Mario. The two will make the decision to separate in 1957, but maintaining friendly relations and having mutual respect and appreciation forever.

“Vion Anthosparton”

In 1955 he met the young Zen premier Dimitris Papamichael as a student at the National Theater School. Although Papamihail was 18 years her junior there will be a mutual attraction. They will fall madly in love, but their relationship will create quite a stir in the then conservative society.

Despo Diamantidou was not the most beautiful woman, but she possessed a rare personality, a charming character, which dominated everyone around her. In the seven years that their bond lasted, Diamantidou was a mentor to the young and ambitious actor, who avoided mistakes by her side, while passing on her knowledge to him.

Papamichail, disappointed by her restless spirit, her intense personality, will experience a special love affair with her. The two would find themselves on the board together 13 times, while the inglorious end of their relationship would come with the announcement of the impending Papamichail-Vougiouklakis marriagewhich Diamantidou will read in the newspapers.

Although she was seriously injured, she will deal with the event with seriousness and tact, while she also sent a bouquet with her wishes for “bión anthosparton”. It’s also no coincidence that Diamantidou didn’t hold any grudges against the glamorous couple, as she would work with them in films and plays.

Instead of wreaths

Despo Diamantidou died at the age of 87 in Athens on February 18, 2004 and was buried on February 24 at the First Cemetery of Athens. Her few friends, from the theater class, who will accompany her to her last residence, will honor her proud personality and the mark she left on her art and culture.

Instead of wreaths, he had requested that the money be given to the Melina Merkouri Foundation. Her dear friend, whom she met – up there – along with the Tsarouhis and the other important people of the arts and culture that she always had in her company.