The actress Kali Kalo has passed away at the age of 97, as announced earlier today by MP and president of SEH, Spyros Bibilas.

In his post on social media Spyros Bibilas wrote:

“She left us a little while ago, today, which is women’s day, the wonderful Kali Kalo, the star of the revue of the 40s 50s 60s with such a turbulent life marked by shocking events as she mentions in her autobiography “what the wind took “, with social struggles, with strong trade union action in the actors’ union and in TASEI.. The last ten months with actions of TASEI and me personally who honored me with her friendship, she was transferred to the Athens nursing home where all the staff took care of her from the first moment with a lot of love and care and for that we thank them from the bottom of our hearts for all the social work they carry out with so much responsibility.. Have a nice trip sweetie, my dear…».

Who was Kali Kalo?

Kali Kalo was born in Athens and her real name was Kalliopi Damvergi.

He was originally from Rethymnon.

Her mother was Chrysa, daughter of general G. Kalochristianakis, assistant to Venizelos, also an actress and an emancipated woman for the time.

Her father was Nikos Damvergis, from a family of pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Kali’s first appearance in a theater performance was at the age of just three, in Daskalitsa by Dario Nikkontemi, following a decision by Marika Kotopoulis, in whose theater her mother was performing.

Her first real role, however, was at the age of 5, specially written for her by Spyros Melas in his play Dad is Educating, where she achieved great success playing alongside Vassilis Logothetides and the Mousouri couple at the “Aliki” theater.

Such was the success that Atticus sent the director of his “Madras”, Chr. Dimitropoulos, to ask her mother for cooperation. And when she gave her consent, he wrote “Bemba” songs and ballads, taught her acting, gave her the nickname “Kali Kalo” and featured her in his shows.

At the same time, he studied for many years at the classical ballet school of the Royal (now National) Theater and others. An image of her as a child prodigy was thus being formed, something like the Shirley Temple of Greece, however her mother’s divorce and the war with the Occupation interrupted this development, as mother and daughter began to tour with “packs” in the countryside for the their survival.

Her post-war membership in the KKE led to her arrest in 1947 from the theater, while appearing in the revue “To pardalo katsiki”, and to her displacement for six months in Ikaria.

After returning from exile, coinciding with her coming of age, Kali Kalo created her own troupe (1950) and performed roles in all genres of theater, namely vaudeville, revue, operetta, free theater, and prose.

He collaborated with, among others, Minoti, Kyveli, Miranda Myrat, Katraki, Traiforo, Christoforo Nezer, Avlonitis, Mavrea, Kokkini, Stavridis, Kaloutas, Rena Dor and Rena Vlachopoulou. He also starred at the National Theater and the Greek Theater, playing works by Brecht, Pirandello and others.

However, the fact that she was not interested in cinema, so she acted in only 4 films, contributed to her being almost unknown to the younger generations.

At the end of her career she also appeared in a few television series. In addition to her theatrical career, Kalo taught herself foreign languages ​​and pursued university studies in child psychology in Lausanne, more specifically in the Montessori, Decroly and Pestalozzi systems. He is, in fact, the creator of the “Model Schools of Good Damvergi”.

The KKE sadly bids farewell to the great theater actress

The KKE sadly says goodbye to Kali Kalo, “a great protagonist of the theater who was literally born in it”.

“Kalliope Damvergi, as was her real name, until the moment when the great Attic “baptized” her with the artistic pseudonym Kali Kalo, lived a turbulent life, with intense activity and participation in socio-political and trade union struggles. She was also distinguished by her restless spirit, creativity and erudition.

Her post-war membership in the KKE led to her arrest in 1947 and her deportation. After that, Kali Kalo, having created her own troupe, performed roles in all genres of the Greek and international theater repertoire, while on her way to the theater “board” she collaborated with great directors and actors” says the announcement of the party.

KKE expresses its condolences to the family and relatives.