Mainly popular in the 1960s, when he starred in many drama films, he became known as the “Children of the People” from the roles of the poor and downtrodden folk child who lives in misery but is eventually redeemed.
The actor and singer Nikos Xanthopoulos died at the age of 89, after serious health problems for which he was hospitalized.
Mainly popular in the 1960s, when he starred in many drama films, he became known as the “Children of the People” from the roles of the poor and downtrodden folk child who lives in misery but is eventually redeemed.
Nikos Xanthopoulos was born on March 4, 1934 in Nea Ionia, in the refugee neighborhood of Athens. A child of Pontian refugees, he grew up poor with his mother, who essentially raised him alone, as his father was absent for long periods of time.
His father worked occasionally as a shoemaker and fisherman, while during the Occupation he was imprisoned for his resistance action. During his teenage years he was an athlete of AEK.
Growing up, he decided to work in the theater, although he was initially fascinated by the idea of ​​becoming a philologist. His mentor was Manos Katrakis.
He studied at the National Theater School. He made his first professional appearance in the theater in 1957 with “Tiaso Katerina” in the comedy “Virginia”.
Until the mid-60s, he had played various roles, including Orestes in Sophocles’ “Electra”, directed by Dimitris Rodiris, while he also collaborated with Manos Katrakis’ troupe in Mikis Theodorakis’ “Dead Brother’s Song”.
He also briefly performed in musical theater. He participated in 24 theater productions and played all kinds of theater. In 1970 he founded his own troupe and toured Greece.
From the mid-60s, cinema won him over.
His first film appearance was in 1958 in the comedy of Philippa Phylaktos “The Receipt” alongside Vassilis Avlonitis and Nikos Rizos. He was established as a film star by director-producer Apostolos Tegopoulos (Clack Film), with whom he had exclusive collaboration from 1964 to 1971, in musical drama films.
He participated in the films of the newly founded Clack Film for the first time in 1963 with “Broken hearts” in the role of the evil brother-in-law. The beginning of his standardization as a child of the people happened a year later in the film “I loved and I hurt”.
In these films Nikos Xanthopoulos used to sing, while composers such as Apostolos Kaldaras wrote songs for him. His discography includes 9 major albums and 55 singles.
He appeared as a singer in large nightclubs and toured abroad in the centers of the Greek diaspora. He made his last film appearance in 1995 in the film by Giorgos Zervoulakos “With Orpheus in August”.
At the end of 2005 he published his autobiography “What I remember and what I loved” in a book. He was married twice and had four children and five grandchildren.
Television – Videotapes
He first appeared on television in 1973 in the Agrimia series.
Eight years after Agrimia, in 1981, he plays in the series of Errikos Thalassinos “Diary of a Janitor”. He plays the captain who wants to go sailing and can’t find somewhere to leave his son. The role prompted him to start smoking again.
In 1994 he starred in the television drama series “On the Razor’s Edge”.
In 1989 he collaborates with Apostolos Tegopoulos and Panos Kontelis in “Minor of a Heart” which was released in 3 tapes and then played on ERT in 16 episodes. Then came “Love that knows no borders” which was filmed in Athens, Istanbul and Paris. It was released on two cassettes. It later aired in 8 episodes on MEGA.
Two more video productions followed, “Father’s Heart” and “Love on the Sidelines” which was also played on TV on the ANT1 channel in 1992.
Song
For the needs of the films, he became a singer under the guidance of Apostolos Kaldara and Eftychia Papagiannopoulou.
After 1971 he stopped appearing in films and switched to a new career in folk singing. In total he has released 9 albums and 55 singles. His discography includes around 300 songs. His songs are signed by, among others, Akis Panou, Christos Nikolopoulos, Xarchakos and others.
In his long absence from cinema and television, he had the opportunity to visit and tour in the USA, Australia and almost all of Europe, always knowing the acceptance and apotheosis of the Greek diaspora.
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