Kostas Hatzihristos(1921-2001)

Kostas Hatzihristos was one of the most beloved comedians of classic Greek cinema and theater. He began his stage career in variety shows and operetta ensembles before achieving his breakthrough at the Verdén Theater with the role of Thymios, a naive villager that became his trademark character and established him as a leading comic actor. He made his screen debut in 1952 with The Tower of Knights (1952) and went on to appear in numerous comedies throughout the 1950s and 1960s, becoming a household name. At the same time, he enjoyed great success on stage with works such as The Man Who Came Back from the Dishes (1968-69), while also producing and directing several films. Hatzihristos collaborated with many of Greece's top performers, including Anna Fonsou, Dionysis Papagiannopoulos, and Ketty Diridaoua, his co-star and second wife. A versatile performer with impeccable timing, he remained active in theater into the early 1980s and later returned in the 1990s with new productions at his own venue, the Hatzihristos Theater in Athens. Remembered for his signature character and his enduring contribution to comedy, Hatzihristos holds a special place in Greek cultural history, and his name today is honored with streets named after him in several cities.